So close to the Holy Grail

sharpy2010

scooby088 wrote: »

Doing voluntary work is ok but i have never seen or heard of it getting you paid work, I did voluntary work a few years ago but was advised not to keep it on my cv by a supposed professional HR person.

I also thought that it doesn't lead to paid work, but my girlfriend did 16 weeks voluntary work in a well known charity as after a year out of college she hadn't managed to get any work. As soon as that stint was over, she got a job, and the people who interviewed her confirmed that the experience she had gained from the charity was what sealed her getting the job!

kingfisherblue

Voluntary work can help to make a candidate stand out from the rest. They show commitment, reliability and loyalty if they regularly participate in voluntary work. They may also be able to demonstrate teamwork, organisational skils, attention to detail, working on own initiative, patience, honesty, punctuality, the ability to work with specific age groups or disabilities, key holding responsibilities (many voluntary groups use church premises where there isn't a member of staff to open and lock up)...... here are so many positives. In addition, volunteers can gain experience that will be beneficial in their line of work. Examples include Guiding or Scouting for those who want to work with children, charity shop work for those who want to work in retail, stable work for those who would like to work with animals, etc.

Many volunteer programmes also give the opportunity for further training. First Aid, Basic Foood Hygiene, Safeguarding, etc can all make a difference on someone's CV.

Volunteering can also give an applicant a referee that they would not otherwise have had.

Many firms value volunteering by their staff and recognise the qualities that volunteers have.

dave4545454

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

Good luck for the interview- whats the position?
Im surprised that during 20 years you have not managed to get a job, after volunteering. At one time it as relatively straightforward to get a job in the charity/voluntary sector as they used to recruit from their volunteers.
Have you got any significant barriers to employment like a serious criminal record or a disability etc?

Thanks, it's for a cleaning job. No I don't have a criminal record apart from Marillion who I still like, well the early Fish years.

benham3160

dave4545454 wrote: »

Thanks, it's for a cleaning job. No I don't have a criminal record apart from Marillion who I still like, well the early Fish years.

Ha! I'm twenty-five and there are a hell of a lot of things I'd admit to before I'd admit my love of Fish era Marillion. I actually hide my collection whenever friends come round!

Script'/Fugazi/Misplaced/CAS then it all went downhill Actually I've got Fugazi on at the moment lol

Regards,
Andy