- Home
- Networks
- Topics
- Blogs
- Co-op Blogs
- Arts and Social Sciences Co-op Blog
- Beedie School of Business Co-op Blog
- Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology Co-op Blog
- Communication Co-op Blog
- Computing Science Co-op Blog
- Contemporary Arts Co-op Blog
- Engineering Co-op Blog
- Environment Co-op Blog
- Health Sciences Co-op Blog
- Interactive Arts & Technology Co-op Blog
- MSE Co-op Blog
- Science Co-op Blog
- Sustainable Energy Engineering Co-op Blog
- Communique
- ENGAGE
- Peer Education
- Co-op Blogs
- Galleries
- Learn
- Indigenous
- EAL/ESL
- iBelong
Why Volunteer?: The Numerous Rewards Associated with Volunteering

Why Volunteer?: The Numerous Rewards Associated with Volunteering
By: Kerri Jesson
Recently, I got a job - one that requires me to work with children. There are a number of reasons why my employers may have hired me, but as soon as I sat down for my interview, I knew that what would impress my interviewer was the extensive volunteer work I had done with children in the past. During the interview for my position, she even pointed it out to me, and I feel like I owe my job to the time I spent giving back to the community.
That brings us to the first reason why you should volunteer:
#1 It can help you get a job, or even a career: As my own story shows, volunteering can be influential in deciding whether or not you “get the job.” However, it could also act as a gateway to your career – either by allowing you to find out what you would like to do in the future, OR after volunteering, you may even find that you end up wanting to work in the non-profit sector.
*For more information in working in the not-for-profit sector be sure to check out the Not-for-Profit Sector Panel occurring Wednesday, February 6, 2013, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. You’ll discover how you can make a career in this field and hear from professionals already working for not-for-profit organizations.
#2 Grad School Applications: That’s right! Volunteering IS seen as important for entry into many graduate school programs, and in some cases it is even a requirement. This includes entry into medical school, nursing, and teaching programs. The more experience you have, the more impressive you’ll look – so you may as well start building up your volunteer hours and references now!
#3 You Can Meet New People: It’s never a bad thing to grow your circle of friends or your circle of contacts, and volunteering is a great way to get your name out there.
#4 You’re Giving Back: Perhaps you don’t need volunteer experience, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it! There are tons of organizations that significantly help out our community and they simply need people to help out in any way that they can! It’s important to remember that as a member of society you play a role in helping your community grow and volunteering is a perfect way to do this.
Kerri is currently in her second year at SFU and working toward her degree in Business. Through her posts on the ENGAGE blog she hopes to inspire other students to take initiative and become engaged, both at SFU and within their communities.
Posted on February 04, 2013
Submitted by KerriJ on Mon, 2013-02-04 10:14 by KerriJ
- KerriJ's blog
- Login to post comments
- 4714 reads
RELATED TOPICS
|
|
|
|
|
|
SEARCH THE OLC
Login
OUR TWEETS
Today's Top
![]() |
Mental Health and Addictions Mental Health Wellness Tips for Quarantine [46] |
![]() |
Business How to Survive in a Fast-Paced Office Environment [32] |
![]() |
Volunteering My Experience Volunteering at the Nursing Home [30] |
![]() |
Series SFU Health Sciences Takes India! Durga Puja 2011 [29] |
![]() |
Business How Should We and Our Employers Prepare for Remote Working? [29] |
Interviews 10 Tips on Answering Interview Questions Effectively [43] |
|
Work Search Working with Grace: Top Tips for Pre-Screen Interview Success [12] |
|
Workplace Transition Creating a Great Co-op Experience: [Part 1] Introductions, Rules and Learning Objectives [11] |
|
Work Search 4 Tips on Showing Projects During Interviews [10] |
|
Work Search Creating an e-portfolio: What Not to Do [7] |
[Blog] Life Experience Just Like Bunko: It's Not About You [1] |
|
[Story] Interviews Preparation = Successful Interview! [1] |
|
[Story] Interviews Acing Phone Interviews [1] |
|
[Story] Career Exploration We Are All Canucks: Dreams Come True [1] |
|
[Story] Interviews The Dirty Dozen Interview Questions (Part I) [1] |
7 seconds
From Forbes Magazine.
You have 7 seconds to make a first impression:
...
You're Welcome!
Just wanted to say a big "you're welcome!"
I think though, that we also owe you a big thank-you for all of your fantastic...
There but for the grace of
There but for the grace of God go I, reoccurs for me in periodically and I smile warmly and am grateful.
Thank you for your...
Uhoh, now you've sent us down
Uhoh, now you've sent us down a black hole of Youtube Conan clips......
Our failures define us
Conan's quote is incredibly profound..but not quite as profound as his "String Dance."