Improve employability

Don't believe us?

Research has shown that:

Over 50% of recently employed graduates cited volunteering as a key factor in securing their employment. Santander says that volunteering experience is one of the key factors in distinguishing the successful applicants to their graduate programmes. Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, says that “demonstrating a range of experience and the commitment needed to undertake voluntary work around normal studies will be viewed favourably by many employers.”

• 81% of employers surveyed view employees who do voluntary work positively
• 43% of employers think that employees who undertake voluntary work and learn new skills have a better chance of promotion and earning a higher salary
• 68% of employers feel that volunteering can add skills to their workforce

(TimeBank Employer Attitude Survey (Continental Research July 2004)

"We are interested in the transferrable skills individuals have developed through a range of activities and volunteering can really enhance employabilty. The job market has never been so competitive and individuals need to make themselves stand out when it comes to applying for positions. Here at PricewaterhouseCoopers we receive over 15,000 applications for our 1,300 graduate positions alone.

People's level of volunteering experiences vary but we receive CVs from people who have been involved in a building project (sometimes overseas), sports coaching, or a conversation project.

We are interested in people who have developed both 'soft' and 'hard' skills such as communication skills, interpersonal skills, time-management skills, and organisational skills. All of these can be developed through a volunteering experience.

Employers are looking for individuals who always want to improve. You need to be able to show how much you have done to develop yourself - and to help others do better too. After completing any volunteering experience, it's important to reflect on the learning cycle and what you have gained from the experience.

Academic study gets your foot in the door; employability skills push it open to a far wider range of opportunities. They will make your potential contribution to any business unique."

Natalie Watkiss, student recruitment manager at PwC & Prince's Trust Co-ordinator volunteer

• 85% of London Met student volunteers said volunteering increased their confidence in their own abilities
• 87% said volunteering increased their sense of making a difference
• 81% said volunteering increased their willingness to try new things
• 77% said volunteering increased their self-discipline and motivation
• 75% said volunteering increased their positive attitude about the future
• 70% said volunteering increased their ability to work independently
• 61% said volunteering increased their ability to manage and control stress
• 87% said volunteering increased their communication skills
• 81% said volunteering increased their interpersonal skills
• 80% said volunteering increased their active listening skills

We have worked with our network of local and national partner organisations to select a huge range of voluntary posts for you. Varying in terms of role, time commitment and location, each one has been chosen with YOU in mind, so we can be sure of finding something that you enjoy and that you're able to do alongside your University, home and paid-work commitments.

Whether you want to gain practical experience linked to your degree or just fancy spending an hour a week trying something new, we can help.