Published Monday 2nd June 2025
Struggling to Find Work? You’re Not Alone
”My son and I are both struggling to find work at the moment. He’s just finished university and looking for his first job, and I’m retired but need to top up my income. We’ve both been sending out applications for a while now, could unpaid work help us find something?”
Whether you’re trying to get into work for the first time or returning after a break, finding a job can be a real challenge. If you’ve been applying for weeks or months with no success, it’s worth taking a step back to think about whether there are skills or experience you might be missing.
How Volunteering Can Help Your Job Search
If you can afford to take on unpaid work, it can help you:
Fill gaps in your CV
Build confidence in a professional setting
Learn new, transferable skills
Explore different types of jobs
Unpaid roles often come in the form of volunteering, work experience, or internships.
Important Things to Consider First
If you receive welfare benefits, it’s important to check how unpaid work might affect your entitlements. Visit the Citizens Advice website or speak to an adviser before starting.
Also, the rules around unpaid internships are complex. You should always get advice about minimum wage rights to ensure you’re not being unfairly exploited.
What Volunteering Can Offer
Volunteering roles are usually well-structured and help you explore specific types of work. You might want to gain experience in an office environment, or try something more hands-on like supporting people in your local community.
At Citizens Advice, and many other charities, there are a wide range of volunteering opportunities available.
Being a volunteer not only builds workplace skills, but also gives you a sense of purpose and routine. This can really boost your confidence, and help you approach future job applications and interviews with greater success.
Where to Find Opportunities
Just like with paid jobs, there are lots of volunteering opportunities online. Local charities, community groups, and job websites often advertise unpaid roles that can help you build the skills and experience you need.
Need More Advice?
For more information and support, visit: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/