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Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills and extend your network of friends or colleagues. Both of these count when it comes
to finding a new job. Totaljobs shows you how to make career capital out of donating your time.
Whether you're starting out in the workplace or fancy a change of career direction, volunteering can be a good way of
gaining relevant experience. Graduates who have proved themselves academically but have yet to cut their teeth in the workplace
find it a particularly useful way of learning soft skills.
Boost your confidence....
Mark Crosby was a volunteer teacher in Malawi and says, "I gained so much more in my confidence, my interpersonal skills, and my
knowledge of development issues. And it really does add something to your CV."
...and your CV
Almost three quarters of the UK's big businesses prefer to hire candidates with volunteering experience on their CV according to
Timebank, a national volunteering body. Employers know they are hiring recruits who have learned customer-facing and team skills
through interacting with the public on the front line.
Impress employers
Retailers, for example, often look favourably upon job applicants who have worked in a charity shop. It is evidence of interest
and experience and also provides the comfort that a new recruit's expectations are realistic according to John Lewis. The department
store believes it is 'a good way of learning about the business of selling'.
Learn new skills
Many corporations are so sold on the benefits that they set up their own programmes for employee volunteering in the local
community. Barclay's Bank surveyed the impact of its volunteer programme recently and found increased communication and
leadership skills in staff: 61% of managers reported that staff communication skills had improved and 56% saw improved staff
leadership skills among volunteers.
Get paid work
Working for free for a non-charitable organisation can bring career benefits too if you think carefully about the outcomes you want.
Working unpaid for her local networking group paid real dividends for Cecile Marchant, author with Microfold. Business After Hours the
networking group, was growing fast and Cecile offered to create an online resource for the new website. "As a result I was offered the
job of Content Manager for a year on a part time basis.
Work out the trade
Identify a relevant group or company and offer some time or skill that will provide a genuine trade, recommends Cecile "I wanted to be part of this network and was happy to
put in the time. The job was an unexpected bonus."
By Helen Beckett
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