Volunteering 'can enhance a CV'

People looking to enhance their CV may find that undertaking some voluntary work could help to make them more employable, it has been suggested.

Paul Emery, head of community and social organisation at Zurich, said that volunteering is an effective "pathway to work" for people who are currently unemployed or looking to change jobs, as it gives them an opportunity to work with different people and develop new skills.

He explained that employers and candidates alike are recognising that volunteering does have a dual benefit, because it has a positive impact on the people or cause they are trying to support, while it also helps the individual to develop their skills in a way that can only help in terms of your future career and job aspiration.

"There's no hard and fast rule, but if I was looking at somebody's CV that demonstrated volunteering and having interests outside of work, it shows individuals are prepared to put a bit more into their lives and to support other people as well - that's a really good thing," Mr Emery added.

A spokesman for universitiesnet.com recently said that if people have taken time out after university to volunteer, they should not feel the pressure to brush over this period on their CV, but rather see it as an opportunity to enhance it.

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Posted by Nikki Barrister

Filed: 30-01-2012