Free Career and Job Search Advice

josie · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject: Volunteer your Way To A New Job

Trying to find a job can be daunting, especially if you are young and not really had job experience. But everyone has to start their career somewhere, and job experience can be gained in many ways. Experiences through an internship, school programs, or volunteering can make a big difference when applying for that first job. Relevant experience gained this way can fill in any gaps you might have from your formal education.
Lots of times someone will work an internship or be a volunteer. In addition to experience gained, this can be a great networking opportunity later when conducting a job search. People that are met at any given point in life can lead you to the perfect job, your first job, or a better job. How you work and your behavior during volunteering can be crucial. Possible employers can check to see how you performed and can consider this when hiring you. If you were responsible, dedicated, and serious about your work, then you will most likely be a good employee and will take the risk of hiring you. If you messed around, showed up when you felt like it, and had a bad attitude, then they aren't going to want you as an employee. Volunteering should be treated as seriously as a real job in all respects. And once in a while, a job will open up in the same place that you are volunteering or interning, and you can get a job because you performed well. Some things to keep in mind when volunteering:

Treat it like a job, always. Be serious.
Show up on time.
Keep a positive attitude and image.
Always try to do your best and as much as you can.
When you have finished your volunteering or internship, ask about job placement. You might get a job from within.
Ask for a good reference at the end of your stint. If you did well, you can at least walk away with a helpful reference that can get you the job later.

http://www.cvtips.com/job_experience.html
http://www.cvtips.com/specialized_international_internships.html

ank06 · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 248 Career Advice: +1/-0

Hi, I've done some volunteering work, various things. I was wondering is it important the domain in which you choose to offer yourself as a volunteer?? I mean let's say you want to apply for a job in the IT field and you went on a volunteer activity in some poor villages, accompanying some volunteer doctors, helping them with what you can and what you know. How is this useful for the job you want to apply for? Very Happy

Some friends of mine say it doesn't matter the volunteer activity you have, it matters for this activity to EXIST, as employers tend to choose people who have made this over others who haven't because of their altruistic qualities.
Is this true? I was thinking that if you wanna volunteer for something, volunteer for something which helps you with the experience.

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