When you’re out of work, it’s often hard to think about anything else other than finally getting a real live job — and a paycheck. So when websites like mine talk about the value of volunteering during job search, sometimes the advice falls with a dull thud.
I can understand that reaction. Volunteer? Are you kidding me? Is that really a helpful way to go? Just get me to some actual work that pays and has benefits!
But there are good reasons to at least think about volunteering as a possible direction during job search, even part time. And there are many ways it can relate to your job search … even if it’s hard to connect the dots at first.
There’s been a lot of discussion about unpaid internships, with strong opinions on either side. So are unpaid internships worth the effort? Well, I know quite a few people who used unpaid internships to get themselves into a field they really wanted. After they tried every other way they could think of to get a foot in the door.