Volunteering benefits both the person giving time and the receiver of the donated effort. If you choose wisely, where you volunteer could lead to your next job.
Help Your Own Cause Too
In 40 Tips for Job Seekers Over 40, I said that volunteering “is a great way to keep a work-based routine and keeps you involved in the community which also translates into many networking opportunities.” This holds true regardless of your age.
Other reasons to be a volunteering job seeker are:
- You’re on a non-profit job search.
- “Perhaps the best way to explore career options is to try out…volunteer opportunities” says Easysearchjob.
- “Supporting a cause that is important to you is a great way to meet people with whom you share some ideals” according to Job-Hunt.org.
Following that last tip- try finding a volunteer-needing company (internship?), association or group that helps job seekers whether you are one or not. Doing so will help you stay aware of current job market trends and opportunities in your field of expertise, possibly even before they’re made public.
One such organization is Israemploy, an Israeli charity for job seekers. As founder Chaim Fox-Emmett once told JobMob, “We have people in South Africa, in England, in America either entering data or doing Internet research because they feel it helps their own goals, but they’re quite effective helping people who are here, which is wonderful.”
Another nice plus is that you can help Israemploy from wherever you are without leaving the comfort of your own home.
Contact Israemploy for more information about becoming one of their volunteers.
This article is part of the Something Good mini-group writing project celebrating that blog’s first anniversary. Happy Birthday, Something Good.
Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for helpful job search advice that you can use immediately.
--Jacob Share
5 great comments. Join in!
Tags: chaim-fox-emmett, group-writing-projects, Israel, Israemploy, job-search, something-good, volunteers
Filed under: Must-Read Tips
Jacob Share is the founder and SVP of 
We always think about how volunteering can help other people, but you’ve shown how it can be Something Good for ourselves, too! Thanks for joining in the group writing project.
Comment by lornadoone
— August 12, 2007 #
it’s really interesting to read about this on a blog that is not based in north america. having worked with a lot of immigrants, i’ve noticed that volunteering is quite different in countries other than the US and canada.
voluntering is a great thing to do. at an organization i’ve worked for a while that catered mostly to the arts community, we would have employers come in once a month to talk about how they hire people. volunteering was always high on the list.
one important thing about volunteering is that it helps to do it strategically. make sure your volunteering supports your career goals. and don’t forget to mention your volunteer jobs on your resume!
Comment by isabella mori
— August 15, 2007 #
@lorna: my pleasure :)
@isabella: I think that quality employers would use volunteer experience as a kind of moral yardstick when they’re evaluating a candidate. Which is why your tip is a good one. Thanks!
Comment by Jacob Share
— August 15, 2007 #
[...] A simple logo for a simple group writing project where the idea was to share goodness with others. Although a bit rough around the edges, the earthy smiles and flowers of this logo match the mood that creator Lorna Doone wanted. I entered this gwp with 5 Reasons to Volunteer Your Way to Your Next Job. [...]
Pingback by 11 Most Interesting Pre-Launch Group Writing Project Logos } Group Writing Projects
— November 16, 2008 #
[...] might also consider organizing your own event such as a “meetup”, “tweetup” or volunteer program to make connections with others and present yourself as a leader in your [...]
Pingback by 3 Out of the Box Ways to Grow Your Network and Land Your Next Job | JobMob « ANDYWERGEDAL
— August 5, 2010 #