“My son and I are both struggling to find work at the moment. He’s just finished university and looking for his first job, and I’m retired but need to top up my income. We’ve both been sending out applications for a while now, could unpaid work help us find something?“
Whether you’re trying to get into work for the first time or after some time off, finding a job can be really challenging.
How volunteering can help in your job hunt
It’s always a good idea to think about what skills or experience you could be missing for the kind of work you want, especially when feeling stuck after weeks or months of sending out job applications.
It can be a good way to plug gaps in your CV and get a taste for different types of jobs. These sorts or role, usually come in the form of volunteering, work experience, or internships.
If you are receiving benefits, you should check the Citizens Advice website, speak to an adviser, or with your job coach before taking unpaid work.
Unpaid work
The rules around unpaid internships are complicated, so you should get advice on being paid less than minimum wage before applying for this type of role.
Volunteer roles can provide experience in specific types of work, whether it be in an office or something more practical, like supporting people in your local community. Charities, including Citizens Advice, usually have a range of opportunities available.
Being a volunteer doesn’t just give you a chance to learn and improve skills that are transferable into paid work, it can also help you gain confidence and self-esteem in a professional setting and provide structure to your day or week. Volunteering can be a great way to help improve your wellbeing, mentally and physically.
It can also help when applying for jobs and attending interviews by showing employers you’ve got transferable skills, relevant experience, and are ready to enter paid work. Just like any job advert, you can find plenty of volunteering opportunities online, so it’s well worth seeing what’s out there if you’re interested.
If you want to find out more about volunteering at Citizens Advice North Herts, Citizens Advice Stevenage or Citizens Advice Welwyn Hatfield check our website.
