So, you've recently graduated, moved back home, applied for every role with the word 'assistant' in the job title, only to find that you are still unemployed. The self-esteem bashing, tear-inducing job hunt can be relentless for us graduates, and more often than not it can feel like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. Having been out of work for three months now, I often wonder whether my proverbial tunnel has caved in completely and been closed off due to structural damage.
Graduates, when you sense yourself reaching this psychological tipping point - where you are one cover letter away from going stir crazy - you must remain active. And by this I do not mean waking up before midday to watch another episode of Scrubs.
With graduate unemployment rising, the slashing of public spending and increasing retirement age, you might be forgiven for feeling slightly discouraged.
So, having been out of work for a stretch and feeling like I might be developing what can only be described as 'post-graduation depression', I realised it might be time to look for productive ways to boost my CV and my sense of self worth.
It was with this thinking, and being ever mindful of the expanding gap on my CV, that I began volunteering at a small London museum. Having previously entertained the idea of studying curating at postgraduate level, but lacking the financial means and academic conviction, I thought a temporary stint of volunteering would allow me to gain an insight into the arts and cultural sector – and get me out of the house for a few days.
The experience has been beyond my expectations: I have met new people and started to develop a clearer understanding of the industry. It also opened my eyes to the politics and hierarchy of museum life. Having never been distinctly aware of the difference in the pecking order between interns and volunteers, one particularly helpful colleague made the distinction abundantly clear: interns are allowed to answer the phone, volunteers are not. Glad we got that one cleared up. Despite the downside of volunteering (the bloodiest it ever got was a disagreement with the intern over the use of the scanner), the advantages far outweigh the cons.
My five tiptop reasons to volunteer
- Voluntary work is more flexible than an internship, allowing time off for interviews, the freedom to do paid work alongside, and apply for jobs in your spare time.
- It allows you to gain firsthand experience within a prospective industry.
- It has increased my contact lists and given me a platform to network. Building a good rapport with other volunteers has also offered me links and insights into other industries.
- Along with increased self-esteem and honed communication skills, volunteering has meant that I can now confidently tick the 'I will be doing unpaid work' box on the Higher Education Statistics Agency survey that popped through my letter box this morning, rather than the horrifying 'I will be unemployed' box.
- And because, quite frankly, voluntary work is far more intrinsically rewarding than an episode of The Gilmore Girls ever could be.
