Volunteer Do-gooder

Since everything has gone a bit crazy over here at My PR Quest, I haven't really had a free moment to sit down and properly plan out the future installments of "Everything I need to know about PR, I learned from my Grandfather". Rest assured, it will be back with a vengeance soon(ish).

In the meantime, I thought I'd return to the ever-delightful world of the job hunt. After having several of my best laid plans foiled at the last minute (read: coming second in the interview process), I decided that enough was enough. I need SOME sort of work experience, and perhaps the best way to do that is to volunteer.

So I am.

I successfully landed a 6 month part-time internship with a local charity, doing some PR work but also supporter relations, which is hugely important in the charity/NGO sector and very "in demand". I'm learning wonderful programmes like Raiser's Edge - something I'd been meaning to learn for years, but never had the opportunity. So far it's all going really well, and they've even agreed to let me do my final PR project for my course on the organisation! Double bonus.

Of course, volunteer work isn't for everyone. It's tough. It's work. And it's unpaid. But if you're unemployed, I'd suggest that it's the best way to keep yourself busy, while at the same time picking up new skills and experience that always look good on a CV. Plus, potential employers like to see that you've kept yourself busy while you've been job hunting. And they like to see volunteer work as well. A lot of charities or NGOs are also offering part-time volunteer positions, as they realise that people need money coming in. This frees up time to have a part-time job, or even a job with flexible hours, like hotel, restaurant or shop work (which I've also tried to land, thus far to no avail).

So don't rule it out as an option - even a short-term one. It also earns you the often-needed karma points... for when you need the universe to align itself in your favour.