Have you ever thought about the importance of strategically volunteering?
We all know the importance of networking, but we rarely discuss the importance
of volunteering.
As Young Professionals we like to volunteer. It is the stage
of life we are in. We want to make a
difference in our communities for causes we believe in. With that being said strategically volunteering
can give a huge boost to the success for a YP.
I would like to make one disclaimer
before we get too far. Volunteer where you like, for a cause you believe in
and I am not suggesting anything different. If you don’t believe in the cause but volunteer just for personal gratification,
everyone you volunteer with will know it. Your motive will come out in your energy and it will do the exact opposite
of what we are hoping to achieve by strategically volunteering in the first
place.
What I am saying is this: If you believe in a cause and you are going to volunteer anyways, why
not do so in a strategic manner, so you get just as much out of your time as
the organization does.
I have done this throughout my career. I personally only volunteer for organizations
or causes that I believe in., but if I can also network or build my skill set
while doing it, why not take full advantage. My last two jobs were offered to
me by people I met while volunteering, Not to mention that volunteering in
general also just looks great on a resume. When your resume isn't long,
volunteering can set you apart. It shows
you are well rounded, a team player, and engaged.
First step is to pick
out the causes and organizations that you believe in. Take a look at their missions and familiarize
yourself with what their purpose is. Once you have identified these things, you can start looking for opportunities
that would mutually benefit you. Here
are some things to consider when approaching volunteering strategically.
People
If you can volunteer with people you
want to get to know, not only does it make volunteering more fun, but you build
your network at the same time. Look at who you will be volunteering with or for.
You are new to your profession; it is okay that you want to build your
network. One idea is to volunteer for a
society that promotes the development of your profession. If you help with something like registration,
not only will you be adding to the organization, you will also meet every
single person at every event.
Another example is Jake. He LOVES
baseball with a capital “L”! He also
really loves mentoring and already volunteered in that capacity. One of his firm’s Partners knew this about
him and approached him to coach his son’s little league team. Of course Jake accepted. Not only was he able to combined his two
loves, but he was able to have weekly face to face time with his boss.
Skill
Set
As YPs, we are always looking for ways
to gain more skill sets or to further develop our current skill sets. A quick way to get exposure to a lot of
difference things is through volunteering.
Again pick your causes and organizations, but then see how you can best
benefit them. Sure everyone can clean up
a park and that work is important, but maybe they can use your skill set to
their advantage.
Also with volunteer positions you are
able to learn new skill sets in a non-threatening environment. Always be honest
about your skill set, but volunteer organizations are much more willing to take
a chance on you because their budgets are small. You will be given tasks through volunteering
that will stretch you for the better.
If you are an accountant that works
mostly on for profit audit work, but you want exposure to other industries,
volunteer to do a non-profit’s books. You end up saving them a ton of money and it gives you experience with
non-profits. The organization will be
grateful to you and you get to build your skill set. You can feel good about
saving the organization money as well.
Organization
After you have identified a cause you
want to volunteer for, look around and see if there are multiple organizations
that you can support that cause with. If
there are, pick the organization that aligns closely with your personal
goals. If you are really interested in
the cause they may even be able to give you a job there someday.
Volunteering can be a win for everyone. You
will make a difference, while also making a difference in the progression of your
personal/professional goals. Not to mention
that typically the friends or connections you make volunteering will last you a
life time. If you have any examples of how you have done this, leave them in
the comments to give others ideas!
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