Unemployed
attorneys are often told that doing volunteer work can be a great way to keep
their skills up to speed while avoiding large gaping holes in their
resume. But how does an attorney
volunteering his/her skills with an organization transform that volunteer job
into a launching pad to other more lucrative opportunities. Below are a few tips on how you can
make your volunteer job pay off in unexpected ways.
- Treat
your volunteer job like an interview.
Even if you know that the volunteer job won’t transform into a paid
opportunity at that particular organization, treat it as if that was the case.
And as with any interview it is your job to show off your skills to the prospective
employer. Don’t wait for the organization
to offer exciting project. Identify the organization’s needs and then figure
out how you can use your skills and experience to solve problems or make their
business better.
- Get
feedback on your performance, preferably in writing. Find out what you’re doing
right, what you’re doing wrong and what you’re failing to do that may be of
value to the organization.
- Always
deliver on your promises. Although
you are volunteering for this organization, make sure your treat the projects
you’re working on as if you were getting paid. Be careful to only promise what you know you can deliver and
always deliver on time and in a professional manner.
- Take
care to build relationships with the people you are working with during your
time at the organization. Don’t
limit those relationships to only those “in power” take the time to build
relationships with all staff. Once you leave your volunteer capacity, take the
time to maintain those relationships and feel free to mention your job search
after the volunteer project has ended.
- Once
your volunteer time with the organization has ended make sure you ask for a
written recommendation. You can use this recommendation when looking for paid
opportunities elsewhere.
One final note
on volunteer—make sure you avoid the temptation to pressure the organization
into hiring you or giving you job leads during your volunteer time there. The discussion of paid opportunities is
best left to the time after your volunteer project has ended.