Looking for a job is exhausting. The last thing you probably want to do is add one more thing to your plate, especially something unpaid. But hear me out: volunteering might be one of the best moves you make in your job search.
Volunteering has multiple benefits and will ultimately complement, not replace, your job search activities. Here are the top five ways volunteering can boost your job search:
#1: Apply or Boost Your Skills While Closing the Employment Gap
Employers like seeing that you’re staying active and sharp during times of unemployment. Sharing your talent with organizations that need you allows you to keep using or leveling up your skills while you close that gap on your resume. All while making a difference. And while it’s unpaid, it is still work experience and can be placed on your resume and on LinkedIn.
Finally, you now have a solid answer the next time someone asks what you’ve been up to since leaving your last job.
PRO TIP: Once engaged in an opportunity, negotiate a title like “Consultant” or “Advisor” rather than “Volunteer” to preserve executive positioning on your resume.
#2: Build Your Network
Would you rather make small talk at a Chamber luncheon, or connect with individuals in your field at an industry conference? Most people would pick the latter.
Volunteering at an industry conference is one of the most effective networking strategies for job seekers because it instantly transforms passive attendance into high-value, natural engagement. Rather than cold-approaching strangers on the floor, serving in a functional role, such as managing check-in, hosting speakers, or assisting in session rooms, gives you a legitimate, comfortable reason to interact with attendees, panelists, and organizers. This shared responsibility breaks the ice effortlessly, positions you as a helpful, collaborative, and proactive professional, and creates organic conversations that make follow-up connections after the event significantly warmer and more impactful than traditional networking.
PRO TIP: Volunteering at an industry event can give you access to potential mentors, who can actively help you reach your professional and career goals.
#3: Boost Your Self-Esteem
Let’s be honest, job searching messes with your head. Being unemployed can threaten the things you care about most: financial security, family, your sense of self. Add in the isolation that comes with searching for work, and it’s no wonder your confidence takes a hit.
Volunteering is a great antidote. Giving back while connecting with others gives you a real sense of accomplishment, and it reminds you that you still have plenty to offer. It can also shift your perspective. Chances are, you’ll meet people dealing with circumstances tougher than yours, and that has a way of putting things in perspective.
#4: Build Real, Current References
It can feel awkward and perhaps unconvincing to use a reference from a position you held several years ago. If your usual references are feeling a little stale, volunteering gives you a fresh one: someone who can speak to how you currently show up and perform.
PRO TIP: Find a role that involves working alongside other volunteers rather than solo, giving you access to a wider network.
#5: It Might Lead to Paid Work
Show up, do great work, and stay dependable, and you might just be the first person they think of when a paid position opens up. It happens more often than you’d think.
Finding the Right Fit
Do a little digging on local nonprofits that line up with what you care about, and where your skills are actually needed. Bonus points if the organization puts you in front of your target industry or audience. If a cause speaks to you, just reach out directly and ask what kind of help they’re looking for. Not sure where to start? These sites are a great jumping-off point:
Consistency matters more than the number of hours you commit each week. Whether you can give two hours a week or ten, sticking with one organization lets you actually build relationships, trust, and rapport with the people around you, including staff, board members, and fellow volunteers alike.
Here is your homework: Pick an organization you want to serve or an event you want to help out at. Reach out. Show up. You’ll build real connections, do some good, and who knows? Your next job might just be with one of them.