Sure, volunteering shows the world that you’re well rounded and altruistic. But does giving to the community give anything back to your career?

“Yes” is the answer given by large majorities of workers. More than three-quarters polled said that volunteering helped them make networking contacts and learn business skills. But when it comes to career advancement, not all volunteering opportunities are equal. “We’re finding more and more high school and college students thinking carefully about how their volunteering assignments will appear on their resumes,” says Robert Goodwin.

A natural networking booster

Volunteer work is a great way to quickly make connections with like-minded folks. In the Deloitte survey, 87 per cent said that volunteering expands an individual’s network.

“The Point needed a brand, so we designed a logo and helped them develop a clearer message,” says Volandes. “I also helped them understand how the corporate world works.” Volandes’ ability to build bridges between profit and non-profit organisations was key to winning her current paid position as senior director of corporate relations for the American Cancer Society in Manhattan.

Transfer volunteering skills to day jobs

What does volunteer work have to do with a corporate career when the two environments can seem so different? Volunteering gives people the opportunity to develop skills they can use at work, according to 78 per cent of Deloitte survey respondents.

“Are they getting credit for being good citizens of the world?” says Shepard. “No, they’re being hired for the skills and experience acquired on the job or in volunteering.”

That’s how it worked for Ron Sonenthal, “Volunteering with the Jewish Council for Youth Services, Ron was able to enhance his own skills by helping the Council with budget development and other tasks,” says Stephanie Emry, Deloitte’s national community involvement manager.

“With a little thoughtfulness and planning, professionals can make sure specific skills are being developed through volunteering,” Emry adds.

Community leadership to corporate management

Perhaps the biggest potential boon for careerists who volunteer is the opportunity to lead. Some 93 per cent of workers surveyed said that volunteering gives them the chance to enhance their leadership skills.

“People who are not managers are getting opportunities to run things,” says Shepard. Additionally, in matching a volunteer professional with a non-profit organisation in need of leadership skills, “we may bump someone up from being a manager to be a manager of managers,” he adds.

Is management experience in the volunteer realm recognised when it comes to bidding for a promotion or a new job? It varies from employer to employer. “It’s very easy to highlight the achievements of an employee volunteer when the company has a programme to publicly recognise those achievements,” says Goodwin.