Volunteer Your Way Into A New Opportunity

If you are finding it difficult to breakthrough into a new job right now, how about volunteer work. Volunteer hours don’t have to monopolize your entire day or week, however it is a great option if you are looking to do something different than your previous job. From a strategy perspective one of the most important things you need to do is use your “free time” wisely. So I am not suggesting that you volunteer 40 hours a week doing something that won’t help you segue into your next job opportunity. I am suggesting that as a part of your job search strategy you look for opportunities to volunteer in the market place or in the industry that you have an interest.

An example would be health care. I chose them intentionally because there are lots of opportunities in this industry. They are not laying of employees like you see in the financial/banking industry. So if health care is your passion and what you wanted to do when you grew up, than maybe now is the time.

Do you love to fix computers? Who can you assist by volunteering to fix their computers or update their computers. I am not suggesting you go out an buy all of the materials. I am suggesting that you make yourself available to people, places, nonprofit organizations and the like who you can lend a helping hand in these turbulent times. Volunteering to assist someone else will obligate them to assist you. Now I am not suggesting you do something under hand. I am also not suggesting that you are not authentic in your desire to volunteer. I am suggesting that we live in a world where reciprocity is real. By virtue of you giving yourself wholly as a volunteer somewhere, by lending a helping hand, someone will turn around and help you.

Keep in mind as you begin to serve others, in conjunction with your job search, you will begin to see it come back to you from other places. The organization or group you volunteer with may not be the same hand that pays you back in kind. But trust me when I say this, it works. Reciprocity is a principle of influence and persuasion. People do feel obligated when you do something for them to do something for you. The challenge for you as the volunteer in this equation is not to look for it to come back to you. Just put yourself out there and help someone else. And before you know it, you will find that someone is assisting you and you will be out their working again. Volunteer your way into your next job opportunity. Someone is waiting for you!

Photo: sxc.hu