The study by Deloitte is not the only survey that indicates that volunteer work is highly beneficial.

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About 50% of college graduates are working in jobs that do not require a college degree, and the unemployment rate for those in their early 20’s is a staggering 12.6%.

This is why many young people are learning that volunteering is a fantastic way to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

This is especially good news for students and young professionals in public health, where volunteering and internships are such important parts of their educational process. When a public health graduate enters the marketplace, she often already has work experience as a volunteer, which is going to make her much more employable, if recent trends prove correct.

According to the Deloitte Volunteer Impact Survey, skilled, dedicated volunteer work in public health and other fields makes a job candidate much more appealing to decision makers in the hiring process.

Around 80% of hiring managers say that volunteer work will make graduates more attractive candidates. However, some college students have not yet caught on: The survey also states that just 45% think that volunteering will help them get a job.

The CEO for the Corporation for National and Community Service, or CNCS, which is an agency that supports volunteering and service, has thanked the Deloitte company because the research indicates what CNCS has been saying for years.

Wendy Spencer said in an interview this week that many who are active in public health and other volunteering areas feel that volunteering gives job seekers a major boost. But they had never seen much research to back up the hypothesis. This new report provides very strong evidence that getting experience as a volunteer will help jobseekers in all fields, including public health.

Whether you are serving in Americorps, or are volunteering at a nonprofit organization or a public health department, volunteering can give you the skills that can make you stand out in a difficult job market.

Deloitte also gave some very good news for military service members. The study indicated that 80% of hiring managers in all fields find military veterans that have volunteer experience as more appealing for a job. Still only 48% of military veterans have considered volunteering to boost their job prospects.

Still, about 95% of the hiring managers surveyed thought that the majority of military veterans have the skills and experience to be of benefit in the workplace. That can be compared to the 91% who thought that college graduates have to volunteer at nonprofits to get more work skills.

The study by Deloitte is not the only survey that indicates that volunteer work is highly beneficial. Last May, Harvard gave  several graduates of its MBA program $50,000 each for focusing their studies on volunteering and nonprofit work that benefits society and public health.

Volunteer Opportunity Examples in Global Public Health

If you are interested in working in public health and are seeking volunteer experience, some of the organizations and resources you should check out include:

• Healthcare Volunteer – The Non-Profit for Global Health Care

• Peterson’s Public Health Internships and Volunteer Opportunities

• Peace Corps

• Public Health Volunteering Abroad

• Cross Cultural Solutions

• United Nations Volunteers

• WHO Volunteers

Links Discussing the Benefits of Volunteering

Check out these links to learn more about the benefits of volunteering

• The Health Benefits of Volunteering – Corporation for National and Community Service
• Top 11 Reasons to Volunteer – Do Something
• What Can Volunteering Do for You? – TimeBank
• Why Volunteer? – University of Missouri-St Louis