Hi,
Are you guys finding the volunteer projects are worth their effort with employers (I hear they are pretty long/comprehensive)?
I like that they serve a real person/organization. On the other hand I’m not sure if them being non-profit work hurts their value as a reference.
I think it’s more about getting “real world experience”. Obviously, if you’ve got a “real” job offer, then take it. But for many of us, the chance to work on real projects, get some references, and build our portfolio is a good one. I don’t think future employers are going to look down on it because it was for an NPO. I think they’re going to be more interested in the work that you did and what you learned from it. I think doing an NPO project is more productive than waiting around for a company willing to hire someone with just some fCC certificates and good intentions as credentials.
Just my $.02.
Any company or individual who would devalue a non-profit portfolio compared to paid work is a place where I would not want to work.
As an interviewer, I actually like to see volunteer work on a candidate’s LinkedIn profile or resume, and feel like that type of effort contributes the culture in the workplace in many ways.