– Surviving Tough Times –
Out of Work? Volunteer!
by Celeste Leibowitz
It could be the best way to find a new job
If you’re out of work, volunteering can help. Career
counselors might not tell you this. They’ll say that you
should be spending full seven-hour days job hunting.
I’ve looked for jobs many times and my observation is this: no
one spends full workdays pounding the pavement. Sure, you send
out resumes, network, and go on interviews, but in between
there are days when there just is not much you can do in the
way of job searching. So what do you do in the meantime?
I say volunteer. There are plenty of benefits. Some will
actually help your economic situation. Some charities will pay
your transportation costs. Many will offer refreshments and
even a lunch or dinner to their volunteers. If you work on
planning a gala event, you may get to attend a fundraiser that
would ordinarily be way too expensive for you, for free! But
there are other, hidden benefits as well.
There are books on the market that emphasize the importance of
giving as a networker and a businessperson. One such book,
“The Go-Giver,” by Bob Burg and John David Mann, tells us that
we should approach networking and business with the attitude
of “How can I help you?” rather than “What’s in this for me?”
By offering help to others, you increase their willingness to
help the people they encounter. And one of those people just
might be you!
Similarly, when you volunteer, the charities you work for get
to know you and your skills. They may give you the chance to
build new skills in a non-threatening situation, where your
job isn’t on the line if you don’t learn fast enough.
Volunteer work can expand and improve your resume.
At the same time, you’re building up your network without
really noticing it. There isn’t that awkwardness you sense at
networking events, where people often flit from one “power
conversation” to another, waving business cards in each
other’s faces. On a volunteer assignment, you get to know the
staff and they get to know you, painlessly. In fact, they’re
grateful for your presence and don’t hesitate to thank you at
every turn.
Just like you do with your business colleagues, exchange
business cards and follow through after you leave a volunteer
assignment. Send holiday and birthday cards, and call them
once in a while to let them know what is new with you. There’s
no need to keep it a secret that you are looking for a paid
job. If there isn’t one in the organization where you
volunteer, they may have connections. And, an opening may come
up. Guess who they will look to first? You guessed it, their
skilled and loyal volunteers.
It’s worked for me. At the Brooklyn Society for Ethical
Culture, I volunteered in the office when my son was in
kindergarten, first, and second grade. I chaired the
membership committee and assisted the Pledge Secretary.
Together we raised pledges up to an unprecedented level. So
when there was an opening in the office, I was offered the
job. A few years later, because my fundraising skills were
already familiar to the organization, I was offered the chance
to write a grant proposal. I pitched a new job description to
the Board and created their first Development Officer
position, which I filled for the next year and a half.
None of this would have been possible if I’d been an outsider,
but because I was a member and a valued volunteer, I was on
their radar. This can work for you too, but be aware that it
isn’t going to happen overnight.
So keep on pounding the pavement and sending out your resumes
online and by mail, but do some volunteering too. It builds
your skills and gives you emotional satisfaction and a sense
of usefulness at a time when people tend to feel sidelined and
devalued. Last but not least, it enables you to forge the kind
of connections that could very well lead to your next job.
Where can you find volunteer opportunities? Chances are that
you already know of some charities in your hometown. But which
ones would be right for you? You can find out on two websites:
www.volunteermatch.org and www.idealist.org. Use their search
engines to find volunteer positions that fit your interests
and require the skills you want to sharpen up. You can search
for type of organization (animal welfare, youth, civil rights,
etc.), geographic area, skills needed, and languages required.
Then contact the organizations. You’ll probably go in for an
interview. This gives you a non-threatening chance to practice
your interview skills. The volunteer coordinator will assess
your abilities and interests and assign you to the job that’s
right for you and for the organization you serve.
So when you’ve got a lull in your busy job-hunting schedule,
don’t sit home worrying. Get out and volunteer. You’ll be
doing your part to build a better world and helping yourself
as well.
Take the Next Step:
- If you’re out of work, consider volunteering. It will build
your skills and give you emotional satisfaction and a sense of
usefulness at a time when people tend to feel sidelined and
devalued.
