Have Diploma, Need Job? Volunteer! (Trust Us!)

Let’s face it, college students - competition for jobs is fierce. Employment opportunities for Millennials aren't the best and there are more people vying for fewer jobs. Even worse is the ever-familiar “You need a year of experience first” trap. So, how do you stand out among a field of competitive candidates for that one job?

We’ve said many times that volunteering has the potential to give you valuable work experience. And we’re not the only ones. It’s also something we’ve seen work first-hand many times. In fact, our own Community Manager Michael Carusi developed his career with volunteering as a first step. Our own Board Member, and HR pro, Gavin Pommernelle, devoted an entire blog to the work/volunteer relationship.  

As we head into summer, it’s a popular time to volunteer. Taking the right steps now can help you leverage your summer volunteer work in your professional life. 

Treat your volunteer gig like an internship 

Volunteering can have a bit of a stigma attached to it -  the “envelope stuffing” stigma. But half of the battle is going into your volunteer position like an internship: Work requirements, deliverables, expectations and professionalism. Many newcomers to volunteering discover that they can apply their talents and interests to the nonprofit world as effectively as they would in the corporate or for-profit sector. Like internships, there may also be the lure of a full time job in the end.

Volunteer with a position relevant to your interests

This doesn’t even mean that you should volunteer with something closely aligned with your major, especially as a freshman or sophomore. Volunteer based around what interests you and see what it’s like in a professional setting. The worst that can happen is you’ll discover you aren’t interested in it. A more positive scenario is that you’ll gain broad exposure in a future professional field.

Establish specific work deliverables and accomplishments 

We’ve spoken before about how managers love deliverables. Being able to measure your success is a critical skill in the working world, and your volunteering is a fantastic way to start this. Establish goals and accomplishments with your supervisor at the beginning of your volunteer term. It might be to increase in-kind donations by 150% within three months, or it may be to increase event attendance by 25%. It will hone your skills at measuring your value to a business, and demonstrate to prospective employers that your volunteering gave you the chops of an internship. 

Network! 

Even if you aren’t interested in a career in the nonprofit world (though that may change - you’d be surprised), this may be your first time working in a building full of people with years of work experience and their own connections. The odds are great that at least someone on the nonprofit’s team has connections to someone or some group that may interest you.   

To find your next volunteer project, visit us at VolunteerSquare.com and be sure to sign up for our free e-alerts so we can keep you in the loop on projects that interest you. There are tons of them out there! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and updates too.