Can Volunteering Lead to Career Success?

Working in the careers space, I am often asked what piece of advice I’d give my younger self.

Social action helps people to give back to the community and will enhance your job applications, whether you have interned before or are entering the workplace for the first time.

Read on for tips to help you find the right volunteer network and determine which volunteering opportunity is a good fit for you.

Image Source

Look within

There is an old adage that you are the sum of the 4 people you spend the most time with – so talk to your parents, friends and peers. One of the best ways to determine what type of volunteering is right for you is to learn from the people around you.

Ask questions: Determine what and who inspires you. This will help you to better understand what motivates you. Once you find your ‘why’, identify opportunities that align with your values and have confidence in building the most important brand: you.

Deliberating between multiple organisations or opportunities?

The UTS SOUL Award provides opportunities for you to skill up and get active in the community. The award equips you with leadership and community development skills to enable you to create a positive impact. Meanwhile, you will build your network whilst applying the skills you have developed at university. Check out their website and Facebook page to find out more.

Volunteering Australia and Go Volunteer provide volunteering opportunities, information and community events across Sydney and NSW. Consider what you can offer that’s valuable, what your passion is and how much time you can give to one of these opportunities and start giving back today.

Image Source

Going global

BUiLD at UTS (Beyond UTS International Leadership Development), is a leadership program for UTS students. By providing opportunities to travel overseas to participate in conferences, internships or community volunteer projects you will develop valuable leadership skills and stories to take with you on your career journey.  Interested in volunteering overseas? Read more at the BUiLD abroad blog.

Next steps:

• Browse volunteering opportunities on CareerHub and the resources above: this will help you understand what interests you and compile a list of roles to apply to.
• Research volunteering opportunities here at UTS – there are over 100 clubs on campus (top tip: AIESEC UTS or Roteract could be a good place to start).
• Visit drop-in to have your resume and/or cover letter reviewed before applying.

Image Source

If you are interested in social justice and keen to meet volunteer organisations, follow us on Facebook. It’s a great way to find out more about opportunities to connect with organisations on campus, such as Perfect Match event or Internships and Volunteering Fair taking place later this year.

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash.