Volunteering is when an individual provides services to a nonprofit organisation or charity without the intention of remuneration. It causes both personal and professional enrichment for volunteers, allowing individuals to assist their local communities through unpaid altruistic work. Volunteering can also allow individuals to pursue work in an area of interest or in a field relevant to their career. Through volunteer work, graduates become more attractive candidates to recruiters as it allows you to prepare for your career by providing experience and developing key professional skills. Volunteering is an excellent resource that can help graduates advance their career. 

What does the data say? 

The SEEK 2022 Volunteer Report found that there were over 24,000 volunteering opportunities in 2022, which was a 3% increase from 2021. Here are some of the key statistics:

• The top 3 most common causes requiring volunteers were: Community Services, Seniors & Aged Care and Education & Training.
• 16% of opportunities were able to be done digitally/ remotely, up from 4% in 2019.
• 41% of opportunities required volunteers with a specific skillset.
• Applications to volunteer were down 25%, the lowest in four years.
• 71% of applications were made by those aged under 45.
• 75% of all applications were made by females.

Evidently, there is much scope for volunteering, even remotely! Volunteering is popular amongst young people, especially those who are interested in working in healthcare and education. 

What are the benefits of volunteering?

Experience

Graduates have limited work experience as they are relatively new to the job market. Volunteering is therefore especially beneficial for graduates. It can make up for this lack of formal employment as it is still a means by which you can gain experience and develop your transferable skills, which are particularly important for entry level employees. According to research conducted by Seek NZ, 75% of hiring managers believe that volunteer experience is an advantage in a job interview. Despite having limited work experience, volunteering will show employers that you are a dedicated and committed individual. 

Networking

Volunteering can help you network with individuals that you may be working under at a charity or organisation. Even if these individuals are not associated with the industry you wish to pursue a career in, these connections can still be valuable. They can also attest to your key attributes, and serve as references for graduate positions. You may also learn about job vacancies from these connections. Volunteer work can therefore help you expand your network to include respected professionals.

Develop New Skills

Volunteer work can help you develop new skills. This especially means valuable soft skills that are transferable and relevant to every industry and occupation. These include communication, time management, adaptability, problem solving, team work, empathy, and organisational skills. Volunteering can also be beneficial before applying for your first graduate position or for a graduate program as it can allow you to develop hard skills that are directly relevant to your occupation and industry. For example, a recent law graduate may choose to volunteer at a local boutique firm so that they can practise drawing up legal documents before applying for a graduate role. 

Test out careers

If you are unsure about what occupation to pursue with your degree after graduation, volunteering can allow you to experiment with specific roles before entering the workforce instead of having a string of short-term employment on your resume. Volunteering can show whether you are suited to a particular role or interested in working in a particular industry. 

Stand Out

Volunteering as a whole demands compassion, kindness and hard work within its participants. These qualities are difficult to initiate within a person so the fact that a candidate chose to complete volunteer work is by itself impressive to an interviewer. Employers also place considerable value upon dedicated employees that can be positive additions to the workplace culture. Volunteer work can only ever help your chances of landing a role. Furthermore, most graduates applying for the same graduate position are likely to have the same education qualifications and limited work experience. Volunteer work will allow you to stand out to recruiters amongst the other candidates. 

Graduates must also be able to strategically discuss their volunteer work with recruiters. This means providing a well-thought out response to interview questions that provides recruiters with insight into the value of your volunteer work. You can do this by explaining what skills you gained through volunteering and how you can apply them to the graduate role. This will depict the relevancy of your experience and why it makes you qualified for the role. You should also make mention of the job description and application criteria. Also information about why you decided to volunteer and for how long will provide the recruiter with more information about your character traits and your level of commitment. 

Where can I find volunteer work?

You may be at a loss for where to find opportunities for volunteering. However, there are endless ways to find volunteer work! If you are still studying, it is likely that your university has a volunteering society or program that can provide you with options. Alternatively, you can always reach out to local organisations, churches, and sporting clubs to ask if they require assistance. If you are particularly passionate about working in a specific industry, you can reach out to organisations and inquire about opportunities. People are always keen for some extra support! 

Each state and territory also has a volunteering centre that provides information about current volunteering positions. Visit the link for your state or territory to find location-specific information:

• The Centre for Volunteering (NSW)
• Volunteering ACT
• Volunteering Queensland
• Volunteering SA and NT
• Volunteering Tasmania
• Volunteering Victoria
• Volunteering WA

Am I entitled to pay as a volunteer?

As the word suggests, volunteering is done without pay. However, as this article demonstrates, there are heaps of rewards that are reaped by volunteering as a graduate. Nevertheless, it is important to be aware of your rights as a volunteer. Read our informative article about how to know when you are entitled to pay to find out the difference between lawful and unlawful unpaid volunteering.