There’s a question that stops a lot of people before they even begin: How do I get a job when every job wants experience, and I don’t have any?
It’s one of the most frustrating cycles in a job search. You need experience to get hired, but you need to get hired to gain experience. For teenagers just starting out, for people in between jobs, and for anyone trying to rebuild their professional footing, here’s the truth: experience doesn’t only come from employment. Some of the most valuable skills you’ll ever build such as networking, and can be developed through service.
Why Volunteering Works
When you volunteer, you show up consistently with purpose. This is one of the things any employer wants to see. Volunteer work on your resume says you’re active and engaged with your community. It says that you chose to give your time and energy to something meaningful.
It also keeps your skills sharp. If you’re between jobs, a gap in your resume can raise questions during an interview. But volunteer work fills that gap with something you contributed. Whether you’re working remotely and building your digital skills, or you’re showing up in person to connect with people in need, you are learning and growing every single week.
Perhaps most importantly, you’re meeting people. Networking isn’t just for corporate settings. Some of the most meaningful career connections are made in community spaces through a shared mission. You never know who you’ll meet, or who they know.
What You Can Put on Your Resume Right Now
You don’t have to wait for an internship or a formal job offer to start building your professional story. Here are experiences that count:
- Babysitting or caregiving: demonstrates responsibility and reliability
- Paper routes or odd jobs: shows initiative and work ethic
- School programs or clubs: leadership and collaboration
- Community service or faith-based volunteering: mission-driven teamwork
- Event staffing: coordination, customer service, adaptability
- Online or remote volunteering: digital skills, project management
Each of these is something you can speak to in an interview. Each of these is something a reference can vouch for.
Which brings us to references. One of the most overlooked benefits of volunteer work is the professional relationship it builds with people who can speak to your character and capabilities. A supervisor who has seen you show up and do good work can become a reference and in many cases, that reference is what gets you the job.
“A lot of times jobs come from volunteer work. You might meet someone who has an opportunity for you, or they might be looking for someone later down the line — and you can apply with an ‘in’ because you already know someone.”
–Renee Rojas, Disaster Recovery Coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles
What Makes Volunteering as a Vincentian Different
There are countless places to volunteer in Los Angeles. What makes serving as a Vincentian unique is the why behind the work.
Vincentian service is faith-based, rooted in the legacy of St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and grounded in the belief that every person carries the dignity of Christ. When you serve here, you aren’t just filling a shift, you are living out a vocation.
That spirit doesn’t just build your resume. It builds you.
Want to Teach a Skill? We Need You.
St. Vincent de Paul LA is launching a Learning Center in September 2026. It will be a space dedicated to empowering our community.
If you have a skill to offer, whether it’s resume writing, job interview coaching, computer basics, financial literacy, or anything else that could help someone move forward, we want to hear from you.
📧 Email us at vincentianservices@svdpla.org to get involved.
Whether you’re looking to volunteer your time, share your expertise, or simply explore what Vincentian service looks like for you, there is a place for you here.
St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles has been serving our community for over a century — through disasters, through hardship, and through the everyday quiet struggles that rarely make headlines. We are here for the long run. We hope you’ll join us.
Learn more and explore volunteer opportunities at svdpla.org
