Using Volunteer Work to Boost Your Job Skills

As you focus on your career development you may realise that you need to boost your job skills in order to progress further. Ways to do this are to get extra training, brush up your skills at work, or gain work placements. Another option to consider is boosting your skills through volunteer work. Not only are you doing something worthwhile, but you can gain all sorts of new skills and take on responsibilities that will stand you in good stead in your career.

What Skills Do You Need?

Before you start considering volunteer work you need to be clear about what skills you need to improve. If you need to prove your leadership qualities or that you can handle responsibility then you may want to look for a team leader position. If you would like to move into marketing, then think about helping promote a charity. If you need to show organisation skills then maybe you could help organise an event or project. Once you are clear about what you want to gain from being a volunteer you can look for a placement.

Finding Volunteer Placement

Volunteering has become a popular trend but there are still all sorts of organisations crying out for volunteers. The internet is a great place to start and to find opportunities in your local area. Many Citizens Advice Bureaux and local councils will also be able to give you the details of organisations where you can volunteer. If you know you want to work for a specific charity, try to approach them directly. Be open and flexible as you may not find your perfect placement, but can gain a lot from a similar role that can aid your Career Development.

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Your Commitment

You mustn’t go into volunteering lightly and must be willing to give the commitment that is required. Charities rely on their volunteers and you will let lots of people down if you don’t do what you promise. Make sure that you only agree to do something that is within your capabilities, and only offer as much time as you have spare. You want to get the most out of your placement so you need to be happy and comfortable giving up your time for free.

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How To Use The Experience

There is no point gaining all these new skills through volunteer work if you don’t tell anyone about it. To make them count towards your career development you need to include them on Your CV and talk about your experiences in Interviews. Detail your main areas of responsibility, what you have learnt and how it can relate to your chosen career. In your interviews, be ready to explain why you pursued volunteer work and how you think it has Boosted Your Skills.

If you are serious about your career development, then volunteering can be a great way to gain the skills that you are missing. Think carefully about what skills you need and find a placement that will help you gain them. Make sure have the time and are serious before committing to anything, as it will not benefit you or the organisation if you can’t get involved fully. Detail your new skills on your CV and be ready to talk about your experience in any job interview.

Work Experience as an Adult

Gaining work experience in any field can be incredibly useful to those looking to change careers. Find out more in our article Finding Work Experience As An Adult.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Career Change Matcher lets you tell us what is not working and what you want instead and we will match you with career paths that fit. Try it now →