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How to Make the Most of your Volunteering
Lucy Hawkins, Careers Adviser
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Learning Outcomes
• Identifying goals for volunteering• Knowledge and confidence in achieving goals• Knowledge of practical ways to use
volunteering as evidence for career interest• Motivation to use and retain contacts from
volunteering• Planning strategies to build occupational
knowledge• Understanding the benefit of reflection
Strategy
Setting goals
Achieving goals
Reflecting
Goals for volunteering
Try our worksheet:
What are/were your
goals?
Goals for volunteering
Write a different goal
on each SMART goals – about you
Skill acquisition Evidencing your career interests
Building sector knowledge
Networkinga
section
Put each
Goals for volunteering
Making a difference
post-it on
Achieving goals
There’s some that you’ll achieve as part of volunteering...
... but we’re focusing on what you can do to make the most of your experience PROACTIVELY
Skills acquisition ideas
Skill acquisition
• Clarifying expectations• Making a case for
training in-role• Offering independent
study, shadowing• Suggesting discussion on
improving your work• Showing interest,
building on aptitude
Networking ideas
Networking
• Information interviews• Retaining contacts• Events and conferences• Introductions and referrals• Offering specific support
(e.g. recommending The Student Consultancy)
Ideas for building sector knowledge
Sector knowledge
• Shadowing outside your role• Recommended reads
(trade press, regulation, research etc.)
• Seeking mentoring• Asking questions• Mapping information
(org charts, accounts)
Making a difference
• Sharing evaluation ideas• Exploring spin-out projects• Exploring ‘cascading’ knowledge• Spreading the word• Enabling future volunteers• Considering efficiency
Evidencing career interest
• LinkedIn.com• Featuring volunteering on your CV• Using volunteering in application
forms, e.g. competency questions• Recording your experience, e.g.
blogs, social media
LinkedIn.com
• Volunteering section• And/or in main
‘experience’• Recommendations
and ‘connection’ only active for main experience or education sections
LinkedIn.com
• Groups – join or start• Summary text = SEO
CVs and volunteering
Skill acquisition Evidencing your career interests
Building your sector knowledge
Networking
• Use headings to place information where you need it
• Don’t ‘downgrade’ voluntary work!
• Highlight skills developed, achievements, responsibilities
• Use size, scale, scope
Application Forms
• Keep an eye on their criteria, e.g.
• Think about STAR responses...
Knowledge of our work
Delivers results
Shows leadership potential
Enthusiastic team member
Ability to solve problems
Awareness of organisational need
Adaptable to unfamiliar environments
Takes initiative
Competency question
Situation
Task
Actions
Result
“ ”Describe a time when you had to adapt to work successfully with a new team of people.
Competency question
Situation
Task
Actions
Result
Volunteering work, brief description of team
What was ‘working successfully’ – what was the goal?
Self-awareness Understanding
others
Positive – even if indirectly!
HumilityCompromise Learning
Results-focus Motivation Contribution
“ ”Describe a time when you had to adapt to work successfully with a new team of people.
Blogs / Articles
Offer a blog/article• do-it.org.uk/magazine/blogs• sector blog, trade press, student
papersCreate your own• beckyinauchindrain.wordpress.comStart up a group effort• leadershipvolunteering.wordpress.com
Other social media
Same ideas, different medium:1. Offer a contribution2. Create your own channel3. Create a group channel
On...
Reflecting
Try our worksheet:
Reflection serves a further goal: helping you with career decision
making
Taking action
Decision making
Self awarenessOccupational awareness
Reflecting
What key factors do you know now?
What do you know now about yourself?
What do you know now about what’s out there?
www.careers.ox.ac.uk/careersbeyondprofit 01865 274646
Q&A#careersbeyondprofit
