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How Volunteering Can Help You Build Skills for the Workplace

Volunteering for a particular organization can be useful in multiple ways. For instance, there is the feel-good aspect of knowing that you’re helping others to recover from natural disasters or social problems more quickly.

In addition, volunteering is an excellent way to obtain relevant work experience that can strengthen your resume, whether you’re transitioning into a new field or want to seek professional advancement opportunities in your current industry. Through volunteering, you can acquire valuable job skills that align with your professional goals.

What Skills Do You Learn from Volunteering?

Volunteering enables you to learn a variety of soft skills commonly used in the business world, such as:

  • Communication
  • Time management
  • Empathy
  • Problem-solving
  • Teamwork
  • Budgeting
  • Planning
  • Project management

Depending upon your role, you may also gain leadership experience. For example, if you’re chosen to lead a particular team, you can learn how to properly manage a team and coordinate your team’s activities.

Volunteering and Its Alignment with Different Industries

Through volunteering, you can also develop a greater knowledge of a particular field. This kind of specialized knowledge can apply to various industries, such as:

  • Environmental science
  • Emergency and disaster management
  • Public health and health sciences
  • Business and finance

Environmental Science

Participating in the relief efforts in the aftermath of a natural disaster offers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the environmental science field. By participating, you can help to shape and restore communities and habitats that were destroyed.

There are many ways to dive in and get your hands dirty to begin building your experience. Consider participating with reputable organizations in initiatives such as:

  • Clean-up projects and debris removal
  • Soil and water quality testing
  • Wildlife conservation
  • Ecosystem recovery work to restore natural environments

Participating in these activities provides you with practical experience in disaster recovery, climate action, environmental impact, as well as assessing and mitigating environmental damage.

Emergency and Disaster Management

If your goal is to work in emergency and disaster management, helping with relief efforts presents an excellent opportunity to enhance your skills and experience. Relief work can also help you build a professional network and make a meaningful contribution to society.

For example, consider seeking opportunities with organizations like the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD). Their volunteers work on evacuation support, provide information about safety measures, and distribute food, water, and medical supplies.

Volunteering for organizations concerned with emergency and disaster management help you to learn about disaster preparedness, response, and recovery from experienced professionals. These organizations also provide opportunities to develop critical skills such as crisis management, coordination with emergency services and the implementation of disaster preparedness plans.

Public Health and Health Sciences

Volunteers in public health and health sciences relief organizations play an important role in assisting community residents in situations where health services may be temporarily cut off or nonexistent.

If you’re seeking practical public health experience, look for volunteering opportunities with organizations focused on offering public health aid to communities. You could gain hands-on experience in patient care, conduct health assessments, and distribute personal protective equipment and supplies. Similarly, you can help communities by providing health guidance to individuals and families.

Public health volunteers play a vital role in disaster relief by assessing community health needs and conducting health surveys. Your involvement offers an opportunity to educate the public about health and safety guidelines through activities like answering phones at clinics and health hotlines. By supporting communities in need, volunteers can provide essential information on mental health, disaster recovery, maternal health and other topics.

Business and Finance

Are you interested in exploring job opportunities in the business or finance sector? Consider connecting with local, reputable organizations for fundraising roles.

For instance, you could assist with donation drives, manage money, report on incoming funds and oversee financial activities. This work will help you develop skills in financial planning, budgeting, fundraising and building relationships with donors.

Ensure That You’re Volunteering with Reputable Organizations

Volunteering is a great opportunity to gain useful knowledge, skills and experience. But be sure to talk with reputable organizations and sign up to volunteer before you go to affected areas, especially after natural disasters where conditions could be hazardous.

Taylor is a certified Senior Career Coach in the University’s Career Services department, with six years of experience in higher education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Shepherd University and a master’s degree in higher education in student affairs from American Military University. As a Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), Taylor uses targeted job search strategies and tailored guidance to help individuals maximize their skills and experiences for success. Her proactive approach creates a supportive environment that empowers students to pursue and achieve their professional goals.

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