5 Ways to Turn Volunteerism into a Career Asset

Linda Descano, CFASeptember 2015

LindaDescano.com #PropelWithPurpose

During my appearance on Fearless Fabulous You, host Melanie Young complimented me on my exhaustive resume of volunteer service, which now spans three decades and service on a dozen or so nonprofit advisory councils and boards.  To her, I seemed selfless in my commitment to service. To me, “enlightened self-interest” is a more appropriate descriptor, because every time I said “yes,” it was because the experience would yield a double-bottom line benefit: It would benefit others and deliver a benefit to me, in terms of new experiences, skills and connections, which served me well at every twist and turn of my very curvy career.  What follows are 5 unexpected career perks of volunteering with the hope of inspiring more professionals to lend a hand and do well (for themselves) by doing good (for others):

#1 Explore new careers. Interested in becoming an event planner? Think you might be a great

CFO? Or CMO? Volunteering can provide a “safe harbor” for trying your hand in new areas to gauge whether it’s something you really do want to

pursue – and expose you to other professionals in that field that have the connections to help make your transition a reality.

#2 Elevate and showcase your skills and talents.

Volunteering enables you to apply your “technical” (e.g.,

finance, marketing, etc.) and transferrable (e.g.,

communications, project management, people

management, etc.) skills in new ways.

#3  Expand your network and raise your visibility. Volunteering is a great way to meet people from outside your company and field, which adds important depth and breadth to your professional network.

(Remember the old adage: don’t put all your eggs in one basket.) Serving as a committee chair or board member, speaking at or co-chairing an event, and/or contributing to the organization’s blog are great ways to build name recognition

and establish yourself as a subject matter expert.

#4  Enhance your ability to influence. The staff and boards of nonprofit organizations tend to be from diverse

backgrounds, so being able to communicate and influence effectively to such a diverse audience can be a challenge. For me, it was a tremendous opportunity to focus on how to craft a message that is meaningful and relevant the board member who’s an accomplished CEO to the executive director who has little

finance background, and so forth.

#5  Experience leadership.

Rising through the leadership

ranks in today’s increasingly flat organizational structures can be a

challenge. Fortunately, many nonprofit organizations are hungry for energetic volunteers who are

willing to step up and take a leadership role on a committee or board. Take advantage of those

opportunities to build and flex your leadership muscle.

Follow  me:    

LinkedIn  h3ps://

www.linkedin.com/in/lindadescano  

 Twi3er  

@lindadescano