My Volunteer Journey

When I made the decision to change careers last year, the most common piece of advice I got was to get out there and network. Meet people in the field I am interested in and make those all-important connections. While networking is important for any job seeker, it takes on increased significance for those of us in transition.

As you may know from my earlier posts, the field that interests me is communications. I started combing through my professional network and soon realized I didn't know anyone who worked in communications! 

It dawned on me that one way to meet such people would be to join a professional organization, so I did just that. I searched online and came across the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), one of the largest such organizations in the world. They were looking for volunteers to serve on the board of the Pacific Plains Region (PPR), so I applied for the role of Communications Director. In June of 2023, my application was approved, and my volunteer journey began.

I had never done any volunteer work in this capacity (let alone held a board position), so this was a new experience for me. My responsibilities included putting out a monthly newsletter, email campaigns, and managing social media pages. This was a great way for me to hone my communication skills, to be sure, but it was really about the people I met. Most of my fellow volunteers had been involved with IABC for many years and were very devoted to the organization and its mission (to serve professionals in the field of business communication). They made me feel welcome and shared their experience and knowledge with me, for which I am so grateful. 

My volunteer journey came to an end last month, but the lessons I learned will last a lifetime.