Resumes & Cover Letters

Can Volunteer Work Help Your Resume?

Resume
Written by Jessie Liu

People who are either in-between jobs or looking to change careers have a lot of work to do when it comes to maintaining or building their resumes. If you’re in-between jobs, you must be engaged in activities that will enhance your resume and show potential employers you are a proactive individual. If you’re looking to change careers, you need to tackle that difficult task of adding experience to your resume when no one will give you the opportunity to do so.

The answer to both of these problems is to take on volunteer work. Organizations that hire volunteers are always willing to train people when it comes to new tasks, and they are always grateful to have people with experience working on important projects. There are several other ways that volunteer work can not only help your resume, but also boost your career.

It keeps the career fires burning.

According to Careerealism.com, volunteer work is a great way to keep your passion for what you do burning brightly. If you are a nurse in-between jobs, then volunteering at the local clinic will remind you how much you enjoy helping others. Anyone looking to change careers can gain a real passion for that new career path by getting involved in volunteer work. Instead of jumping into your new career without really knowing what you are getting into, you can use volunteer work to create a heightened sense of excitement about your new profession.

You’ll network with new people.

Job hunters who do not volunteer are missing out on an excellent opportunity to network with new industry contacts who might lead to a new job. According to Monster.com, anyone looking to break into a new career will find the process much easier when they utilize the contacts they make doing volunteer work.

Some of the most prominent members of your local corporate community do regular volunteer work, and those prominent professionals are always interested in making contact with new volunteers who show passion and ability. The networking contacts you can make volunteering could significantly boost your resume and put you on the path towards a better career.

You can add skills to your resume.

One of the biggest benefits of volunteering to boost your resume is the opportunity to add new skills to your professional qualifications. The charitable organization you volunteer for would be more than happy to show you an array of new skills that you can use to create a much more impressive resume. Volunteering also gives you the chance to develop a resume for your career change that would list skills that often take years for people within the industry to learn.

Volunteering is not only good for your community; it is also good for your career. The people you can meet, the skills you can acquire, and the experience you can build up through a volunteering position can be invaluable in enhancing your resume, and in making your qualifications stand out to potential new employers.

To learn more about volunteering opportunities and boosting your career, you can sign up with TheJobNetwork today. You will get all of the inside information you need to grow your career and boost your professional qualifications.

About the author

Jessie Liu

Jessie Liu is a digital marketer, specializing in SEO, Digital Analytics, Content Marketing and Social Media. She helps lead TheJobNetwork’s content marketing efforts, including content strategy and promotion strategy. She believes in data-driven decision making. She recently adopted a Beagle mix puppy named Happy. Feel free to tweet her @jessiecliu for pictures of her adorable new puppy or just any marketing related stuff.