Volunteering: Helping Others and Your Resume

Valparaiso University students’ participation in volunteer activities has been a tradition for many years. According to a recent press release from the University, “Valpo was named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement, for the third time in four years.”

The benefits of volunteering while in college might seem obvious to most people. For the good of the people, positive environmental impacts or personal political objectives are a few that come quickly to mind. Individual benefits include social activism, a sense of empowerment and community involvement. But how can that translate to a student’s goals and eventual career objectives?

“Volunteering is a great way to develop a variety of new skills that are essential in the workplace,” said Holly Simpson, Career Counselor of the Valparaiso University Career Center. She gives these examples: public speaking, organization, interpersonal and leadership skills. “Additionally, it allows students to gain a greater understanding of their interests and how to pursue career goals and dreams.”

Holly has been assisting students in discovering ways to attain their career objectives for the last five years at the Career Center. “Volunteering also can provide you with a sense of responsibility because people depend on you. Finally, volunteering also shows employers you believe in making the world a better place,” she said. “Employers look for well-rounded individuals who are willing to develop passions and interests outside the workplace and are willing to sacrifice time and energy to do it.”

In the current economic environment, students are finding it harder to obtain meaningful summer jobs and internships. Volunteer opportunities can guide students in new career paths and provide a boost to their resumes while they are earning cash for school at a local restaurant or retail setting.

Tom Cath, Director of the Valparaiso University Career Center, advises students on resume structure, cover letter writing and their job search. “Employers like to see students who are well-rounded, involved in the community and juggling a variety of responsibilities and activities,” Cath said. “Through volunteer activities, students are able to do this and make valuable contacts and further develop transferable skills. It is a win-win for everyone.”

The Valpo Career Center is doing its part by providing resume boosting volunteer activities that can fit in a student’s hectic schedule. The Career Volunteer Network (CVN) was established to enhance, promote and present Career Center services and resources to the Valpo campus community. As a student volunteer, they are an important member of the Career Center staff and serve as a representative of the office.

Volunteering at the Career Center can give students a much needed leg up in their job search process. Networking is still the number one way students learn about internship and post-graduate opportunities. While assisting the Career Center, students have the opportunity to meet alumni and career professionals as they participate in Career Fairs and other career and job-search related presentations.

Many students wait until their senior year to seek help from career services professionals. Students volunteering with the CVN will gain an understanding of realizing their career objectives, which is a step-by-step process that involves their entire higher educational experience. Students utilizing Career Center services and resources will have an advantage on the competition for optimal employment.

The desire of the Career Center to reach out to more students, faculty and staff has prompted this program. The Career Center staff hopes to establish a network of volunteers to be called upon to assist recruiters attending career fairs and programs, brainstorm ideas through advisory board meetings, market programs, services and resources to students, faculty and staff, and aid in the recruitment of employers, alumni and speakers to the Career Center and, ultimately, the Valpo campus community.

Students participating in this program will be asked to complete a training session in the Fall where they will meet the staff and learn more about the Career Center and its programs, services and resources. To take advantage of this program, students merely need to stop by the Career Center and complete a CVN contract.
This program promises to encourage social as well as professional interactions. As the staff at the Career Center addresses the needs of the Valpo campus community and its own impact on the University’s mission, they see that the input and views of the student body are of utmost importance in meeting the career goals of individual students.