""The work experience piece doesn't always have to be traditional and paid," Schelling exclusively tells Fortune. "You know, you could do volunteer work, and that builds skills, that also builds your resume when you're early in your career.""
""I always tell people to do a stretch assignment or volunteer to be a part of a project," she adds. "No one's going to say no to free work and turning down additional resources-and you're, again, collecting experiences and building your resume.... That gives you the experience that is required to set you up for the next job.""
""Employee Resource Groups are also really good for that. So at Verizon, we've got a lot of employee resource groups. We've got 25,000 employees that participate-that is above and beyond their day job and very much volunteer-but they do things for development, for community, for career advancement," Schelling says."
Many young job seekers struggle to enter the workforce because employers expect prior experience. Nontraditional and unpaid activities such as volunteer work, stretch assignments, and project involvement can develop skills and strengthen resumes for early-career candidates. Taking on extra responsibilities or offering free support allows individuals to collect demonstrable experiences that qualify them for future roles. Participation in employee resource groups and similar voluntary initiatives provides development, community engagement, and career-advancing opportunities. Building a portfolio of practical experiences can enable career pivots, internal promotions, and better positioning for subsequent job searches.
Read at Fortune
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