Read 27 times since Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Many of us are asked to consider volunteer work at some stage in our lives. And for many of us there's always a reason we can't do it - we're too busy, we don't want to work for free, we want to concentrate on getting a "real" job.
What most people don't realise is that taking part in volunteer work has huge benefits that will help them for the rest of their careers and personal lives. I'm going to run through these benefits now...
First Hand Experience
The most obvious benefit of volunteering is getting hands-on experience and learning new things. Whether it is working in a soup kitchen, helping train young army cadets or cleaning in a kennels, you will be surprised at the amount that you learn in such a short time. Suddenly you will have gained skills in areas that you may have never considered before and that's going to look great on your CV.
It's A Step up the Career Ladder
If you're looking to change career or simply get a foot in the door with an organisation then volunteer work is the perfect way to get involved. By working for free your chance of getting accepted into an organisation is greatly increased. Every company loves a free employee. You'll also find that once you've proved your worth then many businesses and charities go on to employ volunteers on a full-time paid basis. Volunteering takes you that one step closer to your dream job.
It looks good on your CV
When prospective employers see volunteer work on your CV you will instantly stand out from everyone else in the pile of applications. By volunteering you're proving that you enjoy being active and helping others, as well as proving that you are hardworking and dedicated.
You feel all warm and fuzzy inside
A lot of volunteer work involves directly helping others and you will definitely sleep soundly in the knowledge that you've helped improve the lives of others.
Free Activities
You'll find that a when you volunteer you're asked to go on trips away to assist with group activities or other tasks. For example if you work with a school you may be asked to go to museums and galleries with the kids courtesy of the school. Or if you volunteer to help children with the Army Cadet Force then you'll get to go rock climbing and canoeing for free. Perks like this make volunteering all the more worthwhile.
So, that's just a few of the benefits of doing volunteer work. It doesn't seem so bad now hey? Now all you need to do now is give some thought about where you want to volunteer. The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that provides military and outbound training courses for young people around the UK. The ACF are also recruiting adult volunteers to help train the children. For more information visit armycadets.com
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