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.

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.

The other day, I sat down with my current manager for our weekly one-on-one meeting; I'm a student employee graduating in two weeks with no full-time job secured yet, despite applying rigorously.

After lamenting about my career woes, my manager suggested something simple yet strategic that made me go, "duh!" and smack myself in the forehead. She told me that to beef up my resume and leadership skills, I should take on volunteering. While it doesn't pay, it gets you quick results and less competition.

Photo from Pexels

I thought volunteering was limited to in-person roles like lifting food pantry goods, hanging out with senior citizens and puppies or facilitating summer camps. Turns out, there are pretty decent opportunities for communications mavens like me.

I did a little research on this platform called VolunteerMatch that offers opportunities to contribute to social good while using and strengthening your choice of skills. That's how I got to working with The Chrysalis Program, a nonprofit serving Black girls in Chicago. My role? A social media strategist. While I've just begun, it's exciting to add that fancy title to my resume and attract more eyes.

One of the best parts about the role is the creative and strategic agency I have. That's where leadership skills come into play. I'm the backbone of their social media strategy now and it's going to give me a great challenge managing all facets of their PR strategies: social media, email marketing, media pitching...

I get to implement those fancy terms I learned in college outside of the classroom: SEO, KPI's, vanity metrics, etc. Even if it isn't paid, I have something to do in the meantime until I find a full-time job opportunity. Case in point: cast a wider net when trying to build your resume. A lot of volunteer positions are flexible and can meet your skillset.

Best of all, you get to contribute to something mission-driven, fulfilling and positive. Who doesn't love feel-good work?