Qualifications are one thing, yet experience and getting your hands dirty by putting the theory into practice is everything.

A low risk strategy is to volunteer in your local community to gain the skills you need.  Or job shadow someone who already does the job and offer to work for free.

How does that help you if you are out of work and have bills to pay?

In several ways.  It gets you out and about and opens your mind to new ways of doing things.  It is also an essential part of your professional development to understand the needs of a wide spectrum of businesses and the types of problems they need solving.  Then you will know how your skills can be used to greater effect in the job market.

And the outcome is not just to have helped make a difference to your local community although this is rewarding in itself. Volunteering gives you something credible to talk about when you are networking or going for interviews.

If volunteering is something you might consider, we recommend you visit this volunteer website in the UK - it will help you refine your search for the kind of voluntary work you are interested in doing.

Another way of sharing your skills is to let your network of friends, families and professional contacts know what you have to offer and they will find opportunities for you.  At Recrion, we started a CSR / Voluntary scheme 3 years ago and have been able to share our skills in career and talent management with a wide range of local businesses.

The outcome?   Read for yourself what we were able to achieve …

Thank you so much for giving your time and expertise to help our members yesterday.  I know from speaking to them afterwards that you certainly gave all of them something to think about.

For those who are using sites such LinkedIn already it reinforced the message that they were moving in the right lines, and for those who were not it gave them the incentive to get on with it!  Even those that were old hands at social networking gained insights they were not aware of.

Everyone was agreeing that your talk was one of the most enjoyable they had heard – they are not used to audience participation, so the novelty was very welcome.  Thank you again for a most enjoyable and informative seminar yesterday.
Alan Boyer, Facilitator, Back to Business Club, Peterborough

Recrion is a specialist in career and talent management.  Visit our website or contact us on 01780 484910 for more information about our services.

We opted for a fun flambouyant evening of swishing (also known as wardrobe swapping) in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.  And fun it was!  17 local business women attended bringing 5 quality nearly new garments with them, and after a very informative overview from image consultant Susan Lawton and on what we should be wearing (and not wearing) we swished!

Read the full article in the Rutland and Stamford Mercury 31 July 2009