When most people volunteer to serve as a treasurer with a nonprofit, they usually do so with the goal of giving back to their community. Being a volunteer treasurer is about more than just helping others, however. It also provides a number of benefits to those who donate their time and energy to their favorite cause.

The following are the five top ways that being a volunteer treasurer increases career opportunities for those that serve.

Gain Insight and a New Perspective

Many volunteer treasurers come with backgrounds in the accounting, finance or banking industries, while others do not have any previous experience in a related field. Regardless of their prior work history, most gain new insight as they become intimately familiar with the finances and detailed inner workings of their organisation.

Being responsible for common tasks such as preparing budgets and reports, and translating complex financial information, helps volunteer treasurers gain a new perspective on the impact made by proper oversight and management of financial information.

Keep Core Skills Fresh and Strengthen New Ones

Volunteer service is a great way to pick up new skills and strengthen existing ones that can only help one’s efforts when it comes time to job hunt. The skills that an individual learns is not solely limited to accounting, as being a volunteer treasurer isn’t just about keeping up with the nonprofit’s books.

Many treasurers take a “hands on” approach to their service and will directly handle cash and other transactions. Most will need to sharpen their people skills to effectively communicate with board members, staff, and even the nonprofit’s donors and supporters. Some are responsible for managing and overseeing staff who assist with cash handling and other tasks, so leadership skills also come into play in this role.

Boost Empathy, Self-Esteem and Confidence

Most nonprofits are created to serve others and benefit their service communities in some way. Volunteer treasurers often come in direct contact with those in their service community and see firsthand the impact of their organisation’s good work.

Being a part of this effort to improve the lives of others doesn’t just increase empathy, it also makes it easier to relate and communicate with others from diverse backgrounds. It increases one’s self-esteem and confidence, which carries over into body language and enhances the ability to connect with others and quickly develop bonds, which can only boost the chances of success in a job interview. Once hired, these benefits also increase one’s morale and productivity on the job!

Increase Network by Strengthening Relationships in and out of the Office and Community

Many companies look for ways to give back to their communities, so, they actively seek recruits that share this world view and that already have volunteer experience.

Volunteer treasurers come into contact with a large number of people from very different backgrounds as part of their service. This provides them with the opportunity to meet and connect with like-minded people and increase their network of contacts that can later help them advance their career.

Add Diversity and Depth to Resume

The volunteer treasurer is typically an unpaid position, but can be included on one’s resume or CV under work experience. Volunteers just need to be certain to include the name of the organisation, dates of affiliation, with a list of duties and tasks performed as well as list accomplishments and awards received in this role.

Including volunteer service on a resume benefits job seekers who have just entered the workforce after completing their education, or that seek to re-enter it after an absence. The volunteering experience can make it easier to change fields as well.

Being a volunteer benefits those that donate their time to a specific cause as well as the community, so volunteering is truly one of the rare situations where everyone involved actually wins.