How Volunteering Benefits Your Career
As you build your career, you might think you’ve got the basics covered. You’ve worked on your resume and your LinkedIn, built your network, and honed your interviewing skills.
Yet there is something else that can open up opportunities and advance your career… Volunteering. No matter where you are in your career development, volunteering offers a powerful career boost. Let’s look at five top reasons why.
RESUME BOOSTER
Simply put, adding a volunteer experience can really enhance your resume. It demonstrates commitment to a cause and can help you leap off the page as a well-rounded and conscientious potential employee.
There is something else to consider, too. Hiring managers are always looking for strong soft skills. Volunteering can give you a chance to build interpersonal skills, problem-solving strength, and leadership management experience—those soft skills will make you a can’t-miss hire.
NETWORK BUILDER
Networking takes many shapes, and volunteering is one of the best ways to connect with people and share experiences. It gives you the opportunity to learn more about organizations and industries you might not have otherwise encountered. In fact, because of how meaningful your new connections may prove to be, volunteering can be the ultimate networking activity.
SKILL DEVELOPER
Curious to try something new? Looking for a way to develop or refine new skills? Volunteering gives you a chance to develop skills to enhance your resume and your attractiveness to employers during the interview process. For the best results, look for opportunities you don’t have in your paid work.
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Volunteering can be a low-pressure way for you to learn more about how and when you do your best work. Are you more independent, or do you prefer teamwork? Does working at a particular organization or for a specific cause inspire and fulfill you? Volunteering can be a fast track to management at your current company or to figuring out what you need and want from your next role—and ultimately your career.
MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Volunteering can also be a way to develop skills and experience through another kind of opportunity: serving as a mentor. Mentoring a student or early-career professional can be a very rewarding way to give back to your industry, community or alma mater. By serving as an adviser, you can also strengthen your skills. Mentors develop their communication skills, enhance their resumes, broaden their networks and gain recognition through the accomplishments and advancement of their mentees. Mentorship can be a terrific way to synthesize some of the other benefits of volunteering. Learn more about the career benefits of mentoring.
Volunteer opportunities with DallasHR
Volunteers are welcomed and celebrated at DallasHR. Consider sharing your time, energy and talent with us. Our members have volunteered to:
- Serve on standing committees
- Design and lead professional education events
- Host networking and education events
- Organize and support the annual HRSouthwest Conference
Reach out to membership@dallashr.org to discuss volunteer opportunities.
Mentorship opportunities with DallasHR
Our Mentor Match program provides members with opportunities to serve as mentors to
- Students taking classes to become HR professionals
- Professionals new to the HR field
- New DallasHR members
We’re actively seeking more members for Mentor Match, so email members@dallashr.org if interested.
DallasHR is the third largest SHRM affiliate chapter in the nation. With more than 2,000 engaged HR professionals, the Chapter has been Advancing the Value of HR since 1939 through cutting-edge education, fun networking events and opportunities to share best practices with others in the field of HR. The Chapter powers The HRSouthwest Conference, one of the largest regional HR events in the U.S. celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. . DallasHR events are held in both Dallas and Collin Counties. Visit us at dallashr.org to join or hrsouthwest.com to register and follow us at #DALLASHR, #HRSWC.
