Looking to Fill an Employment Gap on Resume Consider Volunteering with PSGCNJ?
Going through a layoff or downsizing is never easy. Afterwards you may want to gather your thoughts before beginning your job search. As time goes by, however, you will likely be asked by a hiring manager about any gaps on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Volunteering is a great way to fill that gap while also helping build your self-worth and confidence for those all important job interviews.
According to a recent study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, volunteers have a 27 percent higher likelihood of finding a job after being out of work than non-volunteers. They suggest that you can learn new skills through volunteering such as project management by organizing event or fundraising campaigns, sales skills by contacting people for donations or recruiting volunteers, or managing a team to develop leadership skills. Remember, volunteer experience is also considered professional experience that you should list on your resume and LinkedIn profile as pro bono work.
One place you can become a volunteer is right here at the Professional Service Group of Central New Jersey (PSGCNJ), all while you are in transition looking for your next opportunity. PSGCNJ currently needs people who have skills in Finance, Marketing, Social Media, Fundraising Project Management and Technology. Do you have skills in accounting, analytical thinking, verbal and written communications, problem solving, and budgeting? If so, please reach to Charlie Ahr, our executive director, at charlie.ahr@psgcnj.biz.
We are always in need of hosts and cohosts for our weekly meetings that occur on Monday mornings. There are a number of benefits of volunteering with PSGCNJ. Doing so will help you: maximize the utilization of resources; support the continuity of PSGCNJ; add pro bono work on your resume; sharpen your skills in public speaking and communication, running a virtual meeting and perfecting the Zoom platform by speaking to the points that are on each week’s slides; improve your self-esteem; enhance networking opportunities; improve your interviewing skills, and add structure to your job search.
Another area you might want to consider is writing an article for our Transition to Success blog. We publish articles on the 15th of the month. If have recently landed, consider writing about how you found and were successful landing this position. Were there any skills you learned from attending PSGCNJ meetings from our presenters? Did you develop a marketing or networking plan that led you to your new position? Did you utilize LinkedIn to research your new employer? Even if you are in transition, consider writing about areas of the job search such as methods, tools, or technology you are using to enhance your search. If you are interested in writing a blog please reach out to me at pauljpeyton@gmail.com.
About the author:
Paul J. Peyton spent 15 years as assignment editor for two community newspapers, The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times, in Union County, NJ, and is currently a freelance writer with RGM Communications, LLC, that he founded in 2021. He previously served two years as director of communications for three New Jersey state lawmakers. Mr. Peyton also serves as the Professional Service Group of Central New Jersey’s blog editor and as board secretary for the Hillside Historical Society and as a Docent for the Woodruff House/Eaton Store/Phil Rizzuto Sports Exhibit in Hillside, NJ.
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