In teaching it is often expected that you will spend a couple of weeks in the classroom as a volunteer before embarking on a long course of teacher training. Candidates wishing to train as social workers are also usually expected to have gained an insight into the work through voluntary effort before they are accepted on a professional training course.
Whatever type of work you are contemplating, it might be worth trying to spend a couple of weeks in an organization before taking the plunge. Identify the type of work you wish to undertake and then think of the companies which seem to be the best known in that field. Give them a call or write to them. Mention your interest in the work and explain that you would like to widen your experience. Ask if you could make an appointment to discuss the idea of working voluntarily for them.
What does the word mean to you? Freshness? Sparkle? Enthusiasm? A sort of keenness perhaps? Any of these qualities will go a long way towards impressing an employer. A crisp white shirt, newly washed hair, good manners and open smile all go a long way to impressing an interviewer. They indicate that you have that freshness and sparkle that he is looking for. A few well-chosen and prepared questions for the end of the interview, and an eagerness to look over the premises if the opportunity is offered, should convince him that you have enthusiasm and the potential to become a first-rate employee.
Word of mouth
Equal opportunity employers frown on the practice of advertising jobs only by word of mouth. They argue that a job which has not been advertised appropriately cannot fulfill equal opportunity requirements. How can you have an equal chance of getting a job if you didn't know the vacancy existed?
Despite these reservations, however, many employers still rely on word of mouth to recruit their staff. When you are looking for a job, don't ignore this. Let everyone know that you are seeking employment and ask them to tell you if they hear of a vacancy. You could find yourself a new job on a friend's recommendation.
Further information
How to Get the Top Jobs that are Never Advertised!, Willet Weeks (Kogan Page, 1996)
Further information
Overseas Jobs Express, Premier House, Shoreham Airport, Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex BN43 5FF; 01273 440220. This is a useful monthly publication for professionals thinking of working abroad.
Vacation Work, Oxford, publish the following titles in their Live and Work in series: France', Germany; Italy; Spain and Portugal; Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg; The USA and Canada; Australia and New Zealand', and Scandinavia.
