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5 Ways Volunteer Work Enhances Your Job Search

In the never-ending search for better work and higher pay, it can be extremely easy to brush off volunteering. After all, isn’t volunteering just for elementary school fundraisers and community environmental projects? Most certainly not! Volunteering can provide a unique, powerful, and possibly even fulfilling way to improve both yourself and your future job prospects if you have the drive to take advantage of it.

1. Chance to Acquire More Experience

Especially for younger adults just getting into the work world, experience is one of the major barriers to landing that ideal position, even for those with the education credentials. If you can’t get someone to pay you to do what you want just yet, try volunteering to do it, or something closely related, for free.

Volunteering work looks great on a resume because it not only shows the employer that you have dabbled in the work in question, but it makes you look like a “team player” willing to go the extra mile to get a job done even without explicit reward. Even if the work isn’t directly related to the position you apply for, regular volunteering shows that you are able to manage your time and commit to a goal once you’ve begun it, both vital qualities in any employee.

2. Chance to Develop Skills

Other than the extra lines on your resume, the actual activities you undertake during volunteering can help you refine and improve any number of skills. Different volunteering projects can have you learning a new computer program, working with the public, teaching, understanding a different aspect of a business, and more.

Volunteering can be a great way to keep polished skills that you do not get to use much in your actual job: for example, an accountant who tends to work on his own most of the day might want to volunteer at the local fair to get more personal interaction with the public, just in case a new, more socially active position opens up later.

3. Chance to Explore New Things

If you are looking to change careers (or for young people, not quite sure where to even start), volunteering can be a low-stress way to explore a lot of different fields without the firm commitment of an actual job – nor the difficulty in actually attaining a position. A hospital volunteer, for example, can see many of the daily happenings of the nurses, doctors, specialists, administration staff, and others, giving a first-hand view into what a day in one of those positions could be like. If you like animals, you can find a volunteer program helping endangered wildlife. A person interested in teaching who also loves travel can find a suitable international volunteering program and help local communities in countries such as Cambodia, Thailand or Costa Rica, while also experiencing a different culture and practicing teaching.

4. Chance to Network

In business, it is never about what you know nearly as much as it is who you know. Volunteering, especially in an industry you are interested in joining on a professional level, exposes you to a huge range of people that you would never have a chance to meet otherwise. You never know when a connection could turn into a relationship that could turn into a potential job offer down the line.

That even ignores the personal benefits of expanding your worldview and making new friends, which can help improve you as a person and make you a better employee wherever you are!

5. Chance to Stay Active

In this economy, it is the unfortunate truth that many have spent far longer unemployed than they would ever wish to. One of the biggest problems with extended unemployment is the malaise that settles over someone lost as to how to spend their days when waiting for a call back. Even worse, that kind of inactivity can look bad on job applications, making getting a job even harder the longer you remain unemployed.

Volunteering provides a way to spend time and provide a sense of purpose so you can feel like you are accomplishing something while out of work. It also can impress a potential employer who sees that when out of work, you continued to find fulfilling and useful ways to occupy yourself, displaying a drive above and beyond most other applicants.

Not all the benefits of having a job are monetary, and while volunteering lacks a paycheck at the end of the week, it often has those secondary benefits available in spades. Never discount how much working for free can increase your earning opportunity in the future!

Dunya Carter wrote this article to support and spread the word about a wonderful EDventure International program for those interested in volunteering in Cambodia. Their Facebook page is also a great source of information on how you can help local communities in Cambodia, Thailand, South Africa and Costa Rica.

by Meghan Ivarsson

Just Graduated and Looking For a Job! Now What?

Getting a job after graduating college is not very hard, but there is a high chance that most students have never applied for a job. Therefore, this simple process becomes a new experience that can lead to frustration before or after he or she graduated. This article covers a few ways you can get a job whether you are an experienced or new job seeker.

Career Days

Many universities have these because they benefit both sides. They benefit the students because there is the chance of jobs, and benefit the companies because they get fresh talent whilst you are still cheap to hire. The whole process is a little bit doubled-edged because you are faced with competing for jobs with large numbers of your own peers. Still they are worth a look if you get the chance.

Research the company want to work for

This is a frighteningly powerful tip because it involves taking a large risk. The more research you do then the higher the chance that you are going to get an interview, but also the more you lose if you do not get the job. Research into current workers, current employment policies, and current openings. You may find out that they hire people who are known by the other staff, so get to know the other staff on social media. You may find out that they get a lot of applications that are incorrectly filled or discover that they do not read resumes. The more you research then the more information you will have to increase your chances of getting the job.

The guidance counselor

If you are still in college then you should try the guidance counselor, but you should know a few things first. Some counselors are good at their job and some are bad, so you may wish to take their ideas and comments with a pinch of salt. Secondly, if a counselor does not know much about the industry he or she may sway you into trying to work in a different area that he or she is more familiar with. Thirdly, the counselors are not often very good with helping you figure out what you want to do, but are not bad at telling you what to do when you figure it out. If you go in for career and education advice with a few ideas then the counselor may be able to point you in the right direction.

Break tradition

People always tell you to keep your resume short and sweet, but only one resume is going to be picked for the job. You have to ask yourself if it matters that much. Go the opposite way and make a booklet about you and how perfect you are for that company. Put your face and top achievements on the front, have a chapter for your experience, another for your qualifications, etc.

Be persistent

Firstly, we must define persistent and nagging. Persistent is applying to the same company for a job every time they open a new job up. It means re-writing your resume every time you apply and changing the layout and content into a new piece of literature that promotes you and your skills. Persistence means applying even if they say to not apply if you have done in the past. Nagging however is asking if you have the job after applying. It is asking if you have the job after an interview. If you are waiting for acceptance then assume you are rejected and keep trying other places, then reapply the next time they have an opening.

Meghan is a recent graduate and a freelance writer for Scholar Advisor, an educational portal that contains useful tips on essay format and styles, essay samples and writing guides. She regularly contributes article on education and career advice. Meghan lives and studies in the USA.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

9 Interview Mistakes That Turn Off Employers

Editor’s Note: Today’s guest post is by Erik Larson. His bio is at the end of the article.

Recruiters have often seen candidates with the perfect resume fall completely flat during interviews. No matter how good your resume may look, you can only get a job by passing the interview, and fewer interview opportunities mean that you have to make the best with every interview you get. Here are some of the worst interview mistakes that you can easily avoid:

A bad handshake

First impressions often start with the three-second handshake, and recruiters can put a lot of importance on how well a candidate does it. As a result, this single moment can make or break your entire interview. Some examples of poor handshakes that can put you in a bad position from the start of an interview are:

· A limp handshake, which shows weakness or, even worse, disinterest

· Handshakes from the fingertips, which shows a hesitation to engage

· An overpowering handshake, with shows questionable sincerity and overt aggression

Such mistakes can be committed by seasoned professionals too, so do not take your handshake attitude lightly.

Talkativeness

Recruiters may not take too kindly to talkative candidates. Such candidates can include:

· Giving long answers to direct and simple questions. It can indicate an inability to get to the point quickly

· Nervous talking, which can make recruiters think the candidate is hiding something or lying

Make sure that you answer interview questions directly to prevent such behavior. If you are nervous, practice before you go for an interview to calm your nerves.

Negative comments about past employers/manager/jobs

One of the most common mistakes committed by applicants during interviews is to talk bad about their current or old bosses or jobs. It does not matter if you were wrong or right, you will always look disrespectful in the eyes of a recruiter when you make such comments. Recruiters will mostly assume that you will talk negatively about their own company or managers in the future.

Coming for an interview too early or late

Every job applicant knows that the first step toward succeeding in an interview is to turn up on time. Coming late for an interview is inexcusable, but you can also trigger apprehensions from your recruiter if you come earlier than 10 minutes before an interview. This will show that you have lots of time on hand, and that you are desperate for the job. The idea is to show your interviewer that your time is as precious to you as the interviewer’s time, and to avoid losing your dignity.

Talking rudely to the receptionist

The first person you see when you appear for an interview is not the interviewer, but the receptionist at the office. Therefore, your first impression has to start right from the receptionist’s desk. Do not forget that the receptionist ushers you into your interview, and may hold power to introduce you in a positive or negative light.

Asking about salary, vacations/holidays, and work benefits

All three of these questions should be asked only after you have been confirmed for the job. Car salesmen do not ask for your credit report before letting you test drive a car, and the same principle applies here as well. Recruiters may have second thoughts about your competency and suitability for a job if you pop these questions too early.

Appearing for an interview unprepared

Most recruiters can easily find out if a candidate is not prepared for an interview, and they usually give up on such candidates without second thought. No matter how many interviews you attend, the signs can easily be picked up by recruiters. To avoid this mistake, make sure to conduct a pre-interview research on the company. Ask reasonable questions about the company, which simultaneously show that you have done your research.

Lack of/excessive eye contact

Both extremes can trigger negative reactions in the recruiter. A lack of eye contact can make you seem untrustworthy and disinterested, while excessive eye contact can wear out the interviewer. To avoid this issue, practice making eye contact with a friend before the interview.

Conflicting communication styles

First impressions aside, the key to successful interviews is effective communication with the interviewer. You can improve your communication with an interviewer by matching his or her style appropriately. Some examples are given below:

· Maintain concise and business-like communication with interviewers who are all business. Do not try to loosen up the conversation with a story or a joke

· Discuss the interviewer’s interests if he or she is personable, but to a limit. You can find clues to interests by a quick glance at office items

· No matter what the interviewer’s style is, answer direct questions in a direct way. If you want more information, ask for it as a follow up

You can improve your chances of meeting the communication style of an interviewer by allowing him or her to set the conversation tone.

Erik Larson is a master’s level career counselor and an internationally certified as a Career Management Practitioner (CMP) by the Institute for Career Certification International. He was also recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors. You can check out his site at ResumeIndex.com.