Try to interact with as many people as possible, because your networking efforts can help you build contacts to land your future dream job. By volunteering abroad you’ll end up with a university application that stands out from the crowd, and be able to build on your future career in a meaningful way.

The people you meet during an internship or a volunteer project will also help you build your network and maybe even set you on the path to a job and career. Volunteering is also good for building your self-esteem while helping others and knowing that you made a difference in someone else’s life.

How Volunteering Can Help Your Job Search

• Develop marketable skills.
• Broaden your professional network.
• Bridge any resume gaps.
• Gain insights on other careers.
• Illustrate your personal values to employers.
• Build self-confidence.
• Stand out in the job market.

Research demonstrates that volunteering has wider benefits for the unemployed and society at large than simply getting people back into work. Volunteering can help them maintain their self-worth and offer them important social contact, and that can counteract the negative psychological effects of social exclusion.

Volunteering doesn’t just help your favorite charity—it’s also a great way to build skills and maybe even find your next job. volunteers have a 27% higher likelihood of finding a job after being out of work than non-volunteers. volunteers without a high school diploma have a 51% higher likelihood of finding employment.

Pros: Volunteering can be done in smaller doses and with less of a time commitment. Volunteer work may be easier to find than a paying job. A good first job experience can boost your teen’s confidence—and you can help make sure the job is the right fit.

Disadvantages of Volunteering

• You don’t earn money while volunteering.
• Volunteering abroad can be expensive.
• Many volunteers have too high expectations.
• Volunteering abroad means to leave your partner at home.
• Some volunteering organizations are quite dodgy.
• Volunteering abroad may lead to homesickness.

Unintended Negative Consequences of Volunteering: 5 Outcomes

• Resources are diverted from real problems and new problems are created.
• Intermediary groups keep the placement money for themselves.
• Children can experience negative developmental effects.
• Local economy deprived of paying work.

The qualities and skills that will help you be a great volunteer

• Reliability. Community organisations plan around volunteers turning up and people in our communities rely on the programs they deliver, so being reliable is a hugely valuable quality.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Ability to learn and learn quickly.
• Problem Solving.

7 Characteristics That Every Great Volunteer Has In Common

• They Have A Fearless Approach.
• They Have Infinite Patience.
• They Can Think Creatively.
• They Are Eager to Take Initiative.
• They Stay Humble About Their Work.
• They Are Driven by Passion.
• They Can Work In Teams.

Here are some examples of skills volunteers need to have:

• Commitment.
• Communication.
• Compassion.
• Leadership.
• Strong work ethic.
• Teamwork.
• Time management.

Developing your soft skills: how volunteering can help

• Communication skills.
• Flexibility.
• Good time management.
• The ability to be a good leader.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Creativity.
• Being able to work well under pressure.
• Having the ability to make decisions.

Life lessons learned from volunteering can lead to self-improvement, confidence, and can even help in finding our soul purpose. Find your spark by serving others and take action. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Volunteering increases self-confidence. Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity.

“I volunteer because: 1) I truly like helping people. 2) I feel called to volunteer and share my talents and time with others. 3) I enjoy meeting different people from different backgrounds and cultures while volunteering. 4) I like having my comfort zone stretched and expanded.

In this page you can discover 67 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for volunteer, like: unpaid worker, offer, enlist, chip in, present oneself, sign up, enlistee, voluntary soldier, voluntary, speak-up and offer oneself.

In the context of volunteering, that means volunteering isn’t worth the time. “It’s not worth giving more. This is what you need to know: research clearly shows that those who volunteer 100-800 hours a year, or 2-16 hours per week, are happier than those who give less than 100 or more than 800 hours.