How to Land the Perfect Job through Volunteering
For many, volunteering seems such a waste of time. Why would anyone consider doing something for which he doesn't get paid? Those who think this way often miss the point. Volunteer work has nothing to do with money, it has a lot to do with building character and demonstrating the qualities employers look for when hiring.
It's a tough market out there. Many a youth finds he can't get a job to pay his tuition fees. Many family members have to adjust to a single income after the loss of a job. The state of today's economy puts many in jeopardy of losing their homes as well as their jobs. While providing a service as a volunteer won't pay the bills or keep a home from being foreclosed, the willingness to work can bring a a better source of employment.
Why should you volunteer? There area number of reasons.
The right perspective
It's easy to get depressed when all the effort to find employment leads nowhere. Rather than languish on the couch with a tub of ice cream, you stay active doing something that helps someone less fortunate. You have a sense of purpose even if you don't have a paycheck at the end. Activity is the best way to get yourself out from emotional doldrums.
Standing out
Those who use their time to volunteer stand out from those who refuse to do anything unless they get paid for it. Volunteering demonstrates that you're a part of the world, not separate from it. You're not focused on greed and selfishness. By volunteering, you build strong references that an employer will ask for when you apply for a job.
The character factor
You know that when you want to change your job, the worst thing you could do is to quit your current one. Volunteering is a job in itself but it shows the incentive that a future employer looks for. He sees someone who isn't focused on materialism and willingly plays a part to help a noble cause. That's what an employer would call “character”. Many unemployed people feel that character is something they develop on the job. This is a completely false notion. A good character must be developed well before the first job and volunteering is one of the best ways to develop it.
Playing as a team
Every business runs on team effort. Volunteering is one of the best ways to develop a team mentality. It demonstrates your willingness to work in a spirit of harmony which is so important when you are employed.
Collecting references
Those, fresh from graduation are at a disadvantage as they have no prior work experience. Employers understand that a new graduate has no experience so they will look to references to determine whether the grad should be employed. But references aren't just for the graduate. References can be a valuable source if you've been laid off or unemployed for over a year or more. Employers want to know what you did with all your spare time.
A stepping stone to something better
While some may shun the idea of volunteering, they forget that volunteering can be a major stepping stone to an ideal job. Working as a bookkeeper, for example, may lead to a paying position with the volunteer association. This can lead to full-time employment with a major corporation looking for such a skill.
Volunteering is something that should become a part of everyone looking for work. Those months of effort without pay ultimately pay off with a better starting salary than it would for those who reject volunteering.
