This post was originally published on Built In Chicago.
From teenagers starting high school to adults well past their intern days, job-seekers of all ages are offered a seemingly useless piece of advice: volunteer.
But can volunteering really help build skills and provide a credible line on your resume? When we think about volunteering, we often have visions of handing out water at 5K races, sorting food at a local pantry or cleaning up garbage in the neighborhood. None of which seem relevant to the job search beyond working at a grocery store or in city sanitation.
What if I told you there is a way to volunteer in your community by using the skills you already have? That volunteer opportunities can in fact put you on the track you want? At Lumity, our Community Corps matching portal matches you to schools and nonprofits in need of your specific skill-set. A lot of nonprofits don’t have an IT expert or a web designer on staff and look to volunteers to fill these gaps. Schools are constantly looking for mentors, speakers, judges and professionals to connect with students in and outside of the classroom.
Whether you’re just starting out or starting again, volunteer matching portals can offer you a way to fill in the gaps on your resume, hone your skills and make a real difference in the community. And even better, you might just meet a few people who are hiring.
Check out The Community Corps to find volunteer openings or NPO.net for the best nonprofit career opportunities in Chicago.