Volunteering My Way To Awesome Opportunities

If someone had told me a few years ago that volunteering, something I did purely out of passion, would become a strategic career move, I might have laughed. But looking back, almost every major opportunity I’ve had in Canada has been connected, in some way, to my volunteer work.

I started volunteering long before I knew it could influence my career. At first, it was about giving back, connecting with people, and doing things for personal joy as side-gigs. But then, the dots started connecting. I wasn’t just giving time, I was gaining skills, building credibility and meeting people who would later open doors I didn’t even know existed.

Case in point: my current job at COSTI. It didn’t come from a job board or a recruiter. It came through my volunteer work at IABC/Toronto. My volunteering here put me on the radar of industry leaders, helped me refine my skills, and ultimately led me to the opportunity. But it wasn’t a straight path. I interviewed once, competed, and (drumrolllllll) – failed! 

Five months later, I tried again (same team, different role), and this time, with more experience and confidence, I landed the job! That’s the power of showing up, contributing, learning and staying in the game.

Getting that foot in the door!

When I moved to Canada, I was a newcomer in the communications industry—technically experienced but still unknown in the local market. So, I did what I knew best: I looked for good food in my area (no kidding!), which was being served in a local church (it was Christmas Eve!) And just like that, within the next 20 minutes, I was volunteering at this church to help with their Christmas party! I helped with their registration desk and coat check. In return, I got to interact with locals – true North Canadians of Toronto who fed me with delicious Christmas food, involved me in carols, invited me to their homes for New Year parties and SHARED INFORMATION of their friends looking for new talent! 

The people I met there became close friends, and one of them introduced me to a social media advisory contract that turned out to be one of the most rewarding roles I’ve had. Some of them remain my closest buddies – I just met my Reverend’s wife for dinner, and we shared our most embarrassing dating stories till our stomachs hurt!

That’s the thing about volunteering—you don’t always see the career impact (plus personal joy and growth) immediately. But over time, the puzzle pieces start fitting together.

Landing jobs in my industry (without Canadian experience)

I am proud and privileged to say that all my jobs in Canada so far have been in my own field of work: non-profit corporate communications!

Volunteering is networking but without the awkward small talk. In 2023, I joined IABC/Toronto as the Director of Communications, Marketing and Digital Media. It was a volunteer role, but it gave me hands-on experience in the Toronto communications landscape. I led digital strategies, collaborated with industry professionals and built a network that eventually led to paid opportunities, including one of my most fulfilling leadership roles to date.

More recently, I judged the 40th Ovation Awards, a front-row seat to some of the best campaigns in the industry. It wasn’t just insightful; it was a learning experience that pushed my own strategic thinking. The learning curve was sharp, and the exposure was invaluable.

Connecting beyond the LinkedIn bubble

Volunteering is networking without the pressure. It’s not about handing out business cards or cold messaging on LinkedIn—it’s about working side by side with people, solving problems together, and forming genuine relationships. I’ve met some of my closest industry friends while working on projects together, whether it is writing for PR & Lattes or mentoring newcomers through TRIEC or new graduates through LinkedIn and other forums. These weren’t transactional connections; they were built on real conversations, shared experiences and a mutual drive to uplift each other.

Through mentorship, I’ve met brilliant newcomers who just needed a little nudge in the right direction. Helping them land their first jobs in Canada has been a deeply rewarding experience. Helping three mentees secure meaningful employment in the past year has been one of my proudest achievements—not just for them but for the confidence it has given me in my own ability to guide and lead. At the same time, it has sharpened my own industry knowledge, helping me stay on top of trends, hiring needs and what truly matters in today’s job market.

Staying relevant and reinventing yourself

Communication is a fast-moving field, and staying relevant means constantly learning. Volunteering has been my way of experimenting with new tools, understanding audience trends, and staying ahead of industry shifts. Unlike a structured job, volunteering lets you take risks, try new strategies, and learn without the pressure of failure. More importantly, it keeps you adaptable. The more you immerse yourself in different spaces—whether it’s nonprofit, corporate, or grassroots community work—the better you understand the evolving needs of the industry. And that makes you not just employable but invaluable.

Volunteering isn’t about an immediate return on investment. It’s about showing up, contributing and allowing those experiences to shape your career in the most surprising and rewarding ways. My career in Canada has been built on a mix of passion, persistence and people. And volunteering has truly been at the heart of all three.

So, if you’re on the fence about it, just start. Not because you need something right away but because somewhere down the line, that experience, that connection, or that skill will come back to open a door you didn’t even know existed.