Citizens Advice Leighton Linslade: How volunteering can help you land a new job

Whether you’re trying to get into work for the first time or after time off, finding a job can be really challenging.

It’s always a good idea to think about what skills or experience you could be missing for the kind of work you want, especially when feeling stuck after weeks or months of sending out job applications.

If you can afford to take unpaid work, it can be a good way to plug gaps in your CV and get a taste for different types of jobs. These sorts of roles usually come in the form of volunteering, work experience, or internships.

If you receive welfare benefits, you should check the Citizens Advice - Volunteering and Benefits website or speak to an adviser before taking unpaid work.

And because the rules around unpaid internships are complicated, you should get advice from us on being paid less than minimum wage before applying to this type of role.

Volunteer roles are often well-defined and can expose you to specific types of work, whether you’re looking for experience in an office or something more practical, like supporting people in your local community. Charities, including Citizens Advice, usually have a range of opportunities available.

Being a volunteer doesn’t just give you a chance to learn and improve skills that are transferable to paid work, it can also help you gain confidence and self-esteem in a professional setting, and provide structure to your day or week.

This can set you up well for job applications and interviews by showing employers you’ve got transferable skills, relevant experience, and are ready to enter paid work. Just like any job advert, you can find plenty of volunteering opportunities online, so it’s well worth seeing what’s out there if you’re interested.

Citizens Advice is also here to help you find a way forward, should you need our support. You can contact us here at Citizens Advice Leighton Linslade about this or any other issue. You can ring our Advice Line on 01525 373878 when our friendly advisers are available to help you Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm, Monday to Thursday 2pm to 4pm.Alternatively, you contact us via our website www.leightonlinsladecab.org.uk where you will find an online enquiry form to email us.