How You Can Turn A Volunteer Position Into A Job
Olivia Attwood
Certified Professional Resume Writer ● Career Coach ● Executive Resume Writer ● MBA, BEng, CPRW, CPCC
Volunteering can help you contribute to society and open up chances to experience totally different things. You can even choose to follow a career path that you love with volunteering. If you are in the midst of a job search, volunteering will open up new opportunities for you. It will also give you something cool to add to your resume that showcases your commitment.
Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity for you to network with other professionals from your industry. You get to meet new people and form connections with them. If you are volunteering at a large company, it will give you a chance to learn the complex inner workings of a business.
You can use volunteering to help your career
Volunteering experiences help enhance your career by giving you a chance to learn new skills or sharpen existing knowledge. You even get to explore new experiences like public speaking, demonstrating, and presenting when you volunteer for a worthy cause. If you are working in sales or marketing, you can find a volunteer position that allows you to explore your creativity by creating content.
The volunteer positions you choose should allow you to polish the skills you already have. When you want to learn a new language or improve your skills in a second language, you can volunteer for a place that allows you to collaborate with people who speak that language. There is nothing like practical experience in learning new skills.
Want to explore a new career path without putting down roots? Find a volunteer position in the industry and try your hand at it. There is no long-term commitment involved with volunteering, which is a remarkable thing when you want to explore new careers.
Having a career gap that seems to be stretching too long? Volunteering can help you avoid a gap in your resume. You can be hunting for new positions while working at your volunteer job. Not only will you be avoiding a career gap, but also you will get some cool skills to put down on your resume.
Start volunteering early on
Find volunteer opportunities early in your career by applying to businesses or organizations in your field of work. A simple Google search for Volunteering along with your location can help you find hundreds of opportunities. Many online tools will allow you to be updated on new volunteer positions that open up.
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Talk to your manager about your career goals
Maybe your manager is already considering offering you a permanent position. If you love working for a volunteer company for a salary, talk to your manager about your goals. You can get hired internally when a new position opens up if your manager knows about your interest early on. If you see an interesting position open up, you can let the hiring team at the organization know that you are interested.
If the company doesn’t seem that eager to hire you, you shouldn’t push the matter further. It may make you seem as if you are unhappy with the volunteer position if you keep pressing for a salaried job.
Never lose sight of your passion
You joined the volunteer workforce because you are passionate about making a change. Don’t let your passion dwindle after you work at the job for several weeks. There will be days when you feel as if what you do is not making much of a change, but that feeling will pass soon. People will always remember your passion when they recommend you to an employer.
Be patient while you wait for a volunteer job to hire you
If the hiring process is moving at a snail’s pace, don’t be discouraged. It may take a while for a position to open up. Nonprofit organizations are almost always running on limited budgets and hire minimal staff. The wait will be worth it when you finally get hired for your dream position to give back to society.
Build relationships at the job and connect with more people
Show the employer the value you bring to the organization by helping out in every way you can. You can mentor some new volunteers or act as an assistant for a senior volunteer. Adapt yourself to the company culture and make yourself a cultural fit for the institution. That way, when an opportunity opens up, you will be the first person your manager thinks of.