Are you experiencing a lull in your life where you feel bored with your current living situation? Maybe you’re out of work and feel unsure about how to progress forward in life. If you identify with this or are just feeling unfulfilled or restless lately, consider volunteering.
Volunteering can advance your personal and career growth immensely:
1. When you volunteer, everybody wins. The agency or organization you work for gets some tasks completed without having to pay someone to do them. And the people or animals the agency supports will benefit from the work you do for them.
2. As a volunteer, you’ll expand your personal horizons.
* If you’re a social butterfly, you’ll make new friends. If you’re quiet and shy, volunteering will facilitate your personal skills. Win-win!
* It’s not unusual for volunteers to discover they share common likes and interests with staff members they work with.
* You’ll be exposed to completely new environments, depending on where you choose to help out. You’ll meet new people and experience new things.
3. Volunteers re-define their professional image in a number of ways. You’ll learn new skills that will help you in both your personal and professional life.
* Often, agencies who utilize volunteers don’t require you to have specific skills when you begin. Therefore, you “hit the ground running.” This can be incredibly exciting and enriching because you’ll have opportunities to discover new abilities and practice new skills.
* Also, there’s a real possibility that you’ll expand your business network whenever you volunteer. Coming into contact with a diverse group of people may even provide possible job opportunities for you as well.
4. Volunteering will refresh you in your job-hunting efforts. Giving your time and energy into a volunteer project literally allows you to escape from your normal routine. When you volunteer, you’ll become invigorated with new energy, passion, and drive.
* You’ll be reminded of the skills you have, the confidence you hold, and the energy you expend when you’re doing a job.
5. You’ll feel great to know you’re helping an organization and those they serve. Giving to others can evoke wonderful feelings within you and the people you help.
* Knowing that you’ve made a real contribution to people or animals will enrich your life in countless ways.
* Helping people who need aid taps in to your true humanity. You’ll be reminded that everyone needs assistance at some point in life. And you’ll feel humbled by the experience of coming to the aid of others who are truly in need.
* Animal lovers stand to derive great personal pleasure by helping at a local humane society, animal rescue facility, or animal-fostering program. Getting exposed to new animals and learning how to care for them can provide fascinating learning experiences when you volunteer with an animal-related organization.
Deciding to volunteer involves taking a look at your current situation first so you can fit this activity into your schedule on a regular basis. Investigate your volunteer possibilities and go for it! Embrace all of the enriching experiences that volunteering offers.