Fresh Profile: Volunteer Jobs

Published on 2008-05-16

One of the best ways to gain hands-on experience in your profession, and possibly obtain a job, is to become a volunteer. Volunteer work is a practical way to give back to the community; a way to contribute your talents for the greater good. Hospitals and a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, including The American Red Cross, rely heavily on dedicated volunteers to fill in the gaps, and sometimes run entire operations. Though an internship is considered by many graduates to be the first rung on the career ladder, the competition for internships can be just as great as for entry-level jobs. Thus, volunteering is the next best thing to getting your foot in the door.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor 2007 statistics, "About 44.6 percent of volunteers became involved with their main organization after being asked to volunteer, most often by someone in the organization."var The same report indicated that about 60.8 million people in the U.S. volunteered through or for an organization in 2007. The U.S Department of Labor also reports that "individuals with higher levels of educational attainment volunteered at higher rates than did those with less education" - a trend bolstered no doubt by graduates seeking practical experience.

Volunteer jobs are unpaid. Therefore, it is advisable to find a volunteer position during your last semester of college or during the summer months, when budgets are thin and volunteers are needed to finish current projects. If you are a recent graduate or a professional considering a career change, then you can still keep your day job by finding a company or volunteer organization offering evening hours.

Volunteer positions are available across the country in many different types of companies, organizations and firms. A good place to start looking is in the nonprofit sector, where budgetary restrictions can create a greater need for volunteer support. A nonprofit organization can offer experience for jobs in accounting, publishing, media relations, event coordination, fundraising and so on.

At first, you may be assigned entry-level tasks and duties outside of your desired position. Remember that you will still learn priceless work ethics and important career skills during this time. For example, if your concentration is civil engineering, it is possible to find an engineering firm looking for volunteer assistants (in addition to the civil engineering jobs available at Fresho). You may even have the chance to work on MicroStation or AutoCAD, and the company could train you to perform basic civil drafting tasks.

As a volunteer for an established company, you will be surrounded by professional staff, and you will have the opportunity to receive expert advice. You can observe the daily duties related to education or jobs in entertainment, gaining experience that could lead you to a particular specialty in your career field.

Fresho.com is unique among job search engines in our commitment to providing extensive job listings for volunteers. Whether you are looking for volunteer design jobs in California, internships in New York, or other opportunities across the U.S., you are sure to find what you need at Fresho.com.