Why You Should Volunteer Now

Image Credit: Pixabay, Maxlkt

Have you ever thought about doing volunteer work, but never actually followed through with getting involved? The truth is, the act of volunteering is exceedingly more beneficial than you may be led to believe. In a study conducted by The Corporation for National and Community Service, results concluded that those with volunteer experience had 27% higher chance of getting hired than those who didn’t. Research conducted in Switzerland, reportedly the happiest country in the world, revealed that people who volunteer are more likely to be happier and have a  work-life balance than those who don’t. Hence, there seems to be a secret to a better life. Below I’ll explain the three greatest benefits as to why you should be a volunteer junkie.

You’ll Gain A New Perspective

In our age, Millennials get a bad rap for being selfish and completely inconsiderate, and, let’s be honest. They’re not far from the truth. But even for those who may not be the stereotypical Millennials, it’s essential for everyone to understand how others, whether they live just around the corner or across the world, may live a vastly different life than yours. Volunteer work presents the opportunity for people to gain insight and first-hand experience to those living a different life than them. This produces not only personal gratitude but also intrapersonal understanding that we’re all simply dealt a different hand in life.

You’ll Develop A New Skill

Volunteer work means labor, which may not be the most appealing term, but one that exceedingly pays off in the long run. During the job hunt, everyone is trying to make themselves stand out from the other applicants, and what better way to stand out then to express your expertise in team building from the one time you volunteered as a soccer coach to underprivileged youth? Or how about your knack for timeliness and flexibility from when you were a volunteer at Habitat For Humanity and dealt with project deadlines and uncontrollable circumstances? The skills you develop while volunteering are invaluable, forever making you a matchless individual. Furthermore, ever thought about combining your passion and desire to change the world through volunteer work? Why not perfect an already established skill by volunteering somewhere that uses your special skill as their channel of change?

You’ll Transcend the Experience

This, of the three, is the most significant. As you find yourself engaged in volunteer work, you’ll start to notice it taking over other areas of your life. You may begin to have more patience or notice a distinguishable difference in the way you handle strangers. Perhaps you’ve developed a more determined work ethic, or have quit complaining as much. Why? Well, when you volunteer and experience the tangible results of how rewarding it feels to help others, that meaningfulness will spread to other areas of your life, such as your marriage, friendships, work life, responsibilities, etc. Once you experience the life-changing effect of volunteer work, you’ll want nothing more than for that significance to spread into every aspect of your life, leading to overall greater personal development.

With the promise of gaining a new perspective, skill, and a completely new outlook on life, you can see the great benefits of volunteering.  Now you have all the incentives you need to volunteer in your local community or around the world!