Volunteering is a powerful and accessible tool to give job seekers what employers are looking for.

Imagine if you could go into the first business you saw, ask if they needed help, and be hired on the spot without knowing the person or having any experience for the job. Sixty years ago, that happened with regularity but those days are gone! The highly competitive labour market of the 2020’s requires people to have education, experience, references, transportation… before even being considered for a job. But what if you don’t already have experience, how can you get it? What if you’ve never had a job in Canada, how can you get acceptable references? While employment is increasingly difficult to access, volunteering remains a highly accessible way to gain a wealth of employment resources that employers notice.

WHY WOULD I WORK FOR FREE?

The most common refrain I hear when I mention volunteering is “why would I work for free?” That’s an excellent question, but it assumes you aren’t already working for free. What do I mean? Job searching is hard work and is unpaid (unless you are on EI). Also, you have probably helped family or friends with yard work or moving or housework or figuring out their phone or walking their dog…. The point is that we do small bits of work for others without expecting to be paid because we have some kind of connection to them. Even the most basic connection of a shared humanity will make us stop and give someone directions or pick up something they’ve dropped and hand it to them. Our world and or own lives would grind to a halt if we only did things for each other when we were paid.

So, stop and consider what volunteering is: a way to do work for the betterment of others because we share a community. And volunteering is work that, if it had to be paid would cause our communities to falter.

Volunteers help our communities in a thousand different ways from caring for stray animals, to providing cultural experiences and offering expertise to people and groups with unique needs. Volunteers help create a safety net and fill in gaps that government and businesses never could.

But volunteering doesn’t just benefit the community, it benefits you as a job seeker to!

THE BENEFITS

Think about what helps get you noticed in the world of employment: work experience, references, who you know! These are all things that you can gain by volunteering. But it also grows a team of supporters that can walk with you through the job search process.

Work Experience

There are volunteer roles in our community that can give you warehousing and labour experience: search for charities that distribute food and other basic necessities locally or globally. These agencies often operate warehouses and are looking for processors, pickers, forklift operators and drivers. Local groups that provide community meals or lunches for school children need people to work in the kitchen. Clubs for sports and special interests need coaches and treasurers. Volunteering at a thrift store can give you customer service opportunities. Even if it is hard to find a volunteer role that matches your job search, volunteering somewhere gives evidence to your work ethic.

References

Employers want to make sure that what you say about yourself matches what others have experienced with you. But if you haven’t been employed, then you may struggle to get references that would be accepted by employers. Not only that, but you may have had a negative job experience and do not want to put that employer down as a reference. Volunteering allows you to show what you can do in an environment that is much more accessible than employment and as you show your potential in that space, those who supervise you can become eager references on your behalf.

Networking

Who you know still matters in getting a job! Volunteering in a  role that gives you experience for your chosen job sector connects you to people who know that sector. They may have job leads and may know some of the hiring managers that you need to connect with. Even more generally than that, you are building relationships and respect with people who are connected to their own personal network which may include people who could help you find work.

A Supportive Community

Let’s face it, job searching is hard work, and it can be very discouraging. All job seekers need a team of supportive people around them. As you work alongside other volunteers you have the chance to make new friends who can become a part of that strong team of “cheerleaders” for you in your job search.

The Fringe Benefits

Beyond the practical benefits, volunteering also impacts you at a deeply personal level. My own experience of volunteering has shown me that I have become a different person through the process. Meeting new people, knowing that I am part of doing something deeply meaningful for my community, seeing the joy in others because of our shared work grows joy and determination in me even as it improves the community I live in.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE?

Stepping into the world of volunteering may not bring you an immediate paycheque, but it has the potential to grow your employment resources, to grow you as a person, and to make the community in which you live a better place. If you want to explore volunteer opportunities that would be a good fit for you, check out Volunteer Elgin or book an appointment to meet with one of our Employment Specialists who can help you find the right volunteer opportunity, and other helpful employment resources for the career you are pursuing.