Get Out There and Volunteer!

There is an article in my local paper this morning about volunteering. It says that as the poor economy swells, more people are using their professional skills as a volunteer. The benefits of volunteering are numerous and include:

1. Transferable Job Skills - The skills you used as an employee can now "transfer" to a volunteer organization. They keep your resume fresh. For example, if you created PowerPoint presentations at work, you can create PowerPoint presentations for a volunteer group. This activity allows you to continue learning and using your skills.
2. New Skill Development – Let’s say that you never held a leadership position at your former place of employment but as a volunteer, you now find yourself responsible for accomplishing something though a group of people or making strategic decisions. Those skills can now be listed on your resume. As a volunteer you can gather a number of valuable, interesting skills and competencies. Think facilitation, project management, event planning, data analysis, team building and others.
3. Networking - The number one way to find a job! With a volunteer activity you will be interacting with a number of other people. Those people and their contacts can become your contacts. That is a first step towards networking.
4. Possible Career Change - You may realize that you enjoy the tasks and people associated with a particular volunteer opportunity and think about a career change.
5. Community Citizen- Many organizations value service to the community and may consider this when evaluating a resume or interviewing a candidate.
5. Giving Back - This wonderful opportunity helps not only you but many others.

Some people never consider the potential and value of volunteering. Not only are you getting out of the house and away from your immediate job concerns, but you are making a difference AND enhancing your marketability.