Volunteering: If Companies Do It, So Should You

We have long advocated volunteer work as a great way to expand your skill set, network with new people, and stay engaged during a long job-hunt. But even we were surprised to read in The Wall Street Journal that small businesses are doing the exact same thing (Firms Fight Slump with Pro Bono Work). As the article explains, "For a small business that has lost clients or seen revenue-generating projects dry up, performing free work is a way to keep employees engaged while cultivating new relationships."

So are you convinced yet? While the cynic could view a law firm or consultancy doing pro bono work as the ultimate sign of our troubled times, in which even the capitalists have to stoop to the level of philanthropy to survive, the pragmatist will see it as further evidence that volunteering really can be the key to your future success.