In a post last week (read here), I shared some job hunting tips I picked up from a recent HR managers’ survey. To me, the most interesting finding in the survey was the response to the following question. “If 2 job candidates with limited job experience were applying for the same job, what type of prior experience would tip the balance in one candidate’s favor?”
Surprisingly, 70% responded by saying an unpaid internship directly in the candidate’s career field would tip the balance positively, while only 30% prefered ‘real-world’ work experience outside the candidate’s career field. They felt the unpaid internship demonstrated the candidate’s willingness to work hard to gain relevant experience.
This got me thinking about a Seth Godin blog post (read here) from this past summer, where he talked about the concept of free work being more advantageous than an internship. He feels that since (in his opinion) most internships are not very good, it makes more sense for someone to volunteer to do free work instead.
The only downside, Godin said, was that many companies don’t know what to do with an offer to do free work. Guess he hasn’t spent much time around Christian ministry! I can’t think of too many ministry leaders who wouldn’t jump at that offer of volunteer help. Whether it be to draft a new marketing plan, develop a new program offering or design a new website, most ministries, or non-profits, would love to have someone with a passion for their mission volunteer their time to help.
During these difficult economic times for ministries and non-profits, where even a paid internship is tough to come by, volunteering to help a ministry with something of significance is a great way to gain real experience. At the same time, you would be making a difference in people’s lives. A great combination, don’t you think?
What about your organization? Have you been able to utilize volunteers to do special projects you otherwise would have had to pay someone to do? If so, were you pleased with the results?
0 comments tagged as human resources, internships | Budget and Pricing,Leadership Helps,Meeting Set-Up
