ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > November > 30 > Entry
Do-gooders do well
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Suppose you are just out of school and you are scrounging for things to add to your résumé to make yourself look qualified. Philanthropic activities can be highly valued by your future employer and are worth including in your résumé, if you LEGITIMATELY participated, and didn’t stand on the sideline with a bottle of beer in your hand.
Say you helped plan the event, rallied others to make contributions, coordinated post-event follow-up, or participated in other activities that demonstrate you are a trainable, employable person then these philanthropic endeavors have meaning.
On the other hand, if you are an extremely experienced executive with two pages full of accomplishments about how you made money for your employer ( i.e. reducing costs, increasing revenue, or rolling-out process improvements), then you need to carefully consider how heavily you emphasize your philanthropic activities.
Every company sees those that we fondly call ‘do-gooders’ differently depending on the company’s culture. Some companies see these outside activities as a distraction that may interfere with your ability to impact their bottom line. Other employers immensely value employees who are connected to their community and will interpret your philanthropic activities as a way to publicly represent their brand with a “we care” message.
Good public relations for your employer can mean better consumer perceptions, particularly in companies that have a consumer-focused clientèle. Typically larger organizations can ‘afford’ to have employed staff spearhead corporate task forces in support of nationally-known, well-respected organizations such as the United Way or March of Dimes.
Often, volunteering for employer sponsored philanthropic campaigns can be of great benefit to your career because you have a chance to become visible to senior managers or executives who participate in these initiatives.
Whether through internal or external relationships, networking is still the number one way that more than half of all job seekers find their next job. So during this season of giving, maybe giving your time, one of the most valuable commodities you can offer, is a great career strategy.
However, pick a charity that you feel philosophically aligned with. Look at http://www.idealist.org to find one that’s right for you. You need to be a part of a charity that you can support whole-heartedly.
When your heart and your talents are married together toward a common goal, you can accomplish things that may change lives, especially yours.
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