What should you do when you’re breaking into a career in finance but find that most employers want you to have previous experience? When your degree isn’t enough to get you that first job out of college there are a few other tricks you can have up your sleeve to get the experience you need. One of the best kept secrets for resume building is volunteering. How can you volunteer to gain the experience you need and create a resume that will attract an employer’s attention the right way? Here are some great tips to get started.

1. Tax assistance programs. Every community offers programs for local residents to seek assistance with their tax preparation or future financial planning. They are also always looking for skilled volunteers. This is a great way to use the things you’ve learned in college to give back to your community while you’re looking for your first financial services job.
2. Non-profit organizations. Talk to any other non-profits in your area to find out what they need in regards to their financial outlook. Most non-profits don’t have the budget to hire an accountant or financial planner to help them with their budget, banking, or taxes. Volunteer your expertise with an organization that you feel passionate about.
3. Tutor other students. You can also stay close to school by offering tutoring for other students in the financial or accounting programs. You remember how lost you might have been in the early stages of pursing your degree so you can not only help others but continue to build your experience. They say to truly learn something you need to teach it.
4. Speaking engagements. Another potential experience building process is to reach out to local organization and volunteer to speak on a specific topic. Trade organizations in your area are usually volunteer run and are always looking for new content to help draw members in for their meetings. Promoting a speaker on a specific subject is a helpful way to boost membership.
5. Start a blog. Lastly, you will want to start creating your online branding and presence by developing a website with a blog. Recruiters often search for subject matter experts when they are reviewing resumes for upcoming jobs. If you can build a regular writing practice and an audience you will be in a great position to sell yourself as the right candidate for their job.

Do you want more resume building tips that can help you advance your financial career? The staff at VincentBenjamin is hiring for accounting and financial jobs in Arizona, Colorado, and California so call us today!

Image by State Farm via Flickr