Category: Volunteering

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Why Employers Want to See Volunteerism on Your Resume

two people discussing a resume

Companies receive countless amounts of resumes a year and it’s easy to start to blend everyone together. One way that interviewees can stand out above the rest is through volunteer experience. Although volunteerism may not seem as important to include on a resume as employment or education, here’s some reasons why you may want to consider putting this on your resume.

Shows Desirable Personality Traits

If you are someone who thinks volunteerism is important, then chances are that you have personality traits that are valuable to a company. Personality traits such as compassion, patience, enthusiasm, and devotion show companies that you have the ingredients of a good employee.

Hard and Soft Skills

Like job experience, volunteerism can give you many hard and soft skills. Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership are all positive attributes in the eyes of an employer and can be acquired through volunteerism.

Globalization/Culture

Volunteering allows you to interact with a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds, especially if you volunteer abroad. Volunteering abroad shows that you are open to new culture and can adapt well to different environments. These are important skills that employers like to see.

If you are interested in volunteering, contact your local humane society, food bank, or retirement home to see if they are accepting volunteers. You can also search online for local or abroad volunteer opportunities.

Dr. Barbara R Edwards, Princeton internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.

Source: Her Campus

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Benefits of Being a Baby Cuddler

Volunteer cuddling newborn baby in the hospital

The human touch can be lifesaving to a newborn baby. It’s both relaxing and comforting for the baby and the baby cuddler. Whether the baby is born premature, addicted to opioids, or has a health condition requiring an extended stay in the hospital, baby cuddlers can fill in when the parents can’t be there.

How Can Baby Cuddlers Help?

Skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care (KC), helps a newborn relax and supports their physical, emotional and social growth. A study originally completed in 1996 and then again in 1998 resulted in the following:

Babies who received 60 minutes of cuddling for 14 days showed better sleep habits, focus and stress management skills compared to babies who did not receive kangaroo care. All babies were reevaluated at 3 & 6 months old, one & two years old, and 5 & 10 years old, and all results were consistent with original findings.

Local Hospitals with a Baby Cuddling Volunteer Program

Benefits to the Baby Cuddler

The beautiful side of being a volunteer baby cuddler is that you are able to provide the comfort and care to the at-risk newborns when their parents aren’t able to be around. As you can imagine, when babies are required to stay in the hospital for longer than a month, it becomes very difficult on the parents to balance their time between the hospital, work and taking care of themselves.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, Princeton internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.

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Benefits of Volunteering Abroad

blue and white map of the world

Volunteering abroad provides you with a true experience of a lifetime. You’ll learn and experience more than you could have ever imagined and make memories that will never be forgotten. Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and ways of life, and learning new skills are just some of the big takeaways from volunteering abroad. So, if you ever have the opportunity to travel abroad for volunteer work, do so!

New Perspectives

Volunteering locally is an incredible thing and has its own important role in our society. However, volunteering abroad will open your eyes to an entirely new world. Your mindset will most likely change, and at the very least be challenged. Local languages, foods, and a different way of life will truly be an educational adventure. On most abroad volunteer trips, spending time with local villagers is integral to the experience and they do everything they can to make volunteers feel welcomed. At the end of the trip, you may find it difficult to say goodbye.

Personal Growth

You will learn to not take things for granted that you have back home, whether it be a bed to sleep in, a car to drive or the friends and family you have in your life. New skills will be learned, and existing ones will become stronger. You will learn to become more responsible, patient, confident and determined. Working as a team is a huge part of volunteering abroad, which is a trait that will help you in whatever career path you are on.

The Takeaway

Upon return from volunteering abroad and when planning future trips, you may find yourself looking for more than just a typical vacation. It is very possible to fall in love with a volunteer experience abroad, so for those with the financial means, annual trips become part of who they are. No matter how many times you can donate your time and talents to those in need, the positive impact on your life and the lives of those you meet is indelible.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, Princeton internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.

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Choosing the Right Abroad Volunteer Experience

riding an elephant at a volunteer abroad experience

Making the right choice often takes time and requires some research, as with anything in life. Volunteer opportunities almost always sound like a life changing experience whether they be local or abroad. Gaining new skills, meeting new people and most importantly, helping those in need are the main reasons to volunteer. Unfortunately, there are organizations out there that scam the volunteers and mistreat children and animals. Below is a list of things to consider when looking into volunteer opportunities.

1. Consider Your Skills

The first step in choosing the right volunteer experience is to consider what skills you bring to the table and which skills you want to learn and grow. When volunteering, you should choose work that you are passionate about, which can help make the experience that much better. Not only are using new and old skills good for your personal growth, but they are great for your professional life too.

2. Research the Organization

Next in your search, narrow down your choices to your top 3. Now it is time to really research each organization and learn about its history, their mission and values, the cost and fees, and what a typical day of volunteer work might include. If there is a fee to volunteer, be sure to find out how the organization uses revenue from fees.

3. Be Careful of Animal Sanctuaries

Animal sanctuaries and orphanages can be great places to volunteer, but first, do your research. Too often, it is discovered that animals belonging to certain sanctuaries are abused and mistreated. Some organizations lure people from abroad with excursions like elephant riding, and while this may sound exciting, the animals are too often being mistreated in captivity. On a more positive note, most animal sanctuary organizations out there are doing the right thing and really do need volunteers.

Dr. Edwards Princeton, NJ Internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.

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Calling All Volunteers in Princeton, NJ!

Volunteering your time to help and give back to others is always a great decision. Not only do others benefit from your kindness, but volunteering positively impacts your physical and mental health, as many studies have shown. Volunteering has been proven to improve your mood and decrease the chances of feeling lonely because it provides a sense of purpose. Other benefits of volunteering include gaining experience and skills you wouldn’t otherwise learn, earning community service hours, and it is a great way to meet new people and network.

volunteer

Why Volunteer?

Volunteer work includes a wide variety of different tasks. Whether you enjoy being outside, playing with animals or working on a computer, volunteers are always welcome and needed in all areas. Often our lives are busy between work, family and other duties and it seems difficult to find time to fit volunteering into your schedule. Actually, organizations that are looking for volunteers often offer flexible hours, and they will be grateful for any time that you can put aside for their cause.

Princeton Volunteer Opportunities

1. Penn Medicine Princeton Health

Love the medical field or looking to pursue a career in it? Volunteering your time at Penn Medicine Princeton Health is a great way to gain experience, meet other professionals in the industry, and give back to the community. A wide variety of jobs and tasks are available for volunteers, so find your fit today by contacting the Penn Medicine Princeton Health volunteer department.

2. Princeton Family YMCA

Volunteers are always welcome at the Princeton Family YMCA and play a vital role in the success of programs and events at the YMCA. Volunteers can be responsible for helping at events, coaching and mentoring children, and assisting children with disabilities. Each year volunteers invest hundreds of hours at the Princeton YMCA to serve and give back to their community. Learn more about the Princeton YMCA volunteer opportunities here.

These are just a few examples of volunteer opportunities in the Princeton area, discover more here.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is a doctor of Internal Medicine in the Princeton, New Jersey area – practicing at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.