This document discusses how volunteering can help advance your career. It defines volunteering as helping out or offering assistance, which builds trust when commitments are fulfilled. Volunteering provides opportunities through charitable organizations, professional societies, schools, and more. Skills developed through volunteering include leadership, project management, and marketing. Benefits include expanding one's network, gaining recognition, developing career-advancing skills and experience, and personal satisfaction. The document provides steps for getting started like identifying activities, committing time and effort, and simply taking action.

1. Volunteering Your Way Up
the Career Ladder
Todd DeLuca
TechCommTodd
Rochester Chapter

2. About the Speaker
• Technical Communicator for 15
Years (Software Development)
• Master’s Degree in Tech Comm
• Senior-level Technical Writer
• Manager, Tech Comm team
• Active STC Volunteer
- Chapter Past President
(Philly Metro Chapter)

3. What is Volunteering ?
• Helping out or stepping forward
to assist.
• An offer to help (a promise) that
becomes a commitment when
initiated.
• Completed promise becomes a
commitment and builds trust.
• Result is often a contribution to a
greater good that is recognized
by others and leaves a positive
impression.

4. Where Can You Climb?
Volunteer Opportunities
• Charitable organizations
• Professional society
• Church
• School
• Sports
• Work

5. What Can You Offer ?
• Time = Stand in for others
(temporary fill in)
• Effort = Extra pair of hands
(more horsepower)
• Information = Share
knowledge (document info)
• Expertise = Skills and
experience (mentor or train)

6. What can you learn ?
Sample Volunteer Skills
• Leadership
• Project Management
• Event Management
• Marketing and Promotion
Learn in a ‘safe’ environment
while others assist, provide
guidance, and share their own
experiences.

7. Why Volunteer ?
Reasons to Volunteer
• Personal request
• Help others / serve a cause
• Do the right thing
• Address a need
• Fix a problem
• It feels good to help
• Career advancement

8. Rewards & Benefits
• Meet new people =
relationships and friendships
(wider network)
• Greater exposure =
recognition at work or in
community
• Skills and experience =
career options and
advancement
• Satisfaction = it feels good
to help, learn, or grow

9. Risks
Things to Consider
• Unfamiliar people or
organization
• Losing focus from day job
• Not having the required
skills or experience
• Worry about meeting
expectations
• Committing too much time
or effort

10. What are Some Steps ?
Sample Volunteer Activities
• Fund raising
• Proposal writing
• Event promotion
• Leadership
• Community outreach
• Social committees
• Email marketing
• Client engagement

11. Are You Prepared ?
What does it take?
• Commitment
• Time and Effort
• Keeping Promises
• Accepting Risk
• Stepping Out
• Being Enthusiastic

12. How Do You Start ?
Steps to Begin
• Raise your hand
• Step forward
• Say ‘Yes’
• Just do it!
Note: The percentage of
people who actively
participate is low, so just by
volunteering you already
begin to set yourself apart.

13. Thank You !
Contact Info
@TechCommTodd
TechCommTodd@gmail.com
Techcommtodd.tumblr.com