Volunteer like a boss: Bulk up your resume with purpose

We've all been there - mass applying to jobs and internships, vetting out the MLM schemes on LinkedIn and crafting a great resume that doesn't get overlooked by applicant tracking systems (a.k.a AI recruiters).

The job market is noticeably more challenging than it was back in the 90's. Remote work widens candidate pools; entry-level jobs want three years of experience and a bachelor's degree is now a basic requirement. In fact, the late 90's, also known as the "Dot Com" era, was one of the most flourishing eras for the U.S. market, with employment surpassing 80% and wage gains at 3% from 1997-2000.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, recent college graduates and young aged workers have a considerably higher unemployment rate than other groups - a percentage which drastically increased during COVID. While the stats have improved, 23 year old recent grads like myself have a harder time finding a job now.

Sometimes job seekers feel like they have to work harder to stand out. As a college graduate, I'm at an impasse applying for full time jobs against candidates with agency-level experience. We're talking Weber Shandwick, Edelman, Golin, etc. I've sent out over 60 job applications within the last three months, widening my pool to retail positions and admin roles.

Right before I graduated from my master's program this June, I sat down with my former manager for a weekly one-on-one meeting, where I lamented about my career woes. She suggested something simple yet strategic that made me go "duh!". Beef up my resume and leadership skills through volunteering positions.

Aside from uplifting marginalized communities and actively combatting systemic oppression, volunteering has many practical benefits for early career grads who are eager to contribute their skills, but can't quite land a job yet.

Photo from Pexels

Leadership Skill Development

I've been volunteering with a grassroots nonprofit in Chicago for around 4 months called The Chrysalis Program, which serves Black girls in Chicago through accessible education, mental health resources, financial literacy skills, mentorship and art therapy.

I was easily vetted for a social media management volunteer position, and soon a whole campaign fell into my lap, giving me both a new challenge and ladder to leadership. I led a whole social media campaign, implementing paid social media strategies, managing content creators and accomplishing tangible goals in under a month.

Social media metrics improve by 700%, the organization's financial goal was achieved and best of all: I have a great story about leadership with a good set of metrics to back up my work on my tool belt. I've talked about this position in so many interviews I've had since volunteering.

Creative Agency

As the social media manager for The Chrysalis Program, I have a lot of creative agency over marketing materials, social media posts and videos. I get to create my own brand kits on Canva, layout my own content calendar, write fun captions with SEO and design press materials, like brag books.

It feels good to know a whole nonprofit trusts me with their branding and that I can pull through.

Future Job Opportunities

While volunteering is unpaid, statistics show that those who volunteer are 27% more likely to find employment. Maybe the organization likes you so much that they offer you a paying role. Or, maybe someone within the organization has a referral. Whatever the case may be, volunteering opens a door for many opportunities.

If you're looking for ways to volunteer, Idealist, the social impact version of Indeed, has a plethora of diverse, in person or remote roles. There's something there for everyone, so check it out to bulk up that resume!