Skills-Based Volunteering Makes a Difference

Most of us who are EAA and AirVenture volunteers do it because it’s fun, we get to reconnect with friends, and we experience something that happens no place else in the world. If you’re in the workforce, though, EAA volunteering can boost your skills and your career.

Are you promoting your volunteer experience to your employer, to your boss, to your prospective employer?  In  a 2013 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT survey, results showed that many organizations  consider volunteer experience in hiring and promotional decisions. That means there’s a great opportunity to promote your volunteer experience to your boss, your employer, or your prospective employer!

The survey confirmed that skills-based volunteering can make a difference in finding a job.  Human resources professionals value the applicants experience and knowledge gained during volunteering.  Think about it: volunteering includes such important assets as teamwork, problem solving and leadership. Individuals looking to develop and enhance skills should consider finding the right volunteer experience.  Whether it is gaining technical skills or leadership skills, skills-based volunteering can positively impact your career.

In addition, the survey points out that volunteerism has important benefits to organizations as a whole.  Volunteerism is recognized as being good for business.  Both traditional and skills-based volunteering is encouraged and may even play a role in your organizations corporate citizenship programs.   

If you are working on learning new skills, unemployed, or know someone that could benefit from gaining knowledge in a specialized area, be sure to consider various volunteer opportunities within EAA.  Whether it is at the chapter level or AirVenture Oshkosh; EAA has many opportunities to help you reach your goals.