Doing good does good.
To others, to yourself and… to your career!
Surprised?
You shouldn’t be: according to recent research carried out by Deloitte, one of the most prestigious consultancy companies in the world, when it comes to reading CVs, interviewers look very positively on the profiles of those whose previous experiences include volunteer work.
Presenting a complete picture of yourself, moreover, is one of the most important things you can do to make yourself stand out from the crowd. As well as educational experiences, professional skills and character traits, almost 90% of interviewers looking for talent consider volunteer work as a top way of making yourself stand out from the crowd.
Nonetheless, only 3% of candidates include volunteer work in their CVs, believing it to be a personal detail of little interest to employers.
They couldn’t be more wrong: volunteer work, for those looking to recruit – often at high levels – is not only a sign of a strong sense of ethics, but is a big indicator of talent and leadership abilities.
The reason?
Those who do volunteer work in their spare time demonstrate that they are capable of listening, are attentive to the needs of the community and are willing to make themselves available to the needs of others. It’s easy to see that such a person would also be capable of understanding the needs of a team and being an open and communicative leader. Acting in the best interests of your fellow man also involves deploying a set of additional qualities and skills to those consolidated during the 8-hour working day: another sign of the candidate’s versatility and ability to learn. Demonstrating that you’re a compassionate person who is active in society, finally, reflects positively on the Company you work for, resulting in a virtuous circle of Social Responsibility. An important added value for the plethora of companies increasingly trying to demonstrate that they are attentive to CSR and support the community.
These qualitative considerations translate into truly astounding quantitative results.
- Over 90% of those who work in recruitment and human resources maintain that doing volunteer work boosts the human and working capacity of a professional.
- 80% think that there is a virtuous and directly proportional link between volunteer work and aptitude for leadership.
- Over 70% of those interviewed also maintain that people who do volunteer work are successful people, or are destined for satisfying and important roles.
- And just in case all that isn’t enough, 82% of the recruiters interviewed confirmed that when presented with a shortlist of candidates, they would be considerably more likely to hire those with an interest in their fellow man and the community as well as work.
Hiring a candidate who also involves themselves in volunteer work, in conclusion, means bringing aboard someone who is proactive, accommodating and motivated. And that’s not all: a person who is looked upon favourably by the community and rich in strong principles is an excellent ambassador for the Company and its reputation.
So don’t be shy. Share your commitment to your fellow man: it could win you that contract you so desire!
