When Volunteering Helps Your Job Search

Reprinted Courtesy of EasyArticles.com




As a volunteer, individuals offer their services without receiving a salary or wage in return. It is an act that is performed of his or her choosing and desire. Sometimes, volunteering is a decision that is made because one wishes to give back to their community or wants to feel the warmth of helping others, while others undertake volunteering for a different reason - furthering their job search efforts. In order to obtain a paying job, many turn to the allure of volunteering, which can open many doors from a wide range of opportunities that may emerge during their stay with a company, business, or association.


Although you are not getting paid for your time, energy, and effort, volunteer activity is real work, which often results in some sort of final performance, accomplished task, or level of exerted force. It is through various achievements that volunteers complete real work tasks that others may get paid to do. Often, volunteers assist those on the payroll in accomplishing the daily, weekly, monthly, and something yearly duties scattered about an office or other work setting. During these moments of helping out, a wealth of information and experience is gained. For some, the knowledge and additional skills they develop while volunteering can help in their search for paid employment.


Let's take the volunteer work that occurs within the medical world. Hospitals provide the perfect
environment for future nurses and doctors to learn the ropes of the work setting they will hopefully fall into once they've completed their studies. By working side-by-side or in the same vicinity with the examples of the very profession they wish to undertake, they are preparing a great deal for landing the job they wish to acquire when the time is right or the opportunity presents itself. The job experience allows one to tap into the hands-on familiarity that sets others ahead of the rest when preparing a resume or interviewing for an employment possibility. Volunteers at a hospital may learn tricks of the trade on how to deal with uncooperative patients or become aware in the latest techniques regarding getting the most accurate body temperature or blood pressure reading. The experience is invaluable as
interactive contact provides lessons that books cannot teach or prepare students for. Regardless of whether you are seeking your first job, need a new career path, or have been replaced by what some may view as a more accomplished employee, volunteering may give you the extra boost you need to get on the right path. Volunteering can also help fill in the gaps of a resume when you have been out of work or need to reestablish a new crop of networking options. When it comes time to prepare a resume for potential employers, volunteer labor counts as work experience, which appears as a positive aspect to those reviewing your credentials, skills, and know-how. Also, well-rounded individuals who have experienced a wealth of different job fields through volunteering, increase their marketability as the practice expands their
overall scope of knowledge and skill.


Volunteering also comes back to you in ways that boost your chances of gaining paid employment. Most volunteer work results in providing a good reference, which is much needed when filling out job applications. The volunteer also learns valuable skills, such as communication, teamwork, and motivation that will carry on wherever their next job experience takes them. Volunteering also helps to build a professional network that can help future job searches.


Whether you are running an errand down the hallway, chatting with fellow workers in the elevator, or attending a company cocktail party, volunteering brings you closer to an assortment of people who could prove quite beneficial. This is why it is important to make a good impression wherever you are in the job setting; you never know who will be your next ally in your job search. Also, numerous volunteers have found paid employment within the very company or job site they have spent time at, just by proving themselves a worthy team member.


Making the Most of Volunteering


When it comes to volunteering with the aim towards further job experience, there are two different ways to approach this matter. The first is to interact with the people and familiarize yourself with the job setting of the career you hold the most expertise in. The more experience you receive in your field, the better your chances for landing the job of your dreams.


The second approach is to find a challenge that is outside of your normal range of skill. By picking up a different perspective within the work field, you may discover a career calling you never thought of. Plus, no matter where you volunteer, the skills and knowledge you acquire can be used in any setting. For example, volunteering at the Salvation Army Thrift Store may enhance your people skills, which can come in handy when you apply for a job as an emergency room nurse.


Where to Find Volunteer Opportunities


Volunteering can be accomplished most anywhere that you look. No one or one company is quick to turn down a bit of free assistance. Some of the best places to look include hospitals, libraries, United Way, American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, animal shelters, youth centers, and not-for-profit organizations, such as a domestic abuse prevention shelter.


About the Author: Seek4Jobs.net is the place for job searchers and employers. A lot of informations about jobs, tips on resume, interviewing tips, cover letters, and many more about all kinds of jobs. This article was printed from: http://www.easyarticles.com/article-41444.htm

I need to go back to school, but how do I pay for it?

We expect to endure hard times when we lose our job. But what do you do when you are working full-time and you still cant pay the bills? Of course, the first step should be to tighten the budget and curb the spending. Next, consider consolidating your credit. But ultimately, increasing our earning power is the only thing that will improve your long term ability to meet and overcome financial distress and achieve your long term financial goals.

So how do we go about increasing our income? The law of supply and demand says we seek out positions that everyone uses but few are qualified to perform. These are usually the positions that require more schooling and specialized training which means your going to need money to pay for this.

Consider these sources when trying to fund additional schooling:

• Your current employer - Many companies have tuition reimbursement/assistance programs that will help pay for training in areas vital to the company's well-being. Some have no restrictions on what you study. Some companies offer scholarships for employees and their family members. Ask your HR rep.
• Employment Security Commission - Veterans who have recently separated, displaced workers, and others may be eligible to be re-trained in a growth industry at the government's expense. Contact your local unemployment office.
• Department of Social Services - If you receive public benefits, you may be eligible for subsidies that would pay for school and daycare if needed. Also there may be work training programs that offer paid training and apprenticeships through relationships with major employers.
• Local Unions - often offer paid apprenticeships in fields that require professional licensing and/or certifications. HVAC, plumbing, contractors, machinist often earn far above minimum wage once finished these trainings.
• Check with your church or other area faith based organizations.
• Companies/Organizations you do business with or have membership in. Your insurance carriers, sororities/fraternities, youth organizations etc.
• Start saving yourself and look for matching funds or ways to invest and grow the money over time. In NC, check out the College Foundation of North Carolina's website for info on 529 plans and other savings tool. (More to come on this topic, check index) Every state has one, so google 529 to find your states comparable site.

To start, talk with the financial aid department at the school you want to attend. Fill out the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid to determine eligibility for most traditional need based student aid. Also if you are Heading Back to School? - Don't forget to find scholarships for college at FastWeb.com. FastWeb is the premier megasource for private educational funding opportunities and its FREE!!!! Also check out Upromise - Turn your everyday spending into college savings I joined seven years ago an have amassed $1129.00. Now that may not seem like alot but here's the kicker. At the beginning all i did was link my grocery store discount cards and my bank debit cards to my Upromise account. Then I forgot all about it until 8 months ago when i started the college search process with my daughter. I came across the Upromise site again and recalled having signed up. Luckily for me i am a creature of habit. I haven't changed m email and I only have like 3 passwords i use for everything. When i logged in to my surprise i had over a$1000 an I hadn't done anything. It was amazing! The only downside is that I could kick myself for not linking all the many other eligible opportunities to earn rewards. I have one so since and plan to use the process for my other girls. Check out the site for all the details.

Avoid Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 Corporate Bankruptcy

Federal bankruptcy laws govern how companies go out of business or recover from crippling debt. A bankrupt company, the "debtor," might use Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code to "reorganize" its business and try to become profitable again. Management continues to run the day-to-day business operations but all significant business decisions must be approved by a bankruptcy court.

Under Chapter 7, the company stops all operations and goes completely out of business. A trustee is appointed to "liquidate" (sell) the company's assets and the money is used to pay off the debt, which may include debts to creditors and investors.

In the commercial debt counseling program, you are in control. Your assets such as inventory, bank accounts, and equipment are protected from day one. You decide how much you can afford on a monthly basis to put toward your creditors instead of a court-appointed trustee. Creditors are prioritized and critical suppliers are kept providing the materials that you need to keep your doors open and payments and reductions are negotiated with the others.

Commercial Debt Counseling is the best solution for your company with regards to business debt in comparison to doing nothing or filing bankruptcy.

We recommend that you get a free and expert commercial debt counseling to restructure your company's business debts.

My synopsis of Obama's Make Homes Affordable Plan

With all the talk about stimulus packages and bailouts, the bottom line is that homeowners in crisis want to know, "Is any of this spending going to trickle down to me?" And if by "trickle down to me you mean" money in your hand to pay bills....probably not. In an announcement yesterday, the Department of the Treasury outlined the plan for stabilizing the mortgage marketplace and stemming the foreclosure tidal wave that has threatened to wash away the American Dream. The Making Homes Affordable Plan is a two pronged response designed to assist homeowners both current and delinquent homeowners. To keep abreast of the information related to this program go to FinancialStability.gov .

What you should know:

• You can only get assistance on your primary residence.
• Only loans owned or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are eligible for this assistance. Click here to see if your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or call 1-800-7FANNIE (8am to 8pm EST). Click here to see if your loan is owned by Freddie Mac or call 1-800-FREDDIE (8am to 8pm EST)
• You may need to be able to verify your income to prove to prove eligibility for assistance.
• Most won't need to re-qualify credit-wise.

Who can the programs help:

• A homeowner who is current on their mortgage payment, but cannot refinance to today's lower rates because property values have declined making their loan to value too high. These clients may be eligible for a streamlined refinance with no credit qualification, no NEW mortgage insurance(still needed if had MI was still required on existing loan) and up to 2% or $2000 cash out through this plan. (Note: Clients who live in areas where property values were extremely overinflated and have fallen 50% or more, like CA, may not be able to meet new Loan-ToValue(LTV) guidelines)
• Homeowners who are at least 60 days behind may qualify for a loan modification with no out of pocket costs with rates as low as 2% first 5 years, a potential $5000 principal reduction with on-time payments and terms of up to 40 years.

Contact your lender/servicer directly or a HUD approved housing counseling agency about these programs specifically if you have a Fannie or Freddie loan. A list of participating lenders/servicers will be available on the Financialstability.gov website.

Without bombarding your brain with endless eligibility guidelines on seasoning, eligible property types, debt to income ratios, and mortgage payment history; I will just say there are lots of stipulations that make the pool of potential homeowners who can be helped WAY too narrow, first complaint. My second complaint is that by not funding or requiring ALL program participants to participate in mandatory counseling, most homeowners will never understand or take ownership on how their speculating, financial illiteracy, and failure to plan for a rainy day may have contributed to the situation they are in now. I think most of us intend to be hard-working, responsible consumers, but failing to contemplate the the what-ifs, let alone sacrifice to overcome them, is a fundamental cultural defect that will continue to plague us if we don't educate ourselves.

With that said, I step down from my soapbox. If you have fallen behind or expect you might fall behind on your mortgage payment for any reason, don't wait.

• Contact your lender right away to advise them of your situation. Inquire about solutions that they may be able to offer to assist you, but don't give up if they don't seem to help.
• Minimally, get with a professional financial counselor to really assess your budget and develop an action plan.
• Even better still, contact a HUD approved housing counseling agency.
• Educate yourself and AVOID the SCAMS.

Fore more information on this or any of the postings on this site, contact Meredith McAllister, Certified Housing and Personal Finance Counselor, at her office 910.222.8751 or via email at meredith@onlinecreditcoach.com. My company, The New Legacy Project - a nonprofit organization, assists consumers with budget counseling, credit coaching, debt analysis, and housing counseling. Call today nationwide for a free consultation and budget counseling session.