How Volunteering Can Help You Fill Your Resume with In-Demand Skills
Finding a job can be difficult in a crowded market. While everyone seems to be hanging out "help wanted" signs, the truth is that there is a great deal of competition for more desirable jobs that come with higher wages. For this reason, many people are looking for ways to develop skills that make them attractive to employers.
While education is always good, it takes time. Volunteering, though, is something you can do right away. More importantly, it can help you develop skills employers value. Skills that look impressive on a resume, like those listed below.
Time Management
Perhaps one of the most important skills for people in all professions is the skill of time management. Volunteering offers a crash course in time management and how to value time as a resource. You will learn to prioritize tasks according to importance and impact, something employers value greatly.
Leadership
Because you develop many skills during your volunteer service, you also develop leadership skills along the way. The ability to teach others to do what you’re doing and to help them feel good about their work at the same time. It’s an important skill that will take you far, professionally speaking.
Teamwork
Employers understand that volunteering is something that doesn’t work in isolation. It takes a team of people working toward one goal to accomplish great things. It doesn’t matter what type of volunteer work you’re doing; the odds are good that you’re learning to work more effectively in a team environment as you do it.
Creativity
Most volunteers are “outside the box” thinkers. Volunteer organizations are often held together with meager donations or government grants and the belief of the people who volunteer for the cause. That means you have to learn to think creatively when it comes to things like public awareness, fundraising, and spending the funds available to you. Developing this in a volunteer environment translates well into the realm of employment when you need to accomplish great things with not-so-great budgets.
As you can see, many skills you develop as a volunteer are indeed in-demand by employers. Remember to include them on your resume in addition to skills gained from previous employment and education.