UC San Diego Survey reveals that global volunteers in the US may have the workplace edge

What can give a person an edge for landing a new job or being offered a promotion? How they spent their last break could give them the edge, according to a 2011 survey by the University of California San Diego Extension's Center for Global Volunteer Service.

The survey reveals that two out of three Americans with hiring authority (67 percent) agreed that if a job candidate had foreign volunteer experience it would contribute positively to their evaluation.

An ongoing trend is the increased number of people becoming "service volunteers" by spending their discretionary time in meaningful ways that make contributions to others. However, survey respondents who had personally participated in a global volunteer project indicated the experience was also valuable in developing abilities back at work.

While both the general public and those returning rated global volunteer service high (more than 80 percent) for developing compassion and a willingness to give to others, participants who returned from service experiences rated workplace skill development much higher than did the public in their general perceptions.

UC San Diego Extension regularly gathers workplace intelligence to shape its continuing education course offerings and programs. In March 2011, a total of 1010 adults from across America were surveyed on global volunteer service and the workplace.

Ratings reflecting exposure and participation in global service are the highest ever recorded in CGVS surveys:

Young people, in particular, are increasingly interested in global volunteer service; 91 percent of college students said they knew someone personally who had been a global service volunteer, while 87 percent of high school students gave the same response, and 61 percent of high school students said they had donated personal time to global causes.

The survey results were released to help promote awareness of National Volunteer Week in April 2011. Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week has grown exponentially in scope each year since, drawing the support and endorsement of all subsequent U.S. presidents, governors, mayors and other respected elected officials.

The UC San Diego Extension Center for Global Volunteer Service™ is a resource for successful involvement in volunteering abroad. Participants in its programs learn and serve with professionals who have first-hand international experience.

The Center enables individuals of all life stages to learn and grow through global volunteer service, always within an overarching attention to personal wellness, safety, security, and sensitivity to the cultures.

For more information, visit Center for Global Volunteer Service.