Spend any time on any social media with regards to HR and you will see requests about "How do I get HR experience" normally you will get a short reply from someone that normally goes like "have you thought about volunteering?" And that is it, no magic answer offered.
So where can you find these magic volunteer jobs?
First of all, you can't just volunteer for any company or organisation, because of employment legislation around the National Living Wage/NMW whichever applies and it covers interns as well. You can only volunteer for a charity or a statutory body (aka some form of Government organisation) But hold your horses before you start sending emails all over the place offering your services.
Why exactly are you after in a volunteering role? It isn't a quick fix to find a permanent job. You will more than likely have to go through a recruitment process like a normal job, have to attend an interview and pass and then be selected. The people that will be offering you the role will probably be expecting a minimum commitment of three years, that is within your spare time. Realistically you won't be at any advantage in using a volunteer position as a short-term fix, as your lack of experience will be found out and lose credibility with any potential employers. So be prepared to put the time in to get more out of it!
Maybe you are an experienced HR Professional then volunteering can still be very beneficial for yourself and your HR career. Some volunteer roles provide exposure to all sorts of extra training which employers value. It is also a great way of meeting new people and making new friends.
The St John Ambulance has these HR volunteer roles available at the time of writing (please the SJA website for further vacancies).
- District Human Resources Lead to cover Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Link to the vacancy
- District HR Officer to cover Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Link to the vacancy
- District Human Resources Lead to cover Leicestershire, Rutland and Northants Link to the vacancy
- District Human Resources Officer to cover Leicestershire, Rutland & Northants Link to the vacancy
- District Human Resources Officer based in Ipswich covering Suffolk Link to the vacancy
For the HR Lead vacancies, you should have already been working in HR and have a good working knowledge, plus you will be leading a small team. Applicants with CIPD qualifications but no working experience are welcome to apply. You will be offered the chance to gain First Aid certification and all positions are uniformed.
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