Volunteering as a Strategic Investment in Your Career

Last week was a very wonderful session in the HL Community Hangout in which we discussed volunteering as a strategic investment in one's career. We discussed a few questions during the session, which I will be answering in the post.

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The Role of Visibility in a Career was what I discussed earlier before this topic and also coves attaining visibility in your career. In case you missed it, please feel free to check it out.

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Do you think that volunteering to work for a company or organisation would build visibility in your career?

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Yeah! I wrote in a post earlier that volunteering to work for free for a company or organisation can build visibility as it is a way to showcase your skills in real-life experiences, and there are some benefits to it:

Gain the opportunity to have hands-on experience with real-life utilities and projects

The perks that working for a company brings to one's life are being able to tackle projects that can have a significant effect on the lives of people. It is not just a project you are doing for learning purposes alone, but something that can be helpful.

There would also be access to partake in projects that you won't have experience on if you are left alone to do them. I am talking about big projects that would require people from different fields to come together to brainstorm ideas.

These types of projects always require money and resources that someone who is just getting started would not be able to afford; hence, they would not be able to have such experience. This is what volunteering to work for a company brings to the table.

Networking with professionals and building healthy relationships

When you volunteer to work for a company and you have access to work on big projects, there will definitely be professionals around working on them or serving as guidance for you. This is where you have the opportunity to network with these professionals, ask questions, and share ideas on what you think about the job.

Here is a little advice if you find yourself among professionals and you have ideas that could make things easier in the work field. If you have any suggestion or idea that you think would serve as a better way of doing things, always try to pose it as a question, as it would not be nice to say it directly as it could also mean you are telling them they are not competent.

Build reputation and also have something to add to your portfolio

By the end of the contract with the company you worked for, you would have had hands-on experience on so many projects, gaining experience that would serve you for life. These experiences can be added to your resume or portfolio.

Also, you would have had the opportunity to build a reputation and connect with professionals, people who may probably call you later if they need a service that they believe you would be capable of.

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What about work experience? Is it worth it to do all this for free for a company, and is there any true value added to you for doing this?

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If you are totally new to a field and trying to build a network and visibility, then it is advisable to work for free. If you are already a professional in this field, then it depends on whether you have something to gain from working for free.

You might be a professional in a field but also get access to a gig that only requires people who would love to volunteer for free. Doing this could mean that you have the opportunity to promote yourself, promote your skill, or even learn something new. This way, people would get to know you better, which would definitely lead to growth in your career.

Yes, value is added to every beginner for volunteering to work for free. They gain work experience and are able to network, which can lead to greater opportunities.

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Have you ever been in a situation where you had to offer something for free because you believed something good would come out of it? If so, what was it?

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I play the guitar very often. I have played in so many places for free without collecting a dime. And definitely, I have seen people work up to me, saying they want me to work with them.

This is one of the things that happens when you choose to volunteer and do your best. You begin to attract people who would want to associate with you during that instance.

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What advice would you give to someone, either yourself or a friend, if you knew they planned on working for a company for free?

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Be clear about your goals

Having clear goals for what you want to gain from volunteering is very important so as not to forget the reason why you started in the first place. Also, this would help you not waste your time, as doing all these without having something to show at the end is a complete waste of time.

I would personally suggest that your goals should mostly cover the set of skills you want to build and the network of people you want to connect with. These are essentials for career growth.

Be proactive, but do not let yourself be taken advantage of

When I say you should be pro-active, this means you should execute your duty on time or even before the deadline. Make sure that you are always there and active when your boss is in need of help. Do things for your boss, and make sure they are done in the best way he wants them.

Doing all this would make you the go-to man when your boss needs someone for a certain job and would also have you in mind for the assistance you render.

But at the same time, don't be afraid to say NO to jobs given to you if things are getting too choky. Some companies take advantage of people, especially when they are not on payroll. Make sure you are wise, and don't be that type of person.

Take things professionally as if it were a full-time job

It is advisable to take things professionally, as if it were a full-time job, because the company would be watching you and seeing how you handle things. The things they notice about you will determine whether you will be called back later in the future.

Build a network of Connections

Building a network of connections cannot be overemphasised, as it is paramount to your growth. This could bring job referrals that could bring a sudden jump to your career growth. Most of the time, it is not always determined by the certificate you hold but also by the people you know.

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Volunteering does bring visibility, and it is important to be wise about it, know what you seek to gain, and also build connections. There would be no use in volunteering in the first place when there was nothing to add to your life.

I have answered these questions to the best of my capabilities; what else do you think I may have not mentioned? Please feel free to share in the comment session below.

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𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁

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_{Starstrings01, also known as Giftedhands, attends the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta to study mechatronics engineering. He is a lover of the hive, a guitarist from Nigeria, and a student.}

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_{Some posts you might be interested to read:}

QUALITY ENGAGEMENT Vs. QUALITY CONTENTS Vs. GAINING VISIBILITY ON HIVE

BEING UNIQUE DOESN'T MAKE IT ORIGINAL || HIVE REWARDS ORIGINALITY

SETTING YOUR RECOVERY ACCOUNT USING PEAKD INTERFACE