Have you considered volunteering as a career? It’s a great way to contribute to the community and meet new people. The main reason so many people don’t think it is because they assume it’s not for them. But if you’re interested in contributing, learning new skills, and having an experience that’ll last a lifetime, then there’s no reason not to consider it.
Volunteering can help give you a glimpse into what it’s like to live in a better world. You can see how other people live, what they worry about, and see how their lives intersect with yours. It’s a great way to meet people and get to know your community… and it’s free! If you’re looking for a way to give back or boost your self-confidence, then volunteering is an excellent way to start. Volunteering can be a powerful force for good. It can build trust, pride, and a sense of community among a team. It gives individuals a chance to work on issues they care about with others from their networks. And it allows businesses to connect with new customers and partners.
Volunteering gives you the chance to work on challenging problems and gain real-world experience to serve you well in your future career and life. It provides a venue where you can make new friends and build lifelong connections. And it allows you to see the world — not just your hometown — through new eyes. Each year, over 100 million people around the globe give 70 million hours of their time to organizations ranging from hospices to conservation groups. The list of organizations is impressive: the Red Cross, Save the Children, CARE, World Vision, Nature Mexico, the International Rescue Committee.
Here are five reasons you should volunteer.
Volunteer to boost your resume
Volunteering is an opportunity to give back to your community and show that you are committed to doing what you can to help others. Many people don’t consider volunteering an essential part of their careers, but it’s easy to see why. After all, the pay is good; the hours are flexible, and you can positively impact someone else’s life. The flip side is that you save yourself time and money because you are not working full time. So which is better:
The secret to a happy and fulfilling volunteer career isn’t about recruiting others to help you. It’s about reaping the rewards of your labors. It’s about making sure your actions impact the world around you—and making that impact more significant than yourself. The best way to figure out which career is best for you is to look at what others have done in their careers and see what they’ve changed for the better. Searching online for volunteer opportunities will introduce you to different organizations and organizations looking for new volunteers.
Volunteer is a chance to explore a field you’re passionate about
We live in a world of opportunity, and few things are more inspiring than volunteering. It’s an opportunity to get outside the box, collaborate with others and shape the future as you take part in something new. Whether you’re taking on a role in a campaign or attending a hackathon, volunteering can provide an engaging and rewarding experience. While it’s not the most effective way to change the world (in fact, being powerful seems counter-intuitive), it’s an excellent way to think about changing yourself. What will you want to do with your time? How will your energy change? How will you connect with others?
Volunteering allows you to get involved in something bigger than yourself. It gives you the chance to build relationships with people who can help you in your future endeavors–no matter how small. When you volunteer for a cause you care about, the people you help will view you as someone who cares about them. This could lead to better future relationships between you and the companies you choose to work with.
Volunteer exposes you to people with different backgrounds than yours.
Volunteering can expose you to people with different backgrounds than yours–who may have a story to tell or experience they’re willing to share with someone else. When you’re volunteering for an organization, you’re working alongside people who have very different experiences and interests than you. So it’s only natural that as you learn more about them and then learn about you, your interactions will improve. This is how relationships are built- people build trust with others by giving their time and effort.
Volunteering is not a move to the right or left on a political spectrum. Instead, it’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in a different culture, experience new ideas, and make new friendships. There’s no better way to learn about a country than spending time there—being apart from your own countries’ cultures teaches you about how people live, work, and relate. As you spend time in different countries, you’ll form opinions of them based on things other than your sense of right or wrong. You’ll see things in others that you see in yourself: people helping one another through hardship, people trusting one another with information not given to them freely, and people diffusing conflicts with reason instead of emotion.
Volunteering gives you experience, opens doors, and expands your network.
It’s a great way to help others and learn new skills. Unfortunately, many people think that volunteering is only for people who have a lot of time on their hands, but that’s not true. You can start working for someone else at no charge if you commit to doing one hour of service a week for three months. After you finish the first month, tell your new employer what content area(s) you’d like to work on next and how you’ll accomplish those goals. This way, they know what type of contribution you’ll make a part of their company culture.
Learning new skills and gaining new experiences are two of the best things that you can do to improve your life and the lives of others. Yet, many people don’t consider volunteering as an option when looking for a job. Why? It’s simple — fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of making mistakes. Fear that simply going out and applying for a job won’t be enough to land you one. These are fears we can break. By going out and volunteering, not only will you be challenging yourself, but you’ll be building an impressive resume that will impress employers.
What better way to gain skills and make connections than being involved in a project that you’re passionate about? Whether it’s helping at a homeless shelter or painting schools, volunteering gives you the chance to get real-world experience and make connections that will benefit you years down the road. In addition, it’s a great way to meet people who share your interests and help you see what other opportunities are available- even if you haven’t thought of them yet!
Bottom Line
Volunteering allows you to take on a role that gives you skill and responsibility and gives the community you serve a benefit. It will enable you to help others while developing new connections in your community. Research shows that the best way to change your life is to become involved in something significant in your community. So, if you’re looking for a way to give back and help people in need but don’t have the tools or knowledge to get started; if you’re looking for a way to help people overcome the fear of volunteerism or are simply curious about what it’s like; if these apply to you, then imagine volunteering!