Help Yourself by Helping Others

Volunteer Work — Many hands make light work when everyone pitches in.

After you finish your studies and you’re ready to break into the corporate world, your resumé might need a little padding to stand out from the others. Because you probably won’t have any professional experience when you’re starting out, and because most employers won’t be too impressed that you learned every dragon shout in Skyrim, you should consider volunteer work to show potential employers that you’re willing to put forth extra effort for the overall good.

Besides, it’s the right thing to do. The founding fathers volunteered their time to frame the Constitution. Mother Teresa’s selfless efforts inspired the world to help the sick and needy. Even Bruce Wayne donates his free time to keep the streets of Gotham City safe. So we should all jump in where we can. None of us can do everything, but we can all do something.

Stop by one of these volunteer service fairs to check out the many ways you can get involved in your community. It’s not limited to students. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend, too. With representatives from local non-profits, national agencies, schools, and more on hand at these fairs, you’ll find plenty of ways to pad that resumé, help others, and perhaps find some personal fulfillment, as well. You could help build someone’s first home, spend some quality time with a kid, work with seniors, revitalize a neighborhood, or find good homes for animals, just to name a few. So get out there, pick one, and pitch in. As the cast of High-School Musical might say, we’re all in this together.