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Today’s university leavers need more than a degree to land a job. While the market for graduate jobs in the UK is improving, young people still face stiff competition when applying for each and every role. In order to ensure that their CVs make the right impression on hiring managers, jobseekers should consider volunteer work as a way to build on their academic qualifications, gain transferrable skills and prove they are ready to enter the real world. A growing number of students are choosing volunteering as a way to put their academic educations into practice and ensure they are better prepared for the workplace. At present, around 42,000 higher and further education students in England have chosen to become volunteers in their spare time. Getting ahead of the competition Emma Hopkins began volunteering at Rainbows, part of the Girlguiding organisation, while studying at Durham University. When she applied to the NHS Graduate Management Scheme a year or so later, she beat approximately 6,000 applicants to one of the 180 places. She told the Guardian that her volunteer work helped to make this possible. "I communicated with different age groups and practised mediating skills. Developing my organisational and time management skills were important too." This kind of experience is not easily gained at college or university. In fact, a recent CIPD survey found that 61% of employers saw a lack of skills as the biggest obstacle to recruitment. If graduates want hiring managers to take them seriously, they need to find a way to develop their practical skills. In addition to adding value to their CVs, being a volunteer also gives young people a chance to prove that they’re dynamic and resourceful. James Caan, from BBC TV's Dragons' Den, admires graduates who take the initiative to volunteer. "When I see two graduates whose CVs read the same, I look for activities like volunteering which gives the CV a unique selling point.” Avoiding exploitation Volunteer work or internships can be an invaluable way for young people to enhance their employability, particularly when the organisations that they work for give them the opportunity to learn the skills they need to progress up the career ladder. Unfortunately, not all unpaid work opportunities are created equal. Some volunteers and interns end up feeling that they are being overloaded with menial tasks, getting nothing in return for their time and effort. While no-one volunteers to earn, most people do expect to learn. It is therefore essential to avoid placements that involve nothing but washing dishes or making tea. Young people should rather find positions that enable them to grow as individuals or gain skills that will prove useful in their industries of choice. Free labour Too many companies, especially in the creative industries, are becoming reliant on the free labour that volunteers and interns offer them. Sometimes, students are brought in to replace employees who have been made redundant. They are expected to work full days without an income, not even enough to cover their expenses. There is a fine line between valuable on-the-job training and exploitation, and young people often don’t have enough experience to tell the difference. Perhaps the best way to avoid being taken advantage of is to approach a reputable volunteer organisation, such as Volunteering England. While it’s advisable to steer clear of organisations that are simply looking for someone to fill in at no cost to the company, volunteering or getting involved in an unpaid internship certainly seems like a wise choice in the current job market. With the majority of employers looking for candidates who are work-ready, even a few months of part-time volunteer work could give a graduate the edge. With Careers and Jobs, you can find your dream job, browse UK jobs by sector, including graduate jobs and keep up to date with the latest UK jobs news. You’ll also find expert career advice and help with CV writing to help land that dream job.
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