If you work in financial services, you have a very special set of skills. You’re good with figures, highly organised and have a great capacity for handling large amounts of small detail.
But have you ever considered using your talents to help yourself and do good for others at the same time?
There are many organisations who’d be delighted to have your skills on tap. Lots of charities rely on volunteers not just to bake cup cakes, complete sponsored walks and hold coffee mornings, but to keep their finances in order or sit on their committees.
You might think you’re too busy for this but a spot of volunteering could be just what your career needs – boosting your CV and demonstrating to potential employers you have a responsible, caring nature.
Some of the most relevant charities offer debt-counselling services and credit unions, which encourage people to save and offer them small loans at very favourable rates.
Welfare charities, too, including those dedicated to specific trades and professions, also have need of experts who can advise them on how best to support clients in need. And then there is the job of running the charities themselves.
In order to carry on giving hope and help, they have to be in robust financial health – so they need board members with a strong financial background in order to help steer their course and make sound decisions.
If you feel you could offer something to a charity, your best step is to decide what causes really matter to you and which ones you think could best do with your help.
It might be tempting to offer your services to well-known campaigning organisations, but perhaps there is a small, local charity that could be better transformed by your input?
In January money, health and welfare issues come to a head. As a result the start of the new year can be a hectic few weeks for many aid organisations and it’s now that they really need extra help.
This is also the time of year when many people consider taking the next step in their career and you could increase your chances of landing a new job by adding volunteering to your CV.
It could have as big an impact on your life as it does on the people you help.
For all the latest roles in Financial Services visit s1jobs.com