Texan Mosaic

Author:  Hannah Torres, COMM 2311-601.

You don’t necessarily need a paycheck to gain valuable experience.  

Volunteering just might be the key to landing you a job.

According to Volunteerhub.com, a provider of cloud-based volunteer management software, those who volunteer regularly have a 27% better chance of gaining employment than those who don’t.

“I used to struggle thinking about how I would be able to get a job during vet school,” says Madi Gruhlkey, a veterinary student at Texas A & M, “because I had no experience with animals on my resume. I only had retail before.”

Volunteering, Gruhlkey says, changed that.

“During college, I started volunteering at our local animal shelter in College Station,” she says, “which was a very hands-on experience. I did nothing with animal medicine, but I still got to interact with different types of animals every day.”

SPC Counselor Miranda English says volunteer experience can help students build their resumes. And she doesn’t think someone should limit themselves to only volunteering within their study of interest.

“Depending on what you apply for is key to what volunteer experience you add to your resume,” English says. “If you put something not relevant to your job, then it’s useless information that may cause you harm. If you include your experience and bullet point specific transferable skills like time management, adaptability, and leadership, that helps employers understand that you developed those skills through volunteer work.”

According to Forbes.com, 60%  hiring managers said volunteer work makes you more marketable. Andy Teach, author of the book “From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time”, is quoted on Forbes as saying, “When you volunteer for something, you are telling potential employers something about you as a person.” He adds that it shows you are passionate about something and care about helping others—and it demonstrates that money isn’t the most important thing to you.

English points out that volunteer experience also gives you personal skills that aren’t taught in an ordinary office job.

“As an employer, I can teach you hard skills like how to run our operating systems,” she says. “But teaching soft skills like conflict resolution is more challenging. Knowing that you have already developed these valuable skills may set you apart from other applicants.”

Gruhlkey says she volunteered at her local animal shelter for two years.

“When I went to apply for a job in a vet clinic,” she says, “I got hired because I had experience handling basic animals and this experience got me further than a lot of my classmates who hadn’t done anything with animals.”

If you aren’t sure where to find places to volunteer, a quick Google search shows there are sites online that can help you find opportunities in your area.   

Volunteerlubbock.org, for instance, runs the Volunteer Center of Lubbock. Its site allows you to browse and sign up for volunteer opportunities at more than 150 local organizations.

So, maybe it’s time to think about volunteering if you don’t do it already. You might be missing out for several reasons.

Volunteerhub.com reports 96% of volunteers reported volunteering enriched their sense of purpose in life. 

Who doesn’t need more of that?