Introduction
If someone wants a job, the employer first asks about their work experience. With work experience, it is easier to get a job. Most people work as volunteers, but now the question arises: Does Volunteering Count As Work And Experience?
Does Volunteering Count As Work And Experience?
Volunteering is giving your time and dedication generously to get experience. Volunteering boosts your skills and makes you more confident. Volunteering does not come under the category of job or employment. Volunteering is about accepting a role in some organizations despite anticipation and payment. Someone in their free time is volunteering without any payment. However, you can add volunteering to your resume. Working in any organization as a volunteer would polish your skills.
Employers in the United States consider volunteer experience if the work relates to your field or if you have developed some skills during volunteering. Volunteering is the best way to polish your skills. It would be best to highlight the skills that you have learned from volunteering in your resume and our volunteer work more relevant to your field. According to the United States statistics, in 2015, the total number of volunteers was 62.6 million.
Work Experience and Volunteering:
Volunteering is worth doing, and it counts as work experience. Including your volunteering in your resume depends on different factors. People with less work experience should volunteer and use resumes to get a job. People having a lot of work experience can leave volunteering experience out of their resume. Volunteering related to your field is more likely a work experience.
Volunteering and skills:
Volunteering is the best way to polish your skills. It would be best to highlight the skills you have learned from volunteering in your resume and our volunteer work more relevant to your field. You get communication skills, public dealing skills, writing skills, management skills, etc., from volunteering, and these skills are your precious acquisitions.
Employers in the United States and Volunteering;
Employers in the United States consider volunteer experience if the work relates to your field or if you have developed some skills during volunteering. Showing Volunteering work in your resume is the one way to show your employer how eager you are to work in a company with dedication.
According to the study conducted by Delloite, employers in the United States hire 85% of candidates with experience as volunteer workers. The result concluded that people with volunteering experience significantly play a role in job recruiting.
Volunteering outcomes:
Volunteering has significant outcomes; in some cases, it is worth more than anything. Volunteering considerably increases the worth of your curriculum vitae. By volunteering, you are working on your development and for the betterment of society and the well-being of the people.
History of Volunteering:
Volunteering emerged in the United States in 1755, when the first charitable organization was formed. Americans always volunteered their services in any event that has occurred in the past and present. Volunteerism started at a great level during the war in 1773. Many volunteering organizations came into being before the 20th century. After 9/11, 15000 volunteers worked under the American Red Cross.
Americans and Volunteering:
According to the United States statistics, in 2015, the total number of volunteers was 62.6 million. Of the people who volunteered under an educational organization, 25%, and the rest of the 35% volunteered for a religious organization.
Volunteering and technology:
Technology has influenced me a lot in volunteering. Traditional volunteering and modern volunteering are both different. Even the pandemic could not limit volunteers’ passion for volunteering. During COVID-19, people use online platforms for volunteering. They used virtual meeting apps and did volunteer work. Using technology in volunteering makes your computer skills perfect. Online volunteering includes phone counseling, graphic design work, online teaching, arranging seminars, etc.
The use of technology in volunteering makes way for an organization to expand. Using virtual platforms, organizations advertise their organization worldwide and enable millions of volunteers from all over the world to learn something valuable during a pandemic when everyone is locked in their houses. This helps people’s mental health as they engage with something during that depressing time.
Volunteering and Economy:
Nonprofit volunteering organizations significantly affect the country’s economy. According to experts, volunteering organizations contributed $905.5 billion to the United States economy. The number of volunteers volunteering each day is 16 million. Volunteering organizations in the United States play a very important role in rising GDP. There are nearly 14.1 volunteering organizations in the United States, and the number will double by 2019.
Types of Volunteering:
Commitment and dedication are the only things a volunteering organization demands in a person because, without commitment, nothing is possible. There are different types of volunteering. A person volunteers according to his interest. A few volunteering organizations are listed below:
Volunteering for Community:
In community volunteerism, a person spares a few hours a week for a community recycling program and provides cleanliness awareness to the community. Recycling does not only involve volunteer work, and volunteers can participate in different community projects.
Volunteering in hospitals/hospice:
In hospitals, there are different roles volunteers can work. Some volunteers help hospital staff with their work, and some volunteers talk with elderly patients and patients with no attendants, make them feel special, and motivate them to live and get better. Volunteers also sit and talk with patients’ families, giving them hope for recovery.
Green Volunteering:
You can do different tasks in Green volunteering such as cleanliness drive, recycling, plantation drive, and making people aware of environmental issues like global warming, etc. The green volunteers work with other community members to make them aware of environmental issues and tell them how to make the environment sustainable, so everyone can live healthy lives.
Saving wildlife animals is another volunteer work where volunteers work for the rights of wild animals. They are aware of how important assets are.
Conclusion:
The United States is well known for its volunteering organization. The people of the United States work enthusiastically as volunteers. The United States citizens take time during their busy schedules and work to improve their country. Employers in the United States also consider volunteering as work experience. By volunteering, you are not working for your own but for your country. Dedication and commitment are two important things a person should have if he wants to serve his country as a volunteer.
FAQs
- What is the difference between volunteering and employment?
Both volunteering and employment are not synonyms, and when you work as a volunteer, you will not get any pay or compensation, while employment offers you a salary.
- What are the benefits of volunteering?
Volunteering has significant outcomes; in some cases, it is worth more than anything. Volunteering considerably increases the worth of your curriculum vitae. By volunteering, you are working on your development and for the betterment of society and the well-being of the people.
- How is technology affecting volunteering?
The use of technology in volunteering makes way for an organization to expand. Using virtual platforms, organizations advertise their organization worldwide and enable millions of volunteers from all over the world to learn something valuable.
