In Reflections on 30 years in the Group Retirement Business, I shared six tips for success at work and in life. One of those tips was Get involved. Today’s post looks at how you can boost your career by volunteering in workplace groups and professional organizations.

This post was originally published in August 2020 and updated in June 2023.

As you read this, you might be mentally preparing a list of all the reasons why you can’t—or don’t want to—take on more responsibility. Read on for my answers to common objections to getting involved and for six ways career-related volunteering can boost your career.

Throughout my career, I have volunteered with industry groups and professional organizations. I have also participated in committees, change networks, and communities of practice within my company. This activity is something that has enriched my career in so many ways. I’ll get into that a little later. First, let’s go back to the beginning.

How did I get started with volunteering?

When I was in school, I didn’t really get involved. I was a strong student and enjoyed hanging out with my friends, but I never took the time to do any extra-curricular activities. Looking back with the wisdom of how work-related volunteerism has benefitted my career, that’s one thing I’d change if I could go back and do high school again.

My work-related volunteerism began with a casual conversation with a co-worker about the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) professional designation that I wrote about in Lifelong Learning – Your future depends on it. My friend told me about the program and why she had found it valuable, so I signed up and started studying. About a year later, the same friend was going on maternity leave so she asked me to replace her on our local CEBS group. Not really knowing what I was letting myself in for, I agreed.

Over 30 years after that conversation, I continue to volunteer with CEBS. That local group evolved into our local ISCEBS Chapter. I was a founding chapter board member and still sit on the board. I’ve also participated on national committees, and I’m currently serving as the President of the Governing Council and Chair of the ISCEBS Board of Directors.

That casual conversation literally changed my life!

6 ways work-related volunteering can boost your career

You may not have a professional association or industry organization to join. That’s okay. Look for opportunities at your workplace. Maybe your company needs someone to organize a team meeting, fundraising drive, holiday party or summer picnic. Or they might be looking for someone to informally champion an upcoming change.

Although the focus of my work-related volunteer activities is industry events and associations, I also get involved in other ways. I regularly put my hand up (or sometimes get volun-told, probably because my leaders know I’ll say yes) for things at work.

Here are some of the ways getting involved can help your career:

Learning opportunities

First and foremost, you will learn a lot. A lot of the learnings will be practical, transferable skills that you can put on your resume. Those learnings could help you get that new job or promotion, or just make you more effective at your current job.

My passion for lifelong learning is why I originally started volunteering. In reality, I learned way more than I expected. Through my volunteer activities, I have gained experience with event planning, website design and development, public relations, social media, writing, change management and so much more.

Networking

There’s no better way to boost your career and build your professional community than working with like-minded people toward a common goal. Building your network can help you get your next job, but that’s not the only benefit. You will have access to knowledgeable resources and mentors to help you in your current job—and you may even make some new friends.

It’s also an opportunity to be a mentor by introducing your industry, company or profession to others who are just starting their career.

Through my company and industry involvement, I have made connections in my industry from around the world. I often tap into this network of resources if I have a question or problem.

Enhance your professional brand

Getting involved shows commitment to your work, company, and industry. It’s also a great way to get your name out there and build your professional brand.

My personal involvement has opened the door to speaking opportunities and authoring articles in industry publications. It also creates opportunities to get involved in other ways.

Leadership opportunities

If you want to build leadership skills, volunteering is an excellent way to do that. You can gain informal leadership experience through planning and running meetings and events. And most professional associations have an organized structure where you can gain formal leadership experience.

Build your resume

All this learning, combined with the new skills you learn and leadership experience, will enhance your resume.

Recruiters look at hundreds, even thousands, of resumes every day. To get their attention, you need something that will make you stand out. A track record of volunteer activities sends a message that you’re willing to go above and beyond. It tells the reader you are someone who gets involved and gets things done. Volunteer experience could be the thing that makes the recruiter or hiring manager stop and pay attention to your resume. 

Personally rewarding

Last, but certainly not least, are the personal benefits you’ll get from your involvement. I have made new friends, travelled to places I wouldn’t otherwise have gone, and felt a sense of accomplishment after every meeting, conference, and presentation.

As I look back on my career, volunteering has made a huge difference and it’s something I have never regretted.

So, with all these benefits, why doesn’t everyone do this? Next, we’ll look at some of the common objections to getting involved.

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Reasons why people don’t get involved

Despite all the benefits, it can be hard to recruit new volunteers. Here are 5 objections I commonly hear, and how I respond.

I don’t have time

This is the most common objection. People lead busy lives and have lots of work and family commitments. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine adding one more thing to the pile.

I’ll be honest, any volunteer activity comes with a time commitment. But it isn’t as big as you might think. Depending on your level of involvement, it might be as little as a couple of hours a month. Weigh that against all the benefits I spoke about and it’s time well spent.

If you’re not sure you can commit longer-term, see if there are ways to get involved on an informal basis. Maybe there’s a committee or event you can help with.

I don’t have anything to offer

It can be intimidating when you don’t feel like you have the skills or knowledge to make an impact. The biggest things you bring to the table are your interest, enthusiasm, and willingness to jump in and learn. Beyond that, other volunteers will guide and help you.

They probably already have lots of volunteers

I can say this with 100% certainty: every organization that depends on volunteers will welcome more help. Most will find ways to accommodate enthusiastic people who want to get involved.

You may have heard the old saying “Many hands make light work”. There’s always lots of work to do, so it’s unlikely any organization will turn you away.

I won’t know anyone

I understand this one. There was a time when I was nervous showing up at meetings and conferences where I didn’t know anyone. I worried about not having anyone to talk to and nothing to say.

Volunteering is a great way to overcome that. You will meet lots of people and, as a new person, you can contribute your ideas on ways to make others feel welcome. And it’s a lot less awkward to be at an event when you have something to do.

My boss/company won’t support this

This one is tricky because you may be asking for two kinds of support—financial and non-financial. Financial support relates to hard costs like membership fees, travel, and conference registrations. And there’s non-financial support, like authorizing work time to attend meetings.

You might need to make a business case to get support. Focus on the benefits to your employer, and the learning you’ll get and how it will help you in your current job.

I am fortunate to work for a company that supports my participation in industry organizations. That said, I have invested a lot of personal time over the years and have spent some of my own money on travel and conference fees. I see it as an investment in my personal and professional growth. For me, the payback is worth it.

Plan to get started

When I gave the keynote address at the CEBS Canadian conferment ceremony a few years ago, I tracked down my former co-worker to thank her for the opportunity. I told her what a difference that casual conversation has made in my career and my life.

Don’t be afraid to put your hand up when opportunities come along. You’ll boost your career, build your professional network, learn new skills, and have some fun doing it.

How have you boosted your career by getting involved? Tell us below.