Prepare for your future by caring for others
Roles in health and social care can be competitive, with employers often looking past qualifications to determine who’s the right fit for the role. In moments like these, showing you care about others and your career by going the extra mile can really make the difference to your success.
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This is where volunteering and work experience can really set you apart from other candidates. Participating in either has so many benefits that it makes complete sense to consider taking up an opportunity in your spare time. Employers seek out those who are passionate, keen, and show initiative - work experience and volunteering help you show all three! By giving your time to others, you’ll get so much back in return.
Volunteering provides an opportunity to gain a real insight into health and social care environments, by working with different people in different roles. As a volunteer you won’t be in the same role as you hope to eventually have, but you’ll get an invaluable experience that will help develop your understanding of the sector, and recognise its importance firsthand.
Work experience, whether in-person or online, gives you access to knowledge and experience that has direct influence on what you could pursue in the future. By expanding your own knowledge and taking the time to learn about possibilities and the sector, you’re showing passion for health and social care that will be beneficial to the rest of your career.
But, what are the real benefits of volunteering and work experience? Let’s take some time to find out exactly why you should start considering these as vital steps on your way to becoming a healthcare professional.
Helping Others
Volunteering in health and social care is all about devoting your time to helping others. By helping with meal times, assisting healthcare workers, or even just providing companionship, you’ll be doing what you can to make others feel a little better.
Increases Your Confidence
Volunteering can certainly help build your confidence, in both yourself and your career decisions, especially if you’ve not had much experience before. Giving some of your time can really help you understand that this is a sector you could really be involved in.
Showing You Care
Volunteering shows that you’re committed to caring for others, and that’s always a good thing. As a volunteer, you’re offering up your time to help others, and a caring outlook is a fundamental part of being a future healthcare professional.
Expanding Your Knowledge
Taking part in work experience gives you the chance to find out more about a particular career or sector. By understanding more about it, you can expand your knowledge and develop along the way.
Refine Your Plan
Not every career path will be right for you, and that’s okay! Work experience can give you a taster of what it’s like, and you can work out if it’s for you. It can help you refine your career plan - showing you what you need to do next, or even what isn’t right for you.
Showing Initiative
Work experience opportunities are often sought after, and doing one - whether in person, or virtual, will show that you’re eager to understand more about future careers, and that you’ve got the initiative to go and find opportunities.
What Opportunities Do I Have?
If you’re ready to take the next steps in your career journey and consider volunteering and work experience opportunities, there are a few resources which you can utilise.
By scrolling down, you’ll see different opportunities available to you, that’ll help you on your journey to becoming a healthcare professional.
