Volunteerism; The Right Choice for You?

“The essence of life is to serve others and do good.”- Aristotle

76% of career advisors agree that professional candidates with volunteer experience on their resume are more likely to get their preferred job. In addition, volunteerism improves health by strengthening the body, improving mood, and lessening stress in participants.

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals between the ages of 35 and 54 are the most likely to volunteer their time and those who volunteer regularly have a 27% better chance of gaining employment. 92% of human resource executives agree that contributing to a nonprofit can improve an employees leadership skills.

Managers say that skills-based volunteering experience, especially international, builds vital skills:

Collaboration: 93.8%

Communication: 97%

Emotional Intelligence: 89.3%

Grit: 80%

Innovation: 70%

Leadership: 90.3%

Problem Solving: 90.3%

There are more than 1.8 million active nonprofits in the United States alone (the ability to volunteer is endless). If volunteering feels like a good fit for you, be sure to approach the opportunity strategically by taking a quick inventory of what you’re hoping to contribute to and gain from the experience.

In addition to investing in others, it’s beneficial to invest in ourselves by the continuation of life long learning. UMass Boston offers multiple graduate business certificates .  One such opportunity is the Health Care Management  Certificate which features Social Enterprise and Poverty Alleviation. To supplement any volunteer experience this course emphasizes blending defining elements of the business and nonprofit models. Social Enterprise aims to fill a particular social deficiency or correct a certain market failure associated with poverty. As opposed to maximizing shareholder value the way a prototypical business does, a social enterprise may retain its surplus to further its social mission.

We encourage you to explore these opportunities and to engage with your community members  as we support each other along the journey to progress.