Volunteer Work as a Tool to Improve Soft Skills

In today’s competitive job market, proof of soft skills development and use can give an applicant a significant advantage over others.

For first-time job seekers, this is challenging as they have no working experience to use as evidence of their abilities.  Volunteer work is a great way to gain and develop soft skills.

Volunteer work creates traceable proof of soft skills implementation which can inform the potential employer about the type of person they are hiring.

It Helps With Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving is a critical soft skill that will be applied in any working environment.  When an employee is faced with a problem at work, problem-solving techniques acquired through voluntary work will be greatly advantageous. In a volunteer organization, a lot needs to be done with minimal resources, so problem-solving is taking place all the time.

It Helps to Develop Teamwork Skills

A work environment requires employees to work as a team. For someone who has little or no experience with this, work will become difficult, and other members of the team will feel increasingly frustrated. When working in a volunteer organization, a lot of teamwork is needed, these skills can be acquired and honed as preparation for the work environment.

It Develops Time Management Skills

In a volunteer organization, there is always a lot to do. Volunteers are often working under time constraints. When experiencing an environment such as this, the volunteer soon learns to manage his or her time to complete tasks efficiently. This is a skill that can be applied frequently in the workplace. Effective and efficient time management can single an employee out over others.

It Teaches Tolerance

In any volunteer organization, the workers will be from diverse backgrounds, cultures, religions, etc. Learning to work with a diverse group of people towards a common goal is a soft skill that will place an employee at an advantage in the workplace. Diversity management skills are often in short supply, and an employee who can demonstrate tolerance while still achieving the objective will be highly valued by an employer.

It makes You Adaptable

When a person does volunteer work, no two days will be the same.  This is because the volunteer must be able to perform whatever task the organization needs on that day. For example, at a soup kitchen, a volunteer may be serving soup on one day, but washing dishes on the next. This requires the volunteer to demonstrate adaptability on a continuous basis which is a growing workplace requirement.

It Hones Communication Skills

Any type of volunteer work that gives the worker direct access to members of the public is a great opportunity to develop communication skills. This includes communication with a variety of people and teaches the volunteer different communication techniques to maximize the outcomes of the opportunity. In any workplace, communication skills are essential to successful employment. An employee with good verbal and written skills is a valuable employ.