Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community. Many groups and agencies would not be able to offer the services that they do without volunteers.

For the job seeker, volunteering can provide many benefits.

• Resume Building
  • Employers look favourably upon applicants who list unpaid community involvement on their resumes. Many employers themselves either participate in, or donate to charities. Your community involvement can fill those gaps on your resume that occur while job searching.
• Networking
  • Contacts can be made and developed that could prove beneficial in your job search. Having others to speak to about your experience and current job search eases your stress and can assist you in generating new approaches and ideas.
• Preparedness
  • A volunteer position will assist you in maintaining a “job ready” frame of mind by encouraging you to follow a schedule and maintain a commitment.
• References
  • Most employers regard references obtained from volunteer work to be as important as those received from paid employment. They recognize that having given freely of your time, you are likely to be a responsible and mature community-minded person.
• Exploration
  • Volunteering can allow you to “test the water” in an area or position that you are considering for your career path. This is very important, especially for those who may wish to pursue training or education in a specific field.
• Experience
  • Skills developed while volunteering are very important especially if the position is linked to your career path. These skills are recognized by employers to be just as valid as those obtained through paid employment.

If you are interested in pursuing volunteer positions check out Volunteer Hamilton.

Remember not to overcommit yourself to your volunteer position as you will require time to continue your job search as well as allow yourself time to recharge your batteries.