Tag Archives: food drive

You Can Be Part of Brand It Blue Day

On Saturday, June 13, Express Employment Professionals offices across North America will gather together for Brand It Blue Day. The event is a day of service aimed to help in the fight against hunger, and you can be a part of it!

Why Is It Important?
Summer is an especially difficult time of year for children as most of the school meal programs end, leaving millions of kids at risk of going hungry. In 2013, more than 21.5 million children received free or reduced-price meals through their school programs and only 2.5 million of those children took part in summer food service programs. In Canada, more than 310,000 children receive their meals through food banks each month.

What’s The Impact?
In 2014, 205 Express offices participated in Brand It Blue Day and more than 1,000 volunteers showed up at their local food pantries to help. Thanks to everyone’s help, Express was able to collect enough food and donations to provide more than 55,000 meals to those in need. During the past two years, Express has supplied more than 91,000 meals.

Why Should You Help?
Volunteering adds valuable experience to your resume. Whether you’re a job seeker who just graduated or someone who has been out of the workforce for an extended period of time, volunteering can help add to your work history and set you apart from the competition. Spending your time serving in your community helps you gain networking opportunities that can lead to jobs, provides new skills that you can add to your resume, and shows you have a passion for helping others. In fact, a recent report by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that volunteering was associated with 27% higher odds of employment.

How Can You Help?
Now that you know the impact of Brand It Blue Day and the value of volunteering, you may be wondering how you can be part of the big event. If the Express office in your city is taking part in Brand It Blue Day, you may be able to volunteer your time at a food bank or bring in donations to a canned food drive. Contact your local Express office and find out if they’ll be participating in this day of service so you can help!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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Volunteering Could Help You Find Your Next Job

BrandItBlue_May2014_webWhether you’re a job seeker who just graduated, or someone who’s been out of the workforce for an extended period of time, the experience section of your resume may be what’s holding you back from your next job. But don’t worry. There’s something you can do to not only add to your work history, but to separate you from the crowd of people applying for the same jobs.

A 2013 report by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that “volunteering was associated with 27% higher odds of employment.” This same report also found that volunteering is most likely to help the jobless who do not have a high school diploma and those who live in rural areas. Just how can spending time working for a local nonprofit or charity for free help in your job search? Here are three ways it can help lead to a new job.

  1. Volunteering helps you make connections and build a network.
    If it’s truly all about who you know for your job search, then spending time serving in your community is a great way to meet new people from different industries and companies around your area. And, you won’t have the sometimes awkward pressures that come along with a pre-planned networking event. Enjoy your time sorting donated food or cleaning up a park, or think about striking up a casual conversation to get to know people. You might meet the person who helps you land your next job. Remember this is also a time to demonstrate your work ethic so while you get to know people, don’t forget to focus on the task at hand.
  2. You can learn new skills that can be added to your resume.
    Never been in a leadership or management role? Struggled with finding creative solutions to a problem? The next time you volunteer, there’s a good possibility that you’ll have the opportunity to lead a team in completion of a project, or help find an answer to a problem the nonprofit or charity is facing. And if you’re missing some recent activities in the experience section of your resume, volunteering is a great addition that can make an impact on a hiring manager. Which leads to point number three…
  3. Employers want people who like to serve others.
    Going through the numerous job applications, resumes, and cover letters a hiring manager sees each day, they are looking for a job seeker to stand out. When your resume includes your history of volunteering, and your cover letter describes your passion for serving others, you’re more likely to see an increase in the number of job interviews on your schedule.

If you’re not sure about volunteer opportunities in your community, or what type of work you’d like to be involved in, check out what’s happening on Saturday, June 14 at Express offices across North America. Brand It Blue Day is a day of service to help in the fight against hunger, and you can be a part of it. Summer is an especially difficult time of year as most of the school meal programs for children end, leaving millions of children at risk of going hungry.

To find out how you can be involved with your local Express office, visit ExpressPros.com/BrandItBlue.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.