Building Your Personal Brand Through Volunteerism

Whether you’re in between jobs, in school, or working full time, volunteering is a great way to build your personal brand. Sharing your time with non-profit organizations can help you build your network and develop your skills while doing some good for your community.

Volunteering shows you’re team oriented.  When you give your time to organizations in need, you show others that you want to make an impact in your community, in a way – team spirit.

Volunteering expands your network.  You will meet and build relationships with employees of the organization as well as like-minded members of your community who are also volunteering their time.

Volunteering sharpens your skills. Seek volunteer opportunities that draw upon your skills. If you are a web designer – look for an organization who needs a website overhaul. If you’re in marketing, you can find development or PR opportunities. I’ve personally donated my time giving harassment training to a non-profit organization staff, saving them from having to hire a consultant to perform this training.

Volunteering shows that you like to keep busy. Especially if you’re out of work, donating your time to a non-profit organization will show potential employees that you’re not satisfied sitting at home.

Volunteering says a lot about you. It shows that you are altruistic, helps you keep busy and keep your skills sharp, all while making a difference in your community.  Now that’s what we call a win-win situation.

Picture of Michael Spinale

Michael Spinale

Mike Spinale is a corporate Human Resources leader at a healthcare information technology company located outside of Boston, Massachusetts and is an adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University. He has over eight years of experience in HR and management including career counseling, recruitment, staffing, employment branding, and talent management.  Mike has dedicated his HR career to modern views on the field – HR is not about the personnel files – it’s about bringing on the best talent, ensuring they’re in the right seat, and keeping them motivated and growing in their careers. In addition, Mike is the author of the CareerSpin blog where he offers advice and opinion on job search, personal & employment branding, recruiting, and HR. Mike is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Babson College. He is also a board member of the Metro-North Regional Employment Board, a board which sets workforce development policy for Boston’s Metro-North region, and an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Northeast Human Resources Association.

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