Reality check: Volunteering your way to a job

by Lisa Thalacker Joyslin
follow me on Twitter: @ltjoyslin 

If you’re a job seeker, chances are you’ve heard this piece of advice: “You should volunteer! It’s a great way to get a job!”

Help the world while also helping yourself get your next paying gig? It sounds pretty great to a do-gooding nonprofit professional.  Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as many advice-givers make it out to be. Yes, volunteering can help lead you to employment opportunities, but it’s often a long and indirect process. The chances of finding a job through the sheer act of volunteering are slim.

Here’s why.

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Forget Leading from the Middle. Lead from Wherever You Are.

The phrase “Leading from the Middle” has been popping up all over the nonprofit world lately....After doing some research, asking around, and even requesting a fellow YNPNer do an e-news piece on the topic, I have come to a conclusion: “Leading from the Middle” is a flashy phrase with little substance.

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Mind the Age Gap: Tips for Navigating an Intergenerational Workplace

It was my first day at a new job. I almost made it through lunch before facing the dreaded question: “How old are you?" Four hours on the job and I'd realized that most of my colleagues were 20-30 years my senior. I’d hoped to not reveal exactly how young I was until I’d been there a bit longer, but it was not meant to be. "I'm 26." "Oh, I thought you might be about my daughter's age," my colleague replied. "She's 24."

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