Volenteering: The Road Not Taken

“any volunteers? How about you, at the back?” The professor’s finger is pointing to you, his eyes meet yours, the steely glint of triumph evident in his eyes. the rest of the class turns to face you, too and you freeze, forgetting to breathe. This was me, several times in college. No wonder my heart skips an uncomfortable beat whenever I hear the word ‘volenteer’.

Do you volunteer to become a volunteer or do some, like the professor, volunteer you to be a volunteer, using it as a shield against the accusation of having ‘forced’ a student to step forth? . “You can’t force one to volunteer , can you?”. Though this is one of the most seberely misused words in academia, my story of volunteering is a positive one. 

I wasn’t forced a position, I was offered one. And the decision to take it up was the best one I ever took. To compare it with the professor example, it was like the professor laughed and said, “Looks like someone in the last row knows. And he looks at me . I think I know, and I take the plunge and go for it. The answer is deemed a brilliant one, leaving a glow  of happiness on my face for the rest of the day.

Perhaps the following comparison to volunteering is not the most upright example, but I have given it because most youngsters like myself will be able to relate to it. Men may reverse the situation to fit it into their contexts. picture this: you like a boy. You have found out tthat he is single. You have pieced together a mental checklist of what he likes and found out you are qualified, potentially at least. How do you go about asking him on a date? Though it admittedly also depends on many things, apart from just yourself, including other potential competition,, the boy’s parents, friends and the boy himself, what can you control? You could just go up to him and strike up a conversation. Maybe ask  his friends to ask  him about you, or even send  him flowers and love letters to peak  his interest.

But the most excellent way to really get to know  him is by finding out what you can best help  him with. Observe or ask around what he is really struggling with, or find out  what he needs and help  him with it. whether it is a difficulty with a particular subject you know suitably well, walking  his dog, anything. Chances are, he would probably find it harder to refuse your offer to take  him out. chances are, he’ll be asking you out himself, if only to show gratitude for the help you have given him. And if he still refuses, he might just end by saying, “I like someone else, but I know this other friend of mine, he’ll really like your type, I’ll introduce you both.”

While employment is infinitely more serious than asking a boy out, the principles and effects remain the same. The ‘’date’ represents the job, the ‘boy’  the employer, the ‘friends and family’ the employers colleagues  and superiors and the other competition represents other potential employees,. While blatantly applying for the job is the road most taken, volunteering  is not, and as claimed by Robert Frost, it does ‘make all the difference’.  

You can keep stretching this comparison to analyse the other criteria, like the indirect way of asking  him out as possibly snooping around for recommendation letters, and the sending of gifts as calling in favours.  Chances are that if the job is actually not the right fit for you, or else, if it is already occupied, it still will help you much more than just thinking about it. volunteering boosts your confidence, enables you to learn more about the outside world as well as yourself, and helps you network and build your portfolio. The ‘boy’s friend‘ refers to a chance at current or future employability in the same company  or a similar one. What’s more, you get to spend more time with the boy, something that will give you a more practical experience. We are all a little concerned about whether a chosen career is the one for us. What better way to confirm this than by taking a no-obligations position and finding out?

Expect more than all this from a volenteership a sort of summary is listed below. .

1. Meet new people: There are only a limited number of people you can see: at work, at home and in parties. Think of volunteering as the job you never had, as an occasion to socialize amd network. Volunteer.
2. Gain experience: If you have never worked before, volunteering helps you take a bite of the apple, ensuring you haven’t bitten off more than you can chew. You know your pay check isn’t in danger if you say something or don’t show up one day. On the way, you’ll learn how people are and how the cogs turn. Volunteer
3. Feel good: Doing something and not being paid for it is an experience by itself. People look at you with respect, and it looks great on your C.V., too. Plus you have this ‘I’m a superhero’ feeling that just doesn’t go away.  Volenteer.
4. Make your mark: Make a good impression on the company you are volunteering for. They might decide you are indisposable and offer you a job on the spot; or at least recommend you to another. Volunteer.
5. Know your work and yourself better: This especially works great for those who are working for the first time, are working after a long time or are getting into a new line. Volenteering  helps shape your attitude and personality, fill certain knowledge gaps and makes you more sure of the job you are doing. Volunteer. 
6. Saves you from Boredom: So you’be been sitting at home for the past month or more, doing nothing. You don’t need money, not really, anyway, but you need something to do, anything. Volenteer