Finding Internships or Volunteer Work
Your Employment Questions Answered: How to Find Internships or Volunteer Work
Sometimes, the best way to learn something new is to seek advice from those who have been there. Asking questions is how we learn about new resources or can give us perspectives that we might never have considered before. When you ask a question, you can gain the knowledge you are looking for that will help you figure out what you need to know to move forward, whatever the subject.
When you don’t have much experience in the field you want to go into, you can struggle to find the right job. While finding a job does take time, there are things you can do while waiting for the right one. Finding a good internship or volunteer work is a great way to gain more experience and to keep working while trying to find the right job.
Question: Can you tell me how to find internships or volunteer opportunities?
I have been searching for a job since graduating from college a couple of years ago. I haven’t been able to find an in-person job. I was thinking about contacting a company about an unpaid internship or volunteer position to help me gain some experience and to help with my non-recent work history. Is this a good idea? How do I go about looking for jobs like that?
Answer:
Looking for internships or volunteer work to gain experience can be a great idea. There are different ways to do this and figure out the best way to look for the right job. Here are some suggestions:
1. MWR Job Fairs
Check what MWR Job Fairs are going on at your duty station. They happen all over the US and could be a starting point for getting a job locally. They have in-person and virtual job fairs.
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2. Your University Alumni Career Services Center
This can be a good place to explore local internships and jobs, research jobs, and get help with your resume, cover letter, or job-search techniques.
3. Career Recon
At Career Recon, we can help you in many different ways. We offer job fair listings, both in-person and virtual. We also have a big selection of Recruiting and Staffing Profiles to look at. Here, you might be able to find some resources to help you find what you are looking for. Here are three of them that help military spouses.
- VirtForce works with military spouses, veterans, and transitioning service members. It offers a wide range of services and opportunities to help spouses get hired.
- Veterati works with service members, veterans, and military spouses. At Veterati, you can choose your own mentor who will help you with the job-search process and help you stand out as an applicant.
- Military Spouse Jobs – they offer job recruiting services to military spouses, family members, and caregivers. They can help you find a job, offer career exploration, and provide employment training.
4. FlexJobs
You can get a free year-long FlexJobs membership through Military OneSource. At Flexjobs, you can find flexible, hybrid, and remote jobs.
5. Hiring Our Heroes
Hiring Our Heroes is a job resource that also features a volunteer section.
6. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
This organization is also always looking for volunteers. Check out their volunteer page for more information.
7. Temp Agencies
Temp agencies are a great way to find seasonal and temporary work that might be what you are looking for. They can provide you with work day-by-day or more long-term jobs. They work with a variety of companies and can be a great solution when you are looking for jobs to help you with your work experience.
As you can see, there are many options for places that can help you find an internship, volunteer work, or the type of work you are looking for.
