5 Reasons You Should Volunteer Your Professional Skills

Like most professionals, I enjoy volunteering but struggle to give more than a day of my time every year. When I do commit, I simply select the most convenient option from a menu of choices set up by my company who actively expect and encourage participation. Normally these would involve providing manual labour for projects like sorting out donations, feeding the homeless or building/restoring communal spaces for well-deserving causes.

However, this year I stumbled upon an opportunity to give professional career advice to year 12 students at a local high school and I was positively moved by the experience. It was an IGD Feeding Britain’s Future event and I would recommend anyone in the food industry to take advantage of all the great training and industry research that IGD offers. I used my skills and experience to help with interview techniques and give an overview of my industry. It was hugely rewarding and inspiring to engage with young people and prepare them for the start of their careers. These are the five keys things I learnt and why you should consider doing something similar:

1. Add More Value
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” - Warren Buffett
Anybody can help to build a playground or clear green space but, as fulfilling as those are, leveraging your own professional skills can add much more value. Not only are you making better use of the time you donate but the impact on the students is immediately evident. Sure, some may not be fully engaged but many get a spark in their eyes and it’s an amazing feeling to know that you helped put it there.

2. Test Rarely Used Skills
“The more up-to-date the information, the more valuable it is.” - Katie Jacobs Stanton
Just like keeping your body in good physical condition it’s equally important to flex your mental muscles. I’ve been with my company for over 10 years so working with emails, conference calls, spreadsheets and presentations are second nature but it was fair to say that my interview techniques were a little rusty. This is a great way to practice and build confidence before you really need those skills again.

3. Learn About Yourself
“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.” - Winston Churchill
People are wired to keep learning new things and trying new experiences inevitably gives you that opportunity. Talking to young people about the benefits of working in your role, company and industry forces a very visceral self-reflection of your values, goals and ambitions and their relevance today. It’s also liberating to learn from students and apply new thinking to your work or personal life while limiting the biases that naturally build up over time.

4. Network Differently
“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.” - Keith Ferrazzi
Networking at work or training events doesn’t really excite most people with a common reservation being how “fake” it feels. The beauty about volunteering in a professional capacity is that everybody is there to serve the students rather than the contrived environment designed for people to market themselves and make contacts for self-progression. You still meet new people but in a far more authentic and open setting.

5. Get Inspired
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” - Norman Vincent Peale
Most importantly, and I can’t stress this enough, young people and their teachers are inspiring. Just being in a school environment takes you back to your roots and gives you a different perspective which we shouldn’t lose sight of. Some students were nervous or out of their comfort zone, others felt awkward or reserved talking to professionals and some really engaged well to get the most out of the opportunity… but I felt that all got at least something out of the event. They inspired me for sure and I hope that I made a difference to them and their futures. What can be more rewarding than that?

Final Thoughts: Keep an Open Mind
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you have said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou
I clearly had one very positive experience which I’m grateful for but I understand that this might not be the case for everyone. To that I say so what? Just stepping out of your normal routines or busy schedules to do/think something different is essential. Even better if you can give something back to the community and develop yourself at the same time. I hope I can commit to more opportunities like this in the future and I’d be delighted if this article (my first) encourages others too.