How can volunteering help you land your dream job?

Spending three decades volunteering really bolstered my resume, allowing me to hone new skills and refine existing ones. Through such experiences, you demonstrate initiative and a capacity to take on responsibilities, which are key qualities employers seek. Additionally, you expand your professional network, connect with generous, like-minded community oriented people. It also provides you with tangible examples of your work ethic and commitment to show in interviews, giving you an edge over other candidates. Your willingness to invest time in causes you believe in is a good show of character and aligns with a company’s corporate social responsibility values, making you an attractive candidate. Do well by doing good!

First of all, volunteering opportunities provide important opportunities for young people to get to know themselves. It offers an environment to test competencies that are essential in corporate life, such as communication, cooperation and team play.

Absolutely this. Not only did it give me skills that I didn’t previously have, it allowed me to expand on my current skill set. In my instant, it’s allowed me to offer an insight in construction training to when and how a different set of regulations and laws might be applicable by way of comparison to general construction and emergency services response.

Absolutely! I loved working with First Nations through Exeko and I had the time of my life in the kitchen of La Maison du Père! I met people from around the world and we laughed from morning till night cooking Cordón Bleu meals for the homeless. The cooks are not only amazing but absolutely adorable. I learned a great deal, not only about cooking, but about budget, marketing, fund raising, administration and data, operations, H.R. And management.

Very true. Volunteering exposes you to people who will help you to advance in your career. A job opening found me in the organization I was volunteering. Someone else shared my passion and desire to grow in my field of work to the recruiting manager and I got to apply for the position. I have come to learn that networking isn’t just about getting contacts of influential individuals. First there has to be a relationship between me and the other person I’m networking with. With similar interests, we’ll have a lot to talk about and know each other. Secondly, I need to be intentional to see that that relationship is active and genuine. I also need to have a teachable mindset. From there, most likely, I will be mentioned in relevant places.

Anecdotally, it did a lot for me to be able to give back to the community, as well as a way to become more of a part of that community by volunteering with others in my area.

I carried a whole bunch of skills from varying backgrounds that covered the skills needed to be in a certain industry but since I didn’t have that type of title ob my resume I kept getting passed up. I finally got a company who knew me to give me a chance and they said o was the perfect fit they almost skipped because of face value. Don’t be afraid to volunteer or intern(even as a grown adult) in the role you want to show how much you want that role.

In the pursuit of your dream job, remember the power of storytelling. Share your volunteer experiences with enthusiasm, highlighting the impact you've made. Stories connect on a personal level and make you a memorable and compelling candidate. Your narrative can be your greatest asset in landing that dream job.

Moreover, volunteering builds character. It's not just about gaining skills; it's about personal growth, empathy, and a sense of fulfillment.

Volunteering also reveals new paths and opportunities for many individuals which may start as ‘just volunteeringn’ but become much more. My volunteer journey began as a child with a family tradition for a local festival - skip ahead to my late teens when I was trying to decide what to do with my life and I ended up interning at that same festival before pursing a degree and a career in arts management. My volunteer experience gave me a whole new perspective on professional possibilities beyond skill development, networking, personal benefits and social impact. It fostered a passion which would eventually inform my definition of ‘dream job’ but it’s something I never would have considered, pursued or imagined without my volunteer background.