Why volunteer?

Volunteering may be defined as the practice of people working on behalf of others or a particular cause without payment for their time and services. Not all voluntary organisations are charities, and definitions vary, but in general, charities can be defined as being independent of government and business, they are non profit distributing and provide a wider public benefit. Many organisations regard their workforce as their greatest asset and volunteering gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your abilities, developing your skill set and gaining relevant experience which will increase your chance of being recruited upon graduation and subsequently promoted.

A recent survey carried out by TimeBank through Reed Executive showed that among 200 of the UK's leading businesses:

• 73% of employers would employ a candidate with volunteering experience over one without.
• 94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills.
• 58% say that voluntary work experience can actually be more valuable than experience gained in paid employment.
• 94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted.

Statistics like these are worthy of note but don’t regard them at face value, they indicate that employers are aware that volunteering experience is a positive attribute and one that can be used when seeking employment.

Some of the key messages that volunteering gives to employers is your ability to use your initiative demonstrates your motivation to make a difference and capacity to take on additional responsibilities as well as actively participating in the wider community which links to social and corporate responsibility.

Put aside preconceptions: volunteering is work experience with the added possibility that the act of choosing to be a volunteer can show even greater initiative and commitment.
Mike Killingley Senior Manager Executive Education, HSBC Bank