How Volunteering can give you an edge in the job market?

Did you know volunteering can give you an edge in the job market?

In fact, volunteers are?27% more likely to land a job?than non-volunteers.

Whether you’re looking for your first job or transitioning to a new career,?volunteering helps steer your passion into a new role?by giving you valuable skills and supercharging your resume.

It’s a trend most career coaches and recruiters are advising jobseekers to do. It shows initiative and highlights how you are active in your desired career field—all without pay.

But there’s a catch. Organizations are becoming more aware of job seekers’ strategies. And they don’t want volunteers who are only there to pad their resumes and leave once they find a new job. They want individuals who will support their cause.

? Build Those Networks

One major benefit of volunteering is being part of a great community, which can help you build your professional networks.

Volunteering is the perfect way to meet new people, including board members, employees and other volunteers, who may be integral to helping you land a new or better job.

These contacts are leaders in your community and can be a great source of information on job openings and possible career paths. Imagine, one of them may even serve as your reference when you apply for a new position.

? Bolster Your Resume with New Skills

Think about this for a second:?85% of HR specialists?are willing to overlook resume flaws when a candidate has volunteer work.

Photo of me back in 2012 when I found myself out of work and volunteering at my local food bank.

How are you leveraging your volunteer experience on your resume and or LinkedIn profile?

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LinkedIn Tip #14: Volunteering Experience ??

Please make sure to share all of your volunteer experience on our LinkedIn profile.

Maybe you couldn’t get it all on your resume and that’s ok.

Please make sure to tell us what you did and what you learned.

Sometimes that volunteer experience was like a job because of what you did or the amount of time and energy you put in. You can also share why you volunteered with that particular organization if you want to in fact share that.

Did you know you can also add photos like the one above to a section called the Featured Section on your LinkedIn profile? Its super easy. Click on the photo and it will take you to my profile - scroll down a little bit and you will see that photo in my Featured Section.

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Resume Tip #14: When to add Volunteering

If you have little or no working experience, you need to place volunteer experience on that resume.

If you gained some amazing experience, skills, and or knowledge while volunteering please make sure to share that on your resume. If your resume is already too long, make sure to include it in detail on your LinkedIn profile. If you are attempted to land a job with a volunteer organization, please include your experience on your resume.

Different ways to volunteer in your community

There are several ways you can get involved as a volunteer in your community. Common places that have volunteer opportunities include:

• Homeless shelters.?Homeless shelters often have several volunteer opportunities available, including preparing and serving food to the homeless in your area.
• Animal shelters.?Most animal shelters require the work of volunteers to continue to run. Opportunities at animal shelters may include dog walking and administrative help.
• Home construction organizations.?Some nonprofits build homes or perform repairs on existing homes for little to no cost. Volunteer opportunities could include construction or cleaning jobs.
• Retirement homes.?People in retirement homes often rely on volunteers as a source of entertainment and learning. You could teach an art class or read a book once a week in your local retirement home as a way of giving back to the community.
• Libraries.?Many local libraries seek volunteers to contribute to the overall operations. Opportunities to consider include organizing bookshelves, participating in weekly reading events and assisting library visitors.

How to volunteer

Here are the steps you can take to volunteer in your community:

1.??Decide which causes you care about.

2.??Identify the skills and knowledge you can offer.

3.??Create a volunteer resume.

4.??Determine how often you can volunteer.

5.??Research volunteer opportunities in your community.

6.??Consider using a volunteer site.

7.??Get all the relevant details for the volunteer position.

8.??Apply for the volunteer position.

9.??Follow up after you apply.

10.?Complete any required training.

11.?Begin with a limited commitment.

12.?Be professional.

13.?Regularly assess your volunteer experiences.

Your opinion matters

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