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Career development

Social Impact Studio is located in a corner of the Career Development Centre at the University of Otago. Visit the Centre to get advice on career planning and explore volunteering opportunities that can help boost your skills and employability in the workplace.

Boost your employability

Volunteering can improve your human and social capital, so if you want to be desirable as a graduate then add volunteering to your professional portfolio.

Volunteering is increasingly valued by employers to be as important as paid work experience. Recent trends indicate that active volunteers are more likely to get a job than non-volunteers. Demonstrating to employers that you have transferable skills, cultural awareness, an ability to interact with diverse audiences and an interest in the community will resonate with all professions.

Taking on a volunteer role that is related to your academic studies can provide you with valuable insight about your future career, even if it is to find out that you wish to switch career paths. Volunteering may be a chance to apply what you have learned and the value of field experience is not lost on employers.

Leadership skills through volunteering

Many volunteer roles require you to demonstrate leadership skills.

Whether your volunteer role has you creating a new community project, organising a team of other volunteers, or taking the initiative to revamp old processes, you are developing your own leadership skills. You will be grateful for these when you find yourself in a similar role in the workplace.

Check out Otago's Student Leadership Award if you would like to get your leadership skills recognised.

Networking opportunities in volunteering

Volunteering is a meaningful way for you to network with people who are already working in your area of interest. As a volunteer you can also stay up to date with what is going on with a community group or project.

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