Last time I spoke about ‘getting out there’ and how attending networking events and joining associations and clubs was a great way to do this. Another really proactive way to ‘get yourself out there’ is to volunteer to do things or to offer to work for free. What are some ways you can do this?
Charities
Lately I have noticed a growing number of charitable organizations operating in the international community. Although this may be somewhat connected to the growing importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the business community, it also displays a increased concern and desire to help less fortunate people from the general public.
Most of these organizations are kept alive by the generous work of volunteers who commit their time, energy and ideas into the charity. These organizations are always looking for other volunteers to get involved and help out and so there are plenty of opportunities for you to ‘get out there’ and be involved with a charitable cause. Although you shouldn’t expect to get anything out of this kind of volunteering work , you will probably meet some great people and feel a high sense of reward for helping those in need.
I’m also involved in a variety of charity projects which raise money for childrens’ projects in Cambodia. To learn more about these projects please visit: http://honnomushi.gaishido.com/ and if you are interested in getting involved I’d love to hear from you.
Working for Free
If you want to work in a particular field yet have no experience or no companies are willing to hire you then I suggest offering to work for free. Offering to work for a company for a few weeks as a kind of ‘trial’ will show you are committed and give the company a chance to get to know you without much risk. There are also other part time and casual options for offering your services for free: If you want to be a writer or photographer then offer to write a few articles or take photos for a magazine or website. If you want to be a salesman then offer to work on 100% commission.
It may take a bit of creative thinking but there are definitely many ways to pursue the things you want to even if no-one will pay you to do it now. After all, if it’s something you are really passionate about and committed to doing no matter what then it wont bother you that you’re not getting paid.
Good luck!
