So you're looking for a career in conservation and are thinking about volunteering but your friends are telling you to make sure you get the most from the time you give. Here are our top tips to getting the most from your volunteering and increase your chances of getting that dream job.
1. Plan ahead
Find an advert for a job you’d love to do in the future, get the person specification for the job and use it as a skills checklist. Which of the skills could volunteering give you?
2. Network
Speak to other members of your volunteering team, your line manager, other staff and volunteers. People are usually happy to give advice if you ask them.
3. Remember that everything counts
Don’t underestimate the value of transferrable skills that don’t seem directly related to conservation, such as time management, team work, planning, organisation and people skills.
4. Try it out
Volunteering can help you to get a feel for what a job will involve, so you can see if you will like it before you commit yourself to training.
5. Be flexible
Fit volunteering in when you can. The RSPB offer a wide range of opportunities from full time residential volunteering to one-off days now and then. You can find all of our current roles at rspb.org.uk/volunteering
6. Love what you do
Volunteering shows passion and commitment to your chosen career path – something that prospective employers will want to see.
7. Research
Check out the Careers in Conservation web pages at rspb.org.uk/phoenix/careers/ for more tips and guidance on landing that dream job.
Good luck!
Rhoda Ludford
Volunteering Development Coordinator
Want to Volunteer? Ask me!