Want to make a difference in your community? Become a volunteer. According to an article by Patricia Rivera, "Join the Service: Volunteering can be a geat way to not only contribute to the community, but network as well," that's what career coach, Andrea Kay, did in her hometown of Cincinnati. Not only did Kay get the emotional benefits that come from devoting your time and energy to something you care about, she also expanded her coaching business.

A lot of people duck out of doing volunteer work by saying that they "don't have enough time." Rivera thinks is a mistake because "volunteers gain visibility throughout the community, not just in their individual industries. Many men and women have seen their careers boosted because they took the time to lend a helping hand. Although they didn't sign up for projects to further their careers, the simple fact that they were working with a broad spectrum of people gave them the chance to network, gain new skills, and discover new career opportunities."

Rivera went on to explain that volunteering can bring you into contact with executives and other corporate big wigs who you might not otherwise be able to reach. By sharing a common goal, you can make an impression that you wouldn't be able to make in a job interview or board meeting.

Volunteering can also help you learn new skills and put you in a position to safely explore a variety of possible career choices if you're considering making a change. Since there are a lot of "short-term, episodic volunteering opportunities," that allow more flexibility than traditional volunteering opportunities of the past, you can actually work volunteering into your busy schedule and still have time for leisure activities.

Volunteering for the sake of helping others is what it's all about; however, if through the course of volunteering you also make professional contacts and learn new skills and discover different careers, well, that's just icing on the cake.