As a person who both volunteers and works a full-time job, I’d argue that the two activities actually compliment each other. Above and beyond its value as an altruistic feel-good endeavor, volunteering can help build and support career development for people entering the workplace, seeking promotion, and changing careers later in life (provided opportunities are offered that fit the volunteer's work/life schedule).
If you’re still not convinced that volunteering might support workplace success, consider these tidbits --
In a recent Harvard Business Review Daily Management Tip, the publishers recommend that readers “Try Out a Career by Volunteering,” which they suggest allows job seekers to “network with people, build new skills, and enhance their resume.”
Last year, LinkedIn added a Volunteer Experience & Causes section to its Profile page functionality. The Realized Worth blog claimed this change would “revolutionize the way we volunteer” by making volunteering "a normal and expected element of a well-rounded resume."
In 2011, the New York Times covered a story about how volunteering gains stature on a resume.
Recent research, such as the Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT study, has pointed out that company-sponsored volunteer programs can actually increase employee job satisfaction and engagement.
Clearly, the business world has discovered the value of volunteering to their own operations, at least at some companies.
So, how can volunteer programs take advantage of the attention and, at the same time, support the professional success of their volunteers? I would argue that the answer lies in integrating professional development opportunities into our volunteer reward and recognition strategies.
This practice will not only support volunteers, it will also help us recruit and retain qualified volunteer talent. Helping our volunteers grow makes us more attractive to prospective recruits and more valuable to our existing volunteer corps. It’s a win-win for everyone.