Volunteering for a worthy cause is one of those things that can help you feel better about yourself. Having it add some points to your resume is an even bigger incentive to volunteer. Some volunteer positions actually make you more marketable to a potential employer.
The trick however is finding the right volunteer job, because not all have equal bearing on your resume. You must find something that says something about you to the employer, such as: You are a team player, you can follow instructions, and you care about people or the environment.
In this review, we will look at some great volunteer opportunities that will look solid on your resume, and help you land your dream job. We will also tell you what the jobs say about you to the potential employer. But first, let’s start with the most basic questions!
Are There Any Tax Benefits for Volunteering?
Yes. Now, the time you spend volunteering is not tax-deductible, but any out-of-pocket expenses that are related to your volunteering are.
If for example, you are planning to travel out of your home city in order to volunteer in an area that has suffered a natural disaster, the traveling costs, hotel costs, food, and car rental expenses are all deductible, as long as the purpose of the trip was to volunteer.
Here are Some Great Volunteer Opportunities
Animal Shelters
The local animal shelters will almost always require some volunteers. You could brush up on our office skills by volunteering to field phone calls, answer emails, and provide some general administrative duties in the shelter.
You could also try and make some connections with the staff by offering to dog walk. This makes for a great part-time job and shows that you are a kind-hearted person to your potential employer.
National Parks
Volunteering your time at the national park means more than cleaning up the litter. If for example, you are a naturalist or a history buff, you get to explore great opportunities at the park. It is also a fascinating job for anyone who loves animals.
Not only will you make great connections at the national park, but it shall also open up great opportunities for you in the future.
Soup Kitchen
This is one of the most common volunteer jobs in the country, and almost everyone ensures that they volunteer at a local soup kitchen at least once a year.
Now, the soup kitchens are in operation all year long, not just during Thanksgiving, and one of their greatest challenges is keeping them open. Lending a hand to these food pantries means helping them raise funds.
You could come up with different ideas for making money, such as fund drives and involving the local community. This will demonstrate to your prospective employer that you are able to take charge, mobilize people, and that you are also entrepreneurial, which are great qualities to possess.
The Local Library
Volunteering at the library is pretty common for teenagers, and It could be an excellent addition to your resume, even if you did it a long time ago. You may not feel compelled or motivated to do it when you are grown up, but if you happen to be between jobs, there is nothing wrong with volunteering a few hours a week.
Library volunteers make you look like a pretty organized person, and good at customer service. It also makes you good at history and reading, which are good qualities for a potential employer.
Art Museums
Now, this is one of the best volunteer jobs. Working at an art museum, even in a volunteer’s capacity shows the world that you are sophisticated and modern. It also gives you some invaluable experience.
When you get this opportunity, ensure to soak up all the knowledge you can get in the world of art. Also ensure that you gain some administrative skills, and experience on how to deal with sophisticated members of the society.
Conclusion
Most volunteer jobs may not pay much or even anything at all, but the message they send to your potential employer could make the difference between getting a job, and not getting it.
Choose the right positions that may have something to do with your dream job, and you might just end up impressing your employers. All the best!
Also read – How to Get Official Resume Writing Jobs