Volunteer efforts may land you a better job.
Each year, millions of Americans volunteer their time to community-service organizations. According to the Electronic Journal of the U.S. Information Agency, more than 90 million American citizens participate in volunteer activities. And in recent years, the number of corporate-sponsored employee volunteer initiatives has increased in response to the realization that they benefit employers and employees, as well as the organizations they serve.
Research Links Volunteerism & Profits
Betty B. Stallings, a San Francisco-based trainer, consultant, and author who specializes in volunteerism, cites a 1993 survey in which more than 50 percent of businesses surveyed acknowledged a link between volunteer programs and profitability. Stallings states that research involving Fortune 500 companies demonstrates "an exponentially increasing number of employee volunteer programs." These programs bring corporations and communities together as partners, and have been shown to be beneficial in attracting talented employees and in motivating staff.
Stallings points to General Mills, Federal Express, and Intel as examples of companies that have reported enhanced skills among employees who have participated in corporate-sponsored volunteer programs. Specific skills mentioned include leadership, teamwork, decision-making, communication, and time management.
Many volunteers don't realize that altruism can help them acquire highly marketable skills.
"The employees themselves derive considerable benefits as well," Stallings writes. "Through their volunteering, they have developed new business contacts, gained experience in strategic planning, [and] become involved with community leaders. There is a decided link, too, between physical and mental health and participation in volunteer activities."
Volunteers Undervalue Experience
Surprisingly, many volunteers don't realize that their altruism can result in acquiring highly marketable skills. Anita Collins, a licensed independent clinical social worker and life-planning coach, says people
