It’s easy to feel uncertain about what to do during time between jobs or consulting projects. The desire to find the next opportunity, coupled with the pressure to stay productive, can sometimes leave you feeling stuck between jobs. However, volunteering between jobs during these transitional phases can be a meaningful way to fill that time while also gaining a range of unexpected benefits.
Volunteering offers an opportunity to stay engaged, contribute to important causes, and even improve your skill set – all while expanding your professional network.
1. Expand Your Network While Volunteering Between Jobs
One of the challenges of being between jobs is maintaining a strong professional network. Volunteering between jobs can help you connect with people in different industries, potentially leading to new opportunities or collaborations. Nonprofits and community organizations often host events where professionals gather, creating informal environments to meet people who may be valuable connections down the road.
Consultants between projects can focus on volunteering for causes related to their area of expertise. This can also introduce you to new contacts who might have potential future work, referrals, or collaborations. Building these relationships during your downtime can strengthen your network and potentially open doors when you’re ready to take on new work.
2. Learn New Skills and Stay Sharp as a Volunteer
Volunteering provides the chance to gain or refine skills without the pressure of a formal work environment. This is a great opportunity to explore new areas of interest when between jobs or assignments, whether it’s sharpening a technical skill, honing your leadership abilities, or trying something completely different.
Consultants who volunteer in areas like project management, strategic planning, or marketing can keep their skills sharp while contributing to a cause. This kind of engagement allows you to stay relevant and engaged between projects.
3. Stay Productive and Motivated During Job Gaps with Purposeful Volunteering
It can also be easy to fall into a routine of inactivity or frustration when you are not working. Volunteering between jobs helps keep you on track and motivated, with a sense of purpose that comes from working toward something outside of your job search. It’s an effective way to structure your days, set new goals, and maintain momentum during a period of uncertainty.
Volunteering can provide a similar benefit for consultants. It ensures that you’re not in a complete lull, keeping your mind engaged and your problem-solving skills active. A commitment to volunteer work helps you stay focused, even when paid opportunities aren’t immediately on the horizon.
4. Enhance Mental Health and Well-Being by Helping Others
Job searching or preparing for the next consulting assignment can impact your mental health, so it’s good to stay sharp by staying as engaged as possible. The uncertainty and stress of waiting can sometimes feel isolating or disheartening. Volunteering can offer a mental and emotional boost, as contributing to a meaningful cause provides a sense of fulfillment and connection to something bigger.
The act of helping others can impact and improve overall mood – it can lower anxiety, create a sense of belonging in the community, etc. Consultants may experience periods of stress between projects, so filling those gaps can be key in maintaining a level of consistent involvement with people. By shifting your focus to something positive, volunteering can help restore balance and offer a renewed sense of purpose.
5. Volunteering Adds Value to Your Resume
Volunteering can add substantial value to your professional profile. Whether you’re managing a project for a local nonprofit or contributing to a cause aligned with your field of expertise or something close to your heart, volunteering demonstrates that you’re engaged, proactive, and capable of contributing to an organization’s success.
Consultants may find that volunteering allows them to showcase their versatility. For example, volunteering for a community organization or charity can demonstrate your ability to work with diverse teams and manage various types of projects, all while helping build a well-rounded portfolio.
6. Develop Soft Skills Working with Those in Need
Hard skills are often the focus of job descriptions; however, soft skills like communication, leadership, and collaboration are equally important. Volunteering places you in different environments, around people having various levels of experience, and potentially provides connections to new industries, etc. This is a great opportunity to hone soft skills, which are crucial for long-term career success.
These skills are particularly valuable for consultants. Working with different groups or individuals during volunteer activities helps you practice how to lead, listen, adapt to new environments, and communicate effectively – skills that translate directly into your client work.
7. Increase Your Visibility by Contributing Your Time and Talents
Volunteering between jobs is a way to raise your profile in your community or industry. Contributing your time and talents positions you as someone who is willing to make a difference and be involved, which can build trust and goodwill. This increased visibility can translate into future opportunities, whether it’s through someone recommending you for a paid position or another volunteer project.
This is an especially useful strategy for consultants as well. It can put you on the radar of local businesses or organizations that could use your expertise. Volunteer efforts can sometimes lead to paid work opportunities once people see your abilities firsthand and realize the value you bring.
8. Experience a Sense of Fulfillment Volunteering Between Jobs
Finally, volunteering often provides a deep sense of fulfillment that you can’t always find in paid work. You are contributing to a cause that aligns with your values, whether it’s helping children, the environment, or underserved communities. This sense of giving back can provide a sense of purpose and satisfaction, helping you feel more connected to the world around you.
Individuals who are between jobs or consulting projects can gain a sense of fulfillment that is a reminder that your value extends beyond your paid work. It allows you to feel engaged and positive about the work you’re doing, even if it’s not financially compensated.
Volunteer Opportunities in Kansas City We LOVE!
- The Women’s Employment Network – The Women’s Employment Network in Kansas City offers volunteer opportunities such as conducting mock interviews, providing resume assistance, and leading workshops to empower women on their path to economic independence.
- HappyBottoms – HappyBottoms offers volunteer opportunities for individuals, families, and groups to wrap and distribute diapers, host drives, or assist with administrative tasks, helping provide essential hygiene support to Kansas City families in need.
- The Children’s Place – The Children’s Place in Kansas City offers volunteer opportunities such as reading to children, assisting in classrooms, organizing food drives, and supporting special events, all aimed at helping young children heal from trauma.
- Inclusion Connections – Inclusion Connections offers volunteers the chance to support young adults with developmental disabilities by assisting in crafting pet products, participating in events, and engaging in inclusive community activities that promote skill-building and independence.
- Junior Achievements of Greater Kansas City – Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City offers volunteer opportunities to mentor students, lead classroom activities, and support real-world learning that builds financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurial skills.
- Lead to Read KC – Lead to Read KC invites volunteers to spend 30 minutes each week reading one-on-one with elementary students in high-need Kansas City schools, fostering literacy and mentorship during the school year.
- Giving the Basics – Giving the Basics offers volunteer opportunities in Kansas City for individuals and groups to sort, package, and distribute hygiene products to those in need, helping to restore dignity and health in the community.
- KC Pet Project – KC Pet Project offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups to support animal welfare through direct care, administrative tasks, community engagement, and at-home projects, all aimed at enhancing the lives of pets and people in the Kansas City area.
- Johnson County Library – Johnson County Library offers diverse volunteer opportunities for teens and adults to support library programs, events, and services across its branches, fostering community engagement and lifelong learning.
All in all…
Volunteering between jobs or consulting projects can be an unexpectedly rewarding way to spend your time. It offers a chance to stay connected, improve your skills, help others, and maintain a sense of purpose. Whether you’re volunteering to network, develop new skills, or contribute to a meaningful cause, the experience can hold an impact that extends far beyond the typical job search. So, if you find yourself in a lull, consider volunteering – it might just lead to unexpected benefits down the road!
Written by Wendy Hudson
HR Consultant at Chief of Staff KC
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