This week, Alistair Stirling, freelance Careers Advisor http://blog.stirlingcareersconsultancy.co.uk/blog.aspx?p=1 is guest blogging about volunteering.
Volunteering is open to anyone and there are a whole range of reasons why somebody might choose to volunteer. It can be a great way to meet new people and gain additional skills. It can also be a time to try something new and acquire further experiences. It is also another way of developing new knowledge in a particular area.
For those people who are considering a career change, volunteering in the new area is a good way to see if the career change you are considering is right for you before making a final decision. It would give you the good opportunity to talk to people in that sector to seek out their views and opinions. The type of questions you can ask are ‘Where do you see things going?’ What are the future prospects?
For people who have lost their jobs volunteering is a good way to keep work skills up to date, give back to the local community whilst actively seeking employment.
Some organisations encourage their employees to volunteer as part of their job role and this is an ideal opportunity for you to gain new skills and take these new skills back to your own work place. It can also help you with your own career development.
If you want advice on anything to do with getting into volunteering either Lisa or myself can help. We have both undertaken and are currently volunteering and are happy to talk about the benefits of volunteering.