Establishing a solid career is tough.

The initial stages of everyone’s professional journey are a time filled with panic, confusion and self-doubt.

Maybe you are unable to land that competitive internship or are finding it hard to be offered an entry level position. You may even be struggling to work out what career path you wish to pursue. You could be missing something big that could boost your career prospects.

What if I told you that the missing career link could be volunteering experience?

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your local community as well as other communities around the world. Aside from the fact that volunteering makes you feel good, and allows you to become a part of something bigger than yourself, there are other reasons why volunteering is a great idea.

These range from skills development, to gaining valuable experience in different fields, connecting with other professionals and boosting your career prospects. Below are some of the main benefits.

It Looks Good On Your Resume

You have to admit, it feels great to add a few more lines to your resume.

When you are willing to put a lot of effort into a good cause, even when there is nothing in it for you, it shows your competency and dedication.

Some employers require 2 – 3 years post-graduate experience, making it hard to get a look in on your dream job. Volunteering helps fill that gap on your resume, leading to a better chance of getting an interview.

The added benefit is a glowing letter of recommendation from leaders of the organisations you have volunteered with, as well as a strong list of referees.

It Helps You Network 

Volunteering has become an easy way to make new connections in your area, especially if you have recently moved to a new city or country and are eager to find a way to meet new people.

It is a stress-free networking opportunity that comes without the awkward and uncomfortable conversations you may find yourself engaged in at formal events.

When you have built a strong and positive relationship with the organisations you volunteer with, senior persons within that organisation will not hesitate to help you. They might recommend you for other great opportunities or connect you with important contacts. You may even wish to recommend some of those opportunities to your friends and family.

It Helps You Develop Valuable Skills

You might not know it, but volunteering helps build new skills and enhance existing ones.

As a volunteer, you can allow yourself to listen, learn and experience a range of different tasks and challenges without the stress and pressure of getting something wrong or running the risk of ruining your professional reputation.

Volunteering is an effective way to gain confidence working in a professional setting. Being able to present yourself to a future employer as an impressive and well-rounded candidate with a range of experience will set you apart. Well-developed teamwork and interpersonal skills are also a valuable asset that every employer looks for.

It Helps You Understand Yourself

Volunteering enhances self-awareness.

A better understanding of your personality, your strengths, weaknesses and interests can give you a new and inspired outlook on your career choices.

For instance, if you are the kind of person who excels at analytical thinking and persuasiveness, volunteering may help you decide on a career pathway in the law. If you discover that you have a creative and imaginative mind, on the other hand, you may be guided towards more creative industries such as design.

It Enables You To Explore Career Choices

Volunteering helps you to gather information and determine exactly what you are looking for in a career.

If you have no idea what you want to do with your life, finding out what it’s like to work at a big company or smaller non-profit can be of real benefit.

Regardless of the size, volunteering presents a fantastic opportunity for you to figure it all out. It is a safe environment for you to discover your true ambitions.

It Stops From You Slacking Off

If you have a 2-month university break, a few weeks of work leave or want to get a complete change of scenery for 6-12 months and volunteer overseas, volunteering is a great way to avoid boredom and apathy and keep your brain engaged.

When you resume work or study, you will be on top of things and in a position to hit the ground running!

Conclusion

For those who already volunteer – good on you! You are one step closer to your dream job.

For those who are planning to volunteer – go for it! Volunteering is not only a way to make a positive social impact, but also a way to kick start your personal and career development.

So, get off your couch and go volunteer! You won’t regret it.

Further Information

Below are some great volunteering resources to get you started.

National:

• Volunteering ACT
• Pro Bono Australia
• Go Volunteer
• Volunteer Network
• Ethical Jobs
• Knowhow Nonprofit
• Seek Volunteer
• Victoria’s Volunteering Panel
• Volunteering Queensland

International:

• Australian Volunteers International
• International Volunteer Program Association
• Projects Abroad
• Volunteer Abroad
• International Volunteering
• Universal Giving

You have to be friendly and affable.

You have to be thoughtful and charismatic.

You have to confidently circulate, oozing intelligence.

And as difficult as it is to achieve this perfect balance, you also have to do it all without coming across like a dog walking on its hind legs. It stands to reason then that resume-writing is consistently rated as one of the least preferred activities by Millennials. Most of us would rather have a meaningful conversation with a telemarketer than spend a few hours updating our CVs.

Unfortunately, to land your dream role in the current and highly competitive job market, a stand out CV is a not only necessary, it is essential.

Below is your Complete Guide to Writing a Kick Ass Job Application – everything you need to write a resume like a winner, and land your dream role.

How To Sell Yourself

Writing an excellent application is about effective communication.

Honesty speaks volumes.

Remember that your prospective employer is not a mind reader. He/she has no idea who you are, or what value you can bring to their organisation, unless you tell them! 

Don’t take any information for granted. At a minimum demonstrate your employability by canvassing the below questions:

• Why do you want the job?
• Why are you the right person for the role?
• How do your values or interests align with the position you are applying for?
• How does your skill or experience match the position they are looking to fill?

Pay attention to your structure, tone and content. Does it present you in the best possible light?

O-Rule: If you don’t have relevant industry experience, demonstrate how your current skills and experience can be transferred to the role you are applying for. This clearly indicates that you are self aware, possess emotional intelligence and have a sound understanding your strengths and limitations. 

Get Creative

If your application describes you as a creative genius, be sure to show your potential employer exactly why you hold yourself in this regard.

Back up your assertions with hard facts such as your relevant experience.

Honesty vs vanity: Know when to toe the line

The most efficient way to achieve? Tailor your application to the mission, vision and values of the organisation you want to work for.

If it is an design agency, for example, use your creative skills to show a recruiter exactly what you can bring to the team.

Interactive applications – always a crowd favourite.

If it is a travel company, for example, you can use a similar formula to transform your CV into a passport.

Reserve the first application page for personal particulars such as contact details and educational history (visas held).

Use the second page to outline your employment history which you have creatively reimagined, in this case, as travel stamps.

The same model works effectively for other creative industries, such as the music industry.

The great thing about this approach is that it simultaneously illustrates your individuality and ballsiness, willingness to go the extra mile and ability to think outside-the-box. It also shows an employer that you have a sound understanding of company ethos.

A simple but effective strategy guaranteed to win you an invitation to interview.

O-Rule: Never use a Microsoft Word template for your resume.

Ever.

Two Pages Maximum

Most employers are pressed for time.

Never exceed two A4 pages at 12 pitch. Volunteering too much information can run a high risk that your application will be discarded without consideration.

Use headings

• PERSONAL PARTICULARS
• EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
• EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
• CERTIFICATES AND LICENCES
• AWARDS
• VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
• HOBBIES OR INTERESTS

Use dot points

Avoid providing a detailed description of previously held positions unless: 1) it is relevant to your current application; or 2) you can confine it to one-two sentences.

If you do not have university or higher education qualifications, don’t panic! Most professional knowledge comes from on-the-job experience and training. A growing number of employers are now recognising this and abandoning university degrees as a prerequisite for hiring new staff.

O-Rule: Keep It Brief

Triple-Check Spelling & Grammar

Errors in basic spelling, grammar or inconsistent use of tense account for an enormous percentage of rejected applications.

Not if you forget to do a spell check, you won’t.

If spelling or grammar are not your forte, ask a friend to read over your application.

O-Rule: Never submit an application without having an independent set of eyes (a friend, family member or mentor, for example) look over it for language, consistency, tone and content.

Briefly Describe Yourself

Paint your prospective employer an image they cannot forget.

I’m betting on me!

Give your recruiter an insight into who you are and a solid reason to continue the conversation with you at interview.

Describe your personal attributes, skills and interests.

For example:

Nick is an incisive thinker and possesses highly-attuned attention to detail. He enjoys working as part of a dynamic team and thrives in an environment that requires working to tight deadlines and thinking outside-the-box. 

Nick is intelligent, reliable, outgoing, flexible, trustworthy, energetic, highly motivated, a fast learner, friendly, diligent, honest and can exercise initiative. Nick is also capable of working autonomously to achieve results. 

O-Rule: Use a work-appropriate contact email, for example: [your.lastname@gmail.com] 

Include A Personal Image

You may wish to include a high resolution head shot in your application.

When done the the right way, personal touches put your employer’s mind at ease. They can immediately see that you don’t have two heads, for instance.

A number of studies have revealed that attractiveness also plays an important role in an applicant’s ability to land a new job, as well as secure pay increases and promotions. Attractiveness is also thought to have a bigger impact on maximum earning capacity than higher education.

O-Rule: If you hold the beauty card, don’t be afraid to play it.

Play The Numbers Game

Send out as many applications as you can.

When you have 20-30 applications out in the world (as opposed to 2 or 3), you statistically increase your odds of being offered an interview by a significant margin.

Out of those 30 applications you may receive 5 invitations to interview, which could lead to 2 job offers.

Being able to cherry-pick between job offers places you in a solid negotiating position to start a bidding war between employers. If your skills are in high demand, an employer will fight to lock you into accepting their offer not only for their own benefit, but also to steal you away from the competition. This allows you to negotiate an attractive salary package and other employee benefits.

Write A Personalised Cover Letter

Generic cover letters leave a bad first impression.

It is obvious when an applicant has sent the same letter to multiple organisations.

To make a lasting positive impression, stay away from the standard [Dear Sir/Madam] or [To Whom It May Concern].

Research the organisation you want to work for and address your cover letter by name to the most appropriate person.

This will vary depending on the size of the company, organisation or government department. It could be the head of recruitment, HR Manager, Editor-In-Chief or even the CEO. Find out who is making decisions about your recruitment using Google, LinkedIn, the company website or even asking around.

You can even go one step further by performing some light internet stalking. It may be that the person recruiting you has only recently begun working in their role. If this is the case, start your cover letter by congratulating them on their new appointment. It shows that you take an active interest not only in the company but also the people who work there.

O-Rule: Never send the same cover letter to multiple organisations. 

Make Yourself Appear To Be A Low Risk Investment

Humans are naturally risk averse.

Recruiting new staff is one of the highest risk activities for any company, but particularly for startups. If you turn out to be the wrong person for the job they have wasted a considerable chunk of their budget on advertising, running the recruitment round, as well as the time and resources required to train you.

By putting yourself in your prospective employer’s shoes, and creatively demonstrating your ability to do the job in your application itself, you significantly lower that perceived risk and nudge yourself ahead of your competitors as the most attractive applicant.

O-Rule: The secret to being offered your dream job is to successfully establish yourself as a low risk investment. Align yourself with the qualities an employer seeks in an ideal candidate and make their decision to hire you the only logical option.

Think we’ve missed anything? Would you like to see us cover more career hacks for Millennials? Let us know in the comments section below!