Volunteering will change your life!

There it is - an entry level job in the field you went to school for. It could lead to the career you dreamed of. Your skills are what they are looking for, and your education meets the requirements. But even though it is an ‘entry level’ position, it requires 2-3 years of experience. Saying you are a fast learner in your cover letter just won’t cut it.

So how do you make that leap from education to a career? One way is through volunteer work.

Volunteering is not always synonymous with just ‘doing work for free’. There are many opportunities with organizations or volunteer groups where you can use your skill to get noticed by someone within the network.

For instance, if you volunteer for your local skills organization, you could use your graphic design skills to design a poster and event logos. You could get noticed by someone on one of the committees who is looking to hire a graphic designer! Or, maybe you have carpentry skills that you used to help build an accessibility ramp at your school. Someone in the community may notice your skills because they were looking to hire someone to complete a carpentry project!

Volunteering for your local skills organizations opens up a whole world of opportunity to expand your skill related knowledge, experience and contact base. You will be able to learn from industry experts and teach others in return. It is a great way to stay current in your industry and to gain an advantage over others in this tough job market. 

There are many types of volunteer opportunities out there depending on time commitment, skill level, and environmental situation, but they all have countless benefits. Some of the key benefits include:

• Expand your network of contacts
• Get your work noticed
• Meet new friends
• Goodwill towards others
• Positive feeling of personal accomplishment
• Add work/project experience to your CV
• Gain an understanding of how a team works

The next time you volunteer your efforts to help an organization, you might be helping to change not only their lives, but your own as well!