How Volunteering Can Help You Land A Better Job

Whether you’re currently between jobs or looking to land a better-paying one, volunteering can help you learn new, transferable skills that make you a more attractive job candidate.

Upskilling is important to keep in mind these days, especially for older workers. Today’s employers say they value training and skills above years of experience. That means, to get interviews and successfully land a job, you’ll need to demonstrate your desire to keep learning and provide examples of how you’re completing training to remain current.

Volunteering is an excellent way to gain access to these kinds of training and development opportunities. For example, many nonprofit organizations need help with all sorts of jobs behind the scenes, such as accounting, marketing, and event planning. When you volunteer to help out a nonprofit, you also get a chance to test out if a new kind of job is right for you.

AARP Foundation has been helping people overcome barriers to finding better jobs for more than 60 years. We’ve rounded up what you need to know to build your skills, plus what other benefits volunteering will bring to your job search.

What kind of skills can I build as a volunteer?

There are two main kinds of skills employers consider hard skills and soft skills. Both kinds can be transferable skills you can take from one job to another. And there’s no reason you can’t take what you’ve learned in a volunteer role and apply it to a paid position.

Volunteers can learn…

Because nonprofits operate with limited budgets, they’re often looking for volunteers who have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn first and foremost. They know they can train you to learn specific tasks, like using a software program to keep track of donations. This is your chance to get those transferable skills you can put on your resume.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, for example, offers training to all of its volunteers, whether they’re doing administrative work or doing community outreach for their program that provides free tax prep services. In fact, you can even receive training to become an IRS-certified tax counselor.

New skills and connections can help you get a foot in the door

When choosing a volunteer opportunity, look for skill-building opportunities that can fill in any gaps in your professional experience. There are roles where you can brush up on your technical skills, event planning, volunteer recruitment, you name it.

Once you’re settled into your volunteer position, you can add your volunteer experience to your résumé in a professional experience, skill, or separate volunteer section. This is also a great time to mention to your fellow volunteers that you’re looking for work. Networking is often the key to landing a new job.

Best of all, volunteering can also help keep your spirits up while you’re looking for work. Not only do you have something to do besides job hunt, you’ll be giving back to your community. Win win!