Thaw Out Your Career: Volunteer!

1. Why volunteering is

important for your

career

2. How to get started

volunteering

This presentation will cover:

Getting settled

• Have you volunteered before?

• Why did you decide to volunteer?

• If so, how did it go? What worked, didn’t work?

• Unplanned events (good and bad) more often determine our life and career choices than planning does

• We can control our reactions to these unplanned events

• By meeting new people and trying new things, we can create our own “lucky”or “happenstance” opportunities

Volunteering is part of a“planned happenstance” approach to your career:

No!

It’s okay to

make plans,

but be open to

plans changing.

Should you just leave your future up to fate, then?

Volunteering is just one way to create our own career “luck”…

Lots of options!Career information interviewing

Work experience programs and internships

Volunteering

Career mentoring

Job shadowing

Undergraduate research

Leadership programs Student group involvement

Student government

Industry or association events

Career fairs, mixers, and employer recruitment events

Why Volunteer?

• Many reasons

• Career-related reasons:• Make connections and contacts

• Develop and practice skills

• Access training opportunities

• Explore potential career options

• Gain relevant work experience

• Others?

CAPS Survey of Employers (2008)

Should a resume include…

• Volunteering related to the position?

86% yes 11% optional

• Volunteering not related to the position?

23% yes 63% optional

Build that Resume• Include work experiences (paid

and unpaid) most closely related to the work you are applying for

• It may not be appropriate to put one-time or short-term volunteering on your resume

• Volunteer work provides many transferable skills that you can also highlight in an interview

Getting Started

1. Clarify goals

2. Consider practical issues

3. Review options

4. Pick one!

5. Reflect

1. Clarify your goals

• Why do you want to volunteer? What are your career-related motivations?

• Connections

• Skills

• New opportunities and paths

• Work experience

• And so on…

• After volunteering, how would you be different from how you are now?

• Time commitment: what else have you already committed to, what are your priorities, what are the expected hours, for how long?

• Cost: are there any fees or incidental costs, can you afford to spend time volunteering instead of earning money?

• Location and availability: can you physically get to the location, are there distance options? Any deadlines to meet or limited spots available?

• Motivation: are there specific client groups or causes you’re interested in (e.g. seniors, violence against women), are there specific skills you want to gain/practice or people you want to connect with?

• Restrictions or eligibilities: do you have to be a certain age, have relevant experience, know languages, have access to a car, get a police record check?

2. Consider practical issues

3. Review volunteering options

• Ask people you know for ideas –where do they volunteer?

• Family, friends, professors, professionals in the field

• Propose your own volunteer role• Outline your motives, availability,

expectations, what you can offer

• Check online listings• See the next slide for specific resources…

Where to look for volunteering options…

• Volunteer Edmonton: compiles resources on volunteerism, including many smaller, specialized databases of opportunities

• Go Volunteer: the main volunteer opportunity listings for Alberta, Canada

• U of A Students' Union Volunteer Registry: focuses on on-campus, short-term volunteer opportunities (including those with the Students’ Union)

• Connect 2 Edmonton: has an active volunteering discussion forum dedicated to often more immediate, short-term opportunities

• Other avenues include:– Join the executive of one of the 400+ U of A student groups

– Check out opportunities across Canada and abroad on Charity Village and Idealist

– Browse CAPS' Experiential Learning Inventory that lists volunteer and other co-curricular activities students can engage in outside the classroom

• Inform Alberta: search for non-profit organizations that fit your philosophy or interests (e.g. seniors, violence against women), and check their website for opportunities

4. Pick one!

• Treat applying for a volunteer role like applying for a paid position

• Applying may involve:• Application form

• Security clearance

• Interview

• Resume

• Names of references

• Mandatory training or orientation

…continued

• Questions to consider asking about volunteering roles:• Time commitment and flexibility?

• Working alone or with others?

• Training required?

• Training offered?

• Volunteer role description?

• Supervisor or mentor?

• Room to grow, with new challenges?

5. Reflect

• What were your original reasons for volunteering?

• Is your volunteer role (still) a good fit?

• What have you learned about your personal work preferences, values and interests?

Questions?

Contact:caps.infodesk@ualberta.ca

www.caps.ualberta.ca