Surprising Professional Benefits of Volunteering while Pursuing Your Education
January 22, 2013
•General, Career Services, Education
• 0 Comments
If you’re looking for ways to boost your educational experience, volunteering could be a rewarding option. Sometimes more beneficial than internships or networking events, volunteering while pursuing a degree program offers surprising professional benefits to students.
Capability
Volunteer positions allow students to use the skills they’ve learned in school and develop new ones often related to their industry of interest. Volunteer positions are unpaid, so you can often mold the position to your skill set or goals. Unlike internships, which sometimes involve repetitive and elementary tasks, you can tailor a volunteer position to meet your professional goals. No matter what kind of volunteer work you do, you can gain the following skills:
- Organization
- Self-motivation
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Planning
- Time management
Credibility
Potential employers like to consider candidates who have previous experience, and a volunteer position could give you that extra boost you need to get the position. By volunteering, students show that they are willing to invest time into experience without compensation. This can be impressive, especially when companies know you are volunteering even during the time-consuming task of pursuing an education. Even volunteering for an organization unrelated to your industry shows your dedication to working for the community and well-rounded interests.
Connectivity
Not only can volunteering boost your professional skills, but it can also expand your network. Both corporations and non-profit organizations often partner with several businesses. The people you meet during your time as a volunteer could be a rich and diverse networking resource. Be sure to ask questions, communicate your goals and get the contact information of the connections you make.