How Volunteer Experience Can Help Freshers

The job market can be a tough nut to crack, especially for freshers. The competition is fierce, and you are faced with a situation where you cannot find jobs without experience, but you also cannot gain any experience without getting your first job. This can be quite a dilemma.

In this blog, we will explore how having Volunteer experience can be an excellent starting point to catapult your job search as a fresher. First, what is Volunteer work?

Volunteer work or volunteering, is a selfless and unpaid activity where individuals contribute their time, skills, and efforts to support and assist organizations, causes, or communities without financial compensation. This type of work involves a wide range of activities and can take place in various settings, including nonprofit organizations, schools, hospitals, community centers, and more.

Why Freshers Should Embrace Volunteering?

• Volunteering isn’t just work; it’s a reflection of your work ethic, responsibility, and goodwill.
• It tells prospective employers that you’re proactive, unafraid of hard work, and ready to make a difference.
• Every volunteering gig is like a mini-real job where you can gain experience and training in areas you may not learn in your formal education.
• And what’s more. This will be a platform for you to acquire soft skills that can make you stand out and enhance your career prospects. Let’s explore these.

10 job search-worthy skills freshers gain through volunteering:

Volunteering is an incredible avenue for freshers without prior work experience to cultivate a diverse skill set that can significantly bolster their job search and overall employability.

1. Leadership Skills:

In volunteer roles, you might lead teams or coordinate projects, teaching you to inspire and guide others, make important decisions, and take charge of tasks or projects.

2. Communication Skills:

Interacting with diverse groups, like colleagues, clients, and community members, improves your communication skills, making you a better communicator in the workplace.

3. Teamwork and Collaboration:

Volunteering often necessitates working as part of a team and this prepares you for roles in team-oriented work environments.

4. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:

Volunteer work often brings challenges that require creative problem-solving. You will learn to assess situations, find solutions, and make informed decisions.

5. Adaptability and Flexibility:

While doing Volunteer work, you might face unexpected situations and changes in your role, which can boost your ability to adapt and handle uncertainty.

6. Time Management and Organization:

Balancing volunteer work with other duties teaches you good time management. You learn to prioritize, meet deadlines, and manage your time effectively.

7. Project Management and Planning:

In many volunteer projects, you’ll plan, organize resources, and complete tasks within deadlines thus honing your project management skills that easily apply to workplace projects.

8. Customer Service and Interpersonal Skills:

Direct interaction with beneficiaries or clients improves your customer service and people skills, preparing you for customer-facing roles and fostering positive relationships with colleagues and clients.

9. Conflict Resolution:

You could face team conflicts during your service and this will enhance your conflict resolution skills for managing workplace disagreements diplomatically and finding mutually beneficial solutions.

10. Networking and Relationship Building:

Volunteering exposes you to a wide network of professionals, community leaders, and potential mentors, opening doors to valuable job market connections.

How can you gain the most out of your volunteer experience as a Fresher:

To make the most of your volunteering journey, adopt these practices:

• Pick roles related to your career goals, set clear objectives and fully participate.
• Seek feedback, keep records of accomplishments, and build connections within the organization for networking.
• Embrace challenges, stay committed, and learn from the experience.
• Request references, suggest improvements, and attend relevant events. Seek mentorship and maintain a positive attitude.

By taking a proactive and strategic approach to volunteering, you can develop skills, grow your professional network, and boost your job prospects.

Tips for Freshers Incorporating Volunteer Experience on their Resume:

1. Organize clearly: Create a dedicated section on your resume for “Volunteer Experience” or “Community Involvement” to ensure it stands out.
2. Prioritize Relevance: Emphasize positions where you acquired skills relevant to the position you are applying for.
3. Use Action Words: Use strong action verbs to convey your contributions effectively. For example, “led,” “organized,” or “coordinated”
4. Quantify Achievements and focus on impact: Whenever possible, use numbers to illustrate your impact. Did you raise funds, organize events, or assist a specific number of people?
   • E.g., Managed a team of 15 volunteers to raise Rs. 1,00,000 for local underprivileged children’s education through a successful charity fundraiser.
   • This showcases your ability to produce measurable results and demonstrates the positive impact you created.
5. Include Details: Provide details about your volunteer roles, including the organization’s name, your title, the duration, and the number of hours per week or month.
6. Highlight Transferable Skills: Whether it’s leadership, teamwork, communication, or problem-solving, make these skills evident. Draw connections between your volunteer work and the skills or qualities required for the job you’re applying for. Explain how your experiences prepared you for the position. E.g.
   • Led a team of 10 fellow volunteers in organizing and implementing mentoring programs for high school students.
   • Developed strong communication and leadership skills through one-on-one mentoring sessions and group workshops.
   • Successfully collaborated with local schools and community organizations to expand program reach.
7. Keep it Concise: Use bullet points to present information clearly and avoid long paragraphs.
8. Be Honest: Exaggeration or false information can harm your credibility during interviews.

Understand that Volunteering is not just about doing good; it’s a skill-building journey that equips you for the challenges and successes that lie ahead in your professional life. Your volunteer experiences can set you apart as a fresher, demonstrating your commitment, adaptability, and skills to potential employers. Tailoring your resume effectively can make a significant impact on your job search.

So, go ahead, seize those volunteer opportunities, make a difference, and supercharge your career while you’re at it. And if you need help to get you on the right path to a bright and successful future, you can always count on Elysian- as we offer the best career counselling in Chennai. We are just a phone call away.