Job Search Tip of the Week -- Volunteer

As a job seeker, your first obligation is to your job search. However, it is likely that at some point during the week, you will have attended all the networking events, have sent out all your Thank You notes, have called to set up coffee or lunch meetings, have updated your LinkedIn status, and you still may have time left over.

Consider volunteering. Find an organization or a cause you believe in, and donate your time and skills. There are a number of benefits volunteering provides to job seekers, including:
· If you have been searching for several months, volunteering helps fill in gaps in your work history
· Volunteering can help you retain your work skills
· Volunteering can help you learn new skills. Experience is experience, even if you are not paid for it
· Volunteering opens up another avenue for networking. Volunteer organizations know they can’t pay you, so are very open to meeting with you, discussing options, and even providing letters of commendation (assuming your work deserves it!). And by simply getting out of the house, you are meeting new people who can help your search
· No matter how bad we think our situation is, there is someone else who needs support even more. The need for services is growing at exactly the time that budgets are being cut. Volunteering is the right thing to do

For volunteer opportunities, check out:
Hands on Greater Phoenix: http://handsonphoenix.org/
Volunteer Match: http://www.volunteermatch.org/
Goodwill of Central Arizona: https://volunteer.goodwillaz.org/