Increase Your Employability Through Volunteering
09/11/17
Volunteering is an excellent way for students or those with limited work experience to develop their skills, start building a professional network and to make their resume look more impressive to future employers.
If you participate in volunteer work, the fact that you have gone out of your way to better the wider community is looked upon favourably by employers and shows that you are a proactive and selfless individual. Volunteer work is also a great way to develop transferable communication, interpersonal and teamwork skills.
There are many different types of volunteering opportunities from working at a Vinnies charity shop to planting trees as a part of Conservation Volunteers for The City of Sydney. Here are some useful links to get you started:
Red Cross
http://redcross.org.au/volunteering.aspx?gclid=CJ6UhsG-s8YCFUIsvQodGQgNjA
St Vincent de Paul Society
https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Get_Involved/Become_a_volunteer/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Volunteer%20NSW&gclid=CPPg_ae_s8YCFYQHvAodt7wJrA
Cancer Council
http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/get-involved/volunteer/?gclid=CI-2kojAs8YCFYiCvQodCKIM4Q
The Smith Family
https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/get-involved/volunteer-with-us?gclid=CNeftsvAs8YCFYqCvQodTIgL0g
City of Sydney
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/community/participation/volunteer-with-us
SEEK – Volunteering
http://volunteer.com.au/?tracking=SKMAU:main+header
LinkedIn – Volunteering
https://volunteer.linkedin.com/
Please note that it is common for people applying for a volunteer role in Australia to be asked to undertake various checks, such as supplying personal references and criminal records checks. You may also need to supply a number of forms of identification, such as your passport and proof of where you are living.
Once you start or have completed any volunteer experience, it is important to include this in your resume and LinkedIn profile. You should include the same details as you would for any paid employment: the organisation name, your title (if appropriate), dates and a few bullet points about what your key tasks were and the skills you have developed as a result.
Finding a volunteer role has never been easier so why not start today! Investing your time in volunteering will help to further build your skills, show your commitment, meet new people and add more experiences to your resume to increase your employability.
