Undercover RecruiterFor many individuals, the prospect of being approached by a headhunter could be a terrifying one. For a start, the experience is an unannounced one – more often than not the headhunter will call a potential candidate out of the blue. Due to this, the timing may not be perfect – oftentimes the headhunter will…
Volunteering is getting a good rep for being a great way to network. Putting down a year or two of volunteering experience shows HR staff that you’re a team player who cares about others. It doesn’t really matter if you tutored groups of inner city youth or sat by yourself and updated database spreadsheets—volunteering is equal to caring about people. If it is a real experience and you can talk about it enthusiastically, you’re more than a leg up past the competition.
Non-profits are in need of volunteers. Perhaps people haven’t caught on, or maybe it’s because only those that actually do care are able to keep it up. Whatever the reason, there’s a need to be filled and more than a little to be gained out of stepping up to be that person.
Whether you’re interested in saving animals, people or the earth, there’s a non-profit out there for you. However, if you’re looking to work in a no-kill pet shelter, be prepared for possible waiting lists since they’re some of the most popular places for students.
If you’re wondering what to do with your newfound humanitarianism, there are a few ways to choose the non-profit that’s right for you. The first place to look is your career services department. If you’re a recent graduate, don’t hesitate to call them. If they can’t assist you, they’ll certainly point you in the right direction. But likely, they’ve seen countless volunteering opportunities run across their desk and haven’t had enough students to fill them.
Even if you’re attending an online university, you should still check with your career services department. They’ll be in touch with national charities or may be able to match you up with a general non-profit theme based on your major, skills and talents. They may also be able to suggest roles that you could fill within local organizations.
Websites like Volunteer Match can also help you identify your talents and where they would be best used at. They’re a great resource, but there are typically local ones as well that are easily accessible. And it’s a good idea to talk to your local United Way or even your local library to tap into a network of non-profits.
If you think you’re unable to volunteer because of monetary concerns, contact your local chapter of AmeriCorps, an umbrella program that houses different chapters. Each chapter has a focus and may work with many different agencies or may be dedicated to just one non-profit. Those who serve with AmeriCorps get a monthly living stipend and an education reward upon successful completion of their term. If you’re not certain you can stick with something, AmeriCorps probably isn’t the right avenue for you, since the education award is a large motivator for most people. It can be used toward loans or directly sent to colleges.
When you go to contact a non-profit, be prepared to sell yourself. They may take anyone to hand out food at a pantry, but if you want to apply your major and be more useful (as well as more marketable), you’re going to have to prove you’re worth the training and the responsibility. It’s the volunteer opportunities that line up with your major that are going to be the most useful.
If you can show that you’re going to be an asset, there are organizations that will be willing to give you opportunities to gain the experience that you need showcased on your resume. If you go in with a nonchalant, ‘I’m just here to fill my time’ attitude, you’re going to be scrubbing up vehicles or mopping the floors. Just like any form of work, you want to show optimism and initiative.
Volunteering not for you? Check out 3 Hot Tips to Finding the Job You Love instead!
Jesse Langley lives near Chicago. He divides his time among work, writing and family life. He writes on behalf of Colorado Technical University and has a keen interest in business blogging and social media.
The downturn of the economy has created an increase in personal stress levels both at home and in the workplace. Employees are consistently being asked to do more with less and corporations large and small continue to turn to layoffs as a means to remain viable.
At the same time, the United States has continued to see an increase in workplace violence. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 564 work-related homicides occurred each year in the United States from 2004 to 2008. Now more than ever, employees want to feel safe and secure in the workplace — and free from fear of their coworkers.
Experts recommend using pre-employment screening as a workplace violence preventive measure, but many companies are still not committed. Companies cite delays in the hiring process — as well as the cost of screening — as the largest deterrents to pre-employment screening.
Pre-employment screening company, HireRight, estimates the typical cost of a comprehensive pre-screening packages ranging anywhere from $30 to $100. The length to complete the screen and provide the results to the employer can take as little as a day to up to week (or more).
Although the costs and delays may seem steep, the issues that arise from failure to pre-screen can be fatal. Here are four additional reasons pre-employment screening is a must:
Candidates with criminal backgrounds are less likely to apply to organizations with rigorous pre-employment screening processes. Those who do apply with criminal backgrounds will be discovered up front by the employer, providing the opportunity to re-evaluate if the candidate’s fit with the job and the company.
While only a small percentage of worker’s compensation claims are fraudulent, a much larger percentage (nearly 25 percent) are exaggerated. Worker’s Compensation records are public, thereby creating opportunities for potential to filter out potential fraudulent employees. Additionally, screening candidates allows an employer to ensure the validity of the information provided on the resume.
Organizations that fail to conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening, thereby failing to protect their employees, can be subject to costly lawsuits. In 2007, a truck driver for a hazardous waste company in Texas caused an accident leading to a man’s death. A jury awarded the man’s estate more than 20 million dollars because the company failed to adequately check the employee’s driving record.
Many states have laws requiring employers in certain industries to complete pre-employment checks. Examples of industries may include: childcare facilities, healthcare organizations, transportation, and gaming.
What incidents can you think of where conducting a pre-employment screen may have prevented a case of fraud, violence, or theft?
For the jobseeker perspective, check out 7 Reasons Employers Will Hire You!
Robert Petti is the Founder and CEO of Resoomay, a cloud-based pre-screening tool that improves the job search process for recruiters and applicants. Connect with him and Resoomay on Twitter.
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