Why is volunteering important; as a graduate student?

 

 

Volunteer work is typically considered to be an altruistic activity where an individual, group, or organization provides services with no goals for social or financial gain.

Often, people may think of volunteering to help a non-profit organization achieve its goals or provide support for people in the local community.

While these activities are important, volunteering can also provide substantial benefits to your career development, especially as a graduate student.

Volunteering can have a big impact on your career growth. From showcasing your work ethic on your resume to helping your community, volunteer work has a variety of benefits.

However, aside from graduate studies and scholarship opportunities, below are 7 benefits of volunteering/community service for career growth.

1. Volunteering can add experience to your resume.

Humanitarian effort gives you important experience to add to your resume, particularly if you are simply starting your profession and are as yet constructing a strong work insight. If you are a fresh graduate or plan to switch careers, it can some of the time be hard to land job positions without being recruited. In any case, volunteering can permit you to assemble your work insight in an industry or role and show potential employers that, regardless of restricted or no expert history, you really do have volunteer experience that can be applied.

2. You can expand your network.

Another beneficial aspect of volunteering is that you may discover opportunities for networking with other people to form new professional relationships, find out about new job vacancies and develop knowledge about various community organizations that can lead to job creation. No matter where you volunteer you can expand your network to include professionals who may one day be able to assist you in your job search.

3. Volunteering can help you avoid job gaps on your resume.

Most times, when job seekers have long job gaps in their resumes, employers seem to choose other candidates who have little or no job gaps highlighted in their resumes. Volunteering during career transitions can give you something to list on your resume if you are out of work for some time or just beginning to build work experience.

For instance, a student attending school can volunteer with organizations in their fields of study to gain valuable experience that can enable them to highlight this experience upon graduation and entering their careers. Same as a stay-at-home mom who may take up a volunteering job with non-governmental organizations to maintain and develop employability skills.

4. You can learn and apply new skills.

Volunteering can also help you learn new skills, especially if you are transitioning between job industries or studying in a certification program.

Before you embark on a total career transition or sign up for a four-year degree program, you can use volunteering to find out what would be like to work in a specific role and the skills you would need to learn to be successful. Volunteering can be an effective way to figure out if you genuinely enjoy working in a certain position before you try to switch careers.

5. Volunteering can help you increase your job confidence.

Volunteering not only provides avenues for learning new skills and giving back to society, but it can also help to increase your confidence level in a professional setting. Ultimately, when you apply new skills competently, you can increase the confidence you have when approaching future professional situations such as job interviews, career fairs, or networking events.

6. You can showcase your fit for open positions.

Volunteering requires individuals to be hardworking, honest and kind to others. These traits can make volunteers an attractive option for employers who may desire committed staff that can integrate into their companys culture. For example, a potential employer might take an interest in your resume because of your volunteer experience in a library where you may have developed your customer service skills. This can highlight your ability to work with the public professionally and ethically and prove you are dedicated and hardworking.

7. Volunteering can help prepare you for a career or role change.

Volunteering is a good way to transition or advance in your career. Volunteering in a leadership role can help you develop key skills you may need to showcase your capacity to take on a managerial position.

Some other ways to gain leadership experience as a volunteer can include serving on a board of directors, helping recruit and train new volunteers and organizing community events.

The processes and responsibilities involved with leadership volunteering can be an overall benefit to providing you with valuable experience in organizing, leading and assessing a team.

In conclusion, whichever way you look at it, volunteering experience is very important for every graduate. You are not only helping others or your society, but you are also helping yourself as well. Encourage yourself and your friends to take up a volunteering opportunity when the need be. It's a rewarding adventure.