Your Job Search Advantage: The Power of Volunteering

In today's competitive job market, simply having a degree and some work experience often isn't enough to stand out. Employers are increasingly looking for candidates with a broader range of skills, a strong network, and a demonstrated commitment to community.

Sometimes, even an educational pathway is not the right one for you, and you would like to learn as you grow and enter the job market. This is where volunteering can truly shine for you, offering a powerful, often overlooked or unconsidered, avenue to gain the very attributes that can land you a good job.

Far from being just an altruistic endeavor, strategic volunteering can be a highly effective career development tool, equipping you with valuable skills and opening doors to unexpected opportunities.

One of the most significant benefits of volunteering is the chance to develop and refine a diverse set of transferable skills. If you think about it: a volunteer role often requires you to wear multiple hats. Organizing a charity event, for instance, hones your project management, logistical planning, and budgeting abilities.

Working at a local food bank or with organizations like the Salvation Army Guam can improve your communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills as you interact with diverse populations and adapt to unexpected challenges. If you become a tutor, you can sharpen your presentation and teaching skills, while contributing to a non-profit's social media presence.

You can also boost your digital marketing and content creation expertise. These are not merely "soft skills"; they are highly sought-after capabilities that directly translate to success in virtually any professional setting. Unlike a traditional job where your responsibilities might be narrowly defined, volunteering often provides a broader canvas for experimentation and skill acquisition, allowing you to explore different facets of an organization and discover new strengths.

In my 15 years of working in this arena, I have had many volunteers and interns come back to me and tell me how much their experience volunteering has helped them, not just in work, but in their everyday life.

Beyond these skill developments, volunteering is an unparalleled way to build and expand your professional network. I founded my company on transcending networking relationships to make them stronger, longer lasting, and an important part of someone's work/life balance.

Every volunteer experience introduces you to new people: fellow volunteers, organization staff, board members, donors, and community leaders. In a tight-knit community like Guam, these individuals represent a rich tapestry of connections, many of whom are established professionals in various industries across the island. Engaging with them not only provides an opportunity to learn from their experiences but also allows you to showcase your dedication, work ethic, and skills in a real-world context. These interactions can evolve into mentorships, informational interviews, and, crucially, direct referrals to job openings.

Even long-term friendships. It's far easier for someone to recommend you for a position when they've witnessed your capabilities firsthand in a volunteer setting, rather than simply reading about them on a resume. Furthermore, your shared commitment to a cause creates an instant bond, fostering genuine relationships that can be invaluable for career progression. Even getting recommendations for hard to acquire positions become easier for you.

Consider the narrative that you can build for potential employers. Instead of just listing responsibilities, you can articulate how you took initiative, solved problems, and contributed meaningfully to a cause you believe in. This demonstrates not only your skills but also your passion, initiative, and work ethic – qualities highly valued by recruiters and managers.

Volunteering shows you are a proactive individual, willing to go the extra mile and contribute to something larger than yourself. This commitment to community engagement reflects positively on your character and can differentiate you from other candidates with similar qualifications.

This is why many educational institutions, including the Guam Department of Education, have included community service hours as a requirement for graduating, because they know of the value that volunteering can provide to a person's overall experience.

All in all, viewing volunteering as a strategic career move can significantly enhance your job prospects. By actively seeking out opportunities that align with your career goals or allow you to develop desired skills, you can systematically build a powerful resume and cultivate a network of valuable contacts.

It's an investment of your time that pays dividends in both personal growth and professional advancement, proving that doing good can, indeed, lead to a good job.

Orginally published in guampdn.com on July 15, 2025