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Nowadays, it’s standard practice for employers to choose applicants with a certain level of experience over those with just grades to show. This is because experience is all the proof they need to know that you can handle the stress that comes with the job.

But does volunteering count as experience? The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) believes it does. In a recent survey, this organization found that applicants with volunteering records had a 27% higher chance of landing a job than those with no volunteering experience.

If this is the case, how exactly does voluntary service boost the odds of employment? Here’s how:

It Can Give You Employable Skills

Volunteering is not all about offering your spare time or doing something that will end with a “thank you” or some beautifully designed custom trophies. It requires some skills and critical thinking to carry out the work you’re assigned.

In most cases, you’ll be paired with a professional from whom you can learn many skills that can set you apart in the job market after you’ve graduated.

And even if you’re not paired with a “professional,” you can still learn a lot by just associating with other volunteers like yourself. You could be part of a committee assigned to organize a fundraiser and most likely find yourself working with other team members, managing a budget, and perhaps even visiting local businesses for sponsorships.

These experiences are what employers are looking for in an applicant—experiences that can tell your employer that you’re good with skills like project management, financial planning, and business communication.

And let’s not leave out the fact that volunteering often puts you in situations where you need to think on your feet and solve problems creatively. These are what you need to thrive in the employment market.

Helps You Build a Great Network

We are living in a world where connections are everything. In other words, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

Volunteering gives you access to many people, some of whom will later become valuable connections for you. In fact, while volunteering, you’re most likely to work with community leaders, professionals from various walks of life, and even potential mentors who can help with your first job out of college or that internship you’re hoping for.

But beyond all these networking benefits, it can also help you build genuine relationships. When you work with others towards a common goal, you have the opportunity to bond with them and showcase your work ethic, reliability, and even teamwork skills.

These relationships and impressions can lead to powerful friends who will help propel your career prospects later in life.

Builds Your Resume

Job openings usually get hundreds (if not thousands) of applications. In all these, the hiring manager will have no choice but to filter out the “not-too-good” resumes so they can work with the assumed “best” options. This is where your volunteer records will shield you.

According to the CNCS, the hiring manager (in a rural setting) is 55% more likely to pick a candidate with volunteering experience than those with none to show. Your volunteering history tells the hiring manager all he needs to know about you—that you’re proactive, community-minded, and willing to commit your time and energy to causes you care about.

These are the qualities of a great employee and are valid reasons for you to be chosen for the job role ahead of others.

Plus, it can be useful when composing your resume’s “experience” section. If you majored in a course like financial accounting, you could share an experience where you volunteered to audit the accounts of a student organization in your college. This proves you’ve taken the initiative to apply your academic knowledge in real-world situations.

It Shows Your Commitment and Management Skills

Every employer wants a leader as an employee because leaders are punctual, hardworking, committed, and innovative.

These are the traits a potential employer will look out for in your resume, and with your volunteer experience, it is easy to show them your leadership skills and even your ability to manage time effectively and commit to your responsibilities.

After all, it is not easy to manage your studies and volunteer simultaneously, so handling that much academic and extracurricular pressure and coming out with a good grade is more than enough to impress the hiring manager.

Plus, volunteering for the same organization all through your university or college years is another indicator to them that you’re capable of long-term commitment—a quality that many employees (or applicants) don’t have.

It tells your employer that you will stick with the role you’re applying for (rather than job-hopping to the next fancy job) and invest your time and energy in enhancing the organization, thus improving your chances of getting the job ahead of other applicants.

Wrapping Up

Volunteering now while you’re still a student is the best decision you can make to improve your chances of getting employed after graduating.

And even if you’re not planning to work for anyone after school, it still provides you with a solid network of great minds and connections that can help promote your business or career plans.

That said, don’t worry if you’re in your junior or final year and have not volunteered before. You still have time to do that. Just make your findings to see which causes you’re connected to and sign up as soon as possible.