The Value of Volunteering

Hello again! I am happy to be back with my second blog post. If you read my last post, you would know that today’s topic is volunteering. You might be wondering, “What is volunteering?”, “Why should I ever volunteer when I can get paid to work?”, “How do I go about volunteering at home and abroad?”, and “Are there any opportunities for volunteering while abroad at NYU Sydney?”; by the end of this, I hope to answer these questions. If you have any questions by the end of this post, please feel free to reach out to me (wf603@nyu.edu).

What is volunteering? The dictionary definition is "Freely offering to do something”. By volunteering, you are offering your time and energy for absolutely no financial compensation. In my professional past, I have volunteered at an animal shelter, a clinical research lab, a CNS behavioral research lab, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and I am currently volunteering at NYU! As you can see, there are countless ways to get involved as a volunteer. You may be wondering, “What does 501(c)(3) mean?”; essentially, it is a designation in the United States for nonprofits that perform charitable or religious service, which allows the nonprofit to obtain tax deductions by the US government. If you are interested in learning about all of the various non-profit designations in different countries (including the US), check out this link.

Why should you volunteer when you can get paid to work? There are several ways to answer this question. For one, volunteering demonstrates your work ethic to a potential employer. Being a volunteer is something you should proudly put on a resume/CV to exemplify your hard-working demeanor. The general assumption that hiring managers make about volunteer experience is that it develops character, and shows how dedicated you are to a specific cause. This alone will help you get your job interview. By volunteering at an organization that operates in similar spaces to jobs at your dream company, you may be able to show your next hiring manager that you truly care about what you are applying for. 

Another way volunteering can be useful is by getting your foot in the door of a top-tier company. Some companies do not hire interns simply because it costs too much money to comply with standard minimum-wage laws; however, offering to volunteer your time at a company might make your hiring manager more inclined to accept your job offer. This can act as another boost for your resume, as no one can question your work ethic as a volunteer.

How do you go about volunteering at home and abroad? Volunteering always requires a little bit of research. Knowing where you can volunteer is not necessarily obvious, but there are always non-profit organizations in the area that need volunteers to operate. For example, animal shelters need volunteers to manage the overwhelming numbers of animals coming in and out of the shelter every single day. Animal overpopulation is a real issue, and international governments simply do not fund the betterment of said issue. There are other issues as well, such as homelessness, environmental conservation, foster children, senior support, food waste, and upholding ethical standards in business and elsewhere. Whatever the cause may be, you can research nonprofit organizations that can absolutely use your help. 

Outside of the nonprofit sphere, you can also research internship programs at private-sector companies. These programs will typically have a director you can contact, send a cover letter/resume, and potentially land a future career with. Always remember, volunteers can benefit most organizations because you possess valuable human capital. If you would like to research some local nonprofits in Sydney, check out these links as well (link 1, link 2). 

As you can see, volunteering is possible no matter where you go. No one should ever feel like they cannot contribute to the local community, because every person is able to put their time and effort into a good cause. Also, volunteering can strengthen your professional identity by developing your work ethic, your resume, and by helping you discover your passions.

If you are less interested in volunteering and would like to get paid to work, you’ll need a really strong resume. Stay tuned for next time, as I will blog about drafting resumes (intentionally plural) you can be proud of!

Until then, I hope you enjoyed reading!