Let’s face it, with today’s fast pace of living, finding the time for something like volunteering isn’t easy. Yet statistics show that applicants who can demonstrate evidence of having volunteered are more likely to be successful when it comes to landing a job or accelerating their career. 

There’s a whole host of reasons why employers find volunteering experience so attractive. Here, we share how taking a little time out of your busy schedule to become a volunteer could hugely benefit your career.

Gain a sense of achievement

The first rule of writing a CV? List achievements, not responsibilities. Volunteering provides you with lots of opportunities to set goals…and achieve them. Whether completing an end-to-end project, making a difference to others, or learning a new skill, volunteering opens you up to plenty of chances for adding stand-out accomplishments to your CV.

Expand your network

Volunteering creates a sense of community, bringing people together to work for a common cause or goal. As a volunteer you’re likely to meet lots of new people, and new contacts can often open the door to new opportunities – particularly professionally. Use your time as a volunteer to expand your network and engage with people who you wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to spend time with.

Experience new working environments

Volunteering, in reality, is no different to a work experience placement. You’re still getting insight into what it’s like to work in a particular environment and your time there is a valuable opportunity to learn as much as you can. Remember to include all of your work experience and volunteering experience on your CV – it’s just as relevant as employed positions to hirers.