SIX REASONS TO VOLUNTEER FOR YOUR CAREER

Can voluntary work boost your career prospects? Yes, it can! In the world of work, practical experience is always highly valued, but there’s a catch-22 many job seekers face: you need experience to get a job, but you can’t gain experience without a job. This is where voluntary work comes in!

Volunteering is an excellent way to advance your prospects. From school leavers to those thinking about a career change, gaining experience through volunteering can unlock new work opportunities. 

In a large pool of potential employees, having experience helps you stand out. This could be specific hands-on experience or soft skills like adaptability and problem-solving that help your performance at work. 

Volunteering reflects well on your character and showcases your proactivity and willingness to apply yourself. It can come into its own for anybody hoping to break into a new industry. Let’s look at the benefits in more detail.

A Reference

Let’s cut to the chase! Almost every job seeker benefits from a great reference when competing in the employment market. Even if the skills you gain through volunteering don’t perfectly match your dream job, references will vouch for your character and reliability. Volunteering makes a great impression on a potential future employer. 

Experience

Experience ensures you stand out from the crowd in today’s job market. Alongside any specific job-related skills you pick up, volunteering helps you to develop soft skills. These include, but certainly aren’t limited to, problem-solving, teamwork and communication. Many organisations offer volunteer positions, such as The National Trust, arts organisations, and sporting events. Whatever experience you seek for your CV, you should be able to pinpoint the right volunteering opportunity. 

Your Dream Job

Imagine there is a job or industry you are eager to get into. Many charitable organisations offer opportunities from marketing and PR to working with children, bid writing, and event stewarding. Set your sights on voluntary work in your dream sector, a similar field, or a role that allows you to develop relevant skills. 

Networking

‘It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.’ Is this still true in 2024? Whilst most jobs have a set recruitment process, don’t let this put you off. Establishing a network can be useful, as your contacts can alert you to opportunities and give you application and interview tips. By volunteering, you ‘pay it forward’ at the same time as building contacts and supporting your future career.

Promotion

From customer service to serving on a charity board – perhaps in a senior role like finance or as a trustee – will enhance your future prospects. Giving your time for free can still come with real responsibility, alongside allowing you to develop personal qualities. You can take all this back to the workplace as a bargaining tool to help you gain a promotion or a pay rise.

Feel Good Factor

It’s a fact that helping others is good for your wellbeing. If you have been out of employment for a while and feel disheartened about your prospects, view volunteering as a way to ease you back into work. Find out what you need to know about volunteering if you receive benefits here [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/volunteering-and-claiming-benefits]. 

Getting Started

You may choose to give your time purely as a way to contribute to your community. For many, volunteering goes beyond this and is a smart career move. The Liverpool City Region offers a wide variety of opportunities. 

• Organisations such as LCVS [https://www.lcvs.org.uk/] help you connect with volunteer opportunities that match your career aspirations and personal interests. 
• The Salvation Army runs a Steps to Volunteering programme at Strawberry Field[https://www.strawberryfield.salvationarmy.org.uk/steps-volunteer] in South Liverpool. 
• Volunteering Liverpool City Region [https://volunteeringlcr.org/index-classic] is a platform with a search facility to help you find the right opportunity near you.

An estimated 14m people in the UK volunteer their time. Best of luck as you take the first step and explore the world of volunteering.