Great Advantages In Doing Volunteer Work

By MARVIN WALBERG
Scripps Howard News Service

To young and not-so-young job searchers, volunteering gives you valuable work experience, helps you develop a work ethic that employers sorely need, and gives you priceless network contacts. It also helps build your resume with actual work history. Volunteer work is real work -- potential employers care about your experience and work ethic, and volunteering helps you create value. Build your future with volunteerism. Read the following letter:

Dear Mr. Walberg:

I saw your column about volunteering some time ago, but haven't had an opportunity to respond.

My son has learning disabilities and after he got an associates degree, he transferred to a four year program. However, he could not continue.

Rather than allow him to sit at home doing nothing worthwhile, we insisted that he do volunteer work. He went to the library at Northern Virginia Community College and saw a blurb about jobs being available at the Library of Congress. He applied for a job, and also for a position as a volunteer.

Long story short, he volunteered in the visitor's services office at the Library of Congress three days per week for sixteen months. They liked him so much; they created a job for him!

Now, my son has had a paid job at the Library of Congress since March, 2000.

We are believers -- volunteering pays big dividends!

R.F., Northern Va.

Thanks "R.F." for a great testimonial. I know you're proud of your son.

To repeat a personal experience of the value of volunteering, my 19-year-old daughter began volunteering summers at our local science center in the 8th grade. In her senior year in high school, they hired her to work during the Christmas break, and then she volunteered again that following summer.

When she needed reference letters for college, her volunteer employer came through, and now, during her summer break from college, she is a paid employee at the same science center. Many of her friends are idle this summer due to the soft economy, but my daughter is saving money for college expenses while working where she is now considered an experienced employee.

Volunteering helps people build a future with experience, resume strength, and network contacts who are ready and willing to be there when needed. Volunteer does, indeed, pay big dividends!