The Surprising Freelance Career Boost You Never Expected from Volunteering

Ever wondered how freelancers can turn those unpredictable pockets of free time into something seriously rewarding—not just for others, but for themselves? If you think volunteering is just about handing out flyers or folding event brochures, think again. With the flexibility most freelancers enjoy, dipping your toes—or diving headfirst—into volunteer work can be a game-changing move. Whether it’s lending your professional chops to a nonprofit, mentoring peers in your field, or even just stepping outside your comfort zone to chat up strangers at a zoo, volunteering offers a treasure trove of unexpected perks. From bridging career gaps to boosting your confidence (yes, even if you’re the shy type), and building connections that pay off down the line—it’s more than just good karma. Trust me, the boost to your reputation and skills might just surprise you. Ready to see how giving back can gear up your freelance hustle? LEARN MORE.

As freelancers, most of us have at least somewhat flexible schedules or periods of downtime between projects. That widens our options when it comes to volunteering, whether we can regularly spare a couple of hours during the nine-to-five work week, spend a couple of weeks a year doing relief work in another country, or just help out at an event from time to time.

As a volunteer you can contribute specialized expertise or professional skills pro bono, or expand your skill set by trying something new. If there’s a community group, hobby club, or nonprofit organization related to a cause that’s important to you, you might volunteer to help at events, deliver services, help with advocacy or fundraising, or even serve on the board. 

Volunteering professional skills can help bridge career gaps and transitions. When I was moving from B2B marketing into solo web development, I helped develop print promotional materials for a nonprofit organization and worked on website revamps for two others through the Taproot Foundation, which applies the legal profession’s pro bono concept to other fields, such as marketing. I used expertise from my previous career for the first project, and the others built skills in my new direction. Volunteering can also be a way to explore a potential new career; I know several people in nonprofit staff positions who started at their organizations as volunteers.

If you’re a member of a professional association (if you aren’t yet, consider joining one!), you can connect with peers in your field and raise your visibility by volunteering for things like coordinating a local chapter, mentoring newer members, serving on a committee, or organizing events. I would never have envisioned myself serving on a board, but volunteering as a forum moderator for the Editorial Freelancers Association led me to a board position that has been a terrific experience. I’ve worked with wonderful people and learned a ton. I’m sure including my board service on my profile in the member directory and on LinkedIn has made me more credible to potential clients as well. 

Volunteering is also a great way to build your personal strengths, and that can help your professional life even when the activity isn’t directly related to your work. As a lifelong introvert, I was painfully shy when I was younger. Combined life and work experiences helped me become more assertive over time, but things like giving presentations or attending networking events were still excruciating. 

In 2012, I started volunteering for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Prospect Park Zoo, because I’ve always been passionate about nature and environmental conservation. I love animals, I believe in the WCS mission — and I thought being a docent would force me to talk to strangers. At first, I’d sheepishly wait for visitors to ask me a question, but over time I got more comfortable approaching people. Fast forward several years, and I found myself working the crowd at the sea lion demonstration asking people to sign a petition in support of a conservation campaign. After a few minutes, I stopped in my tracks — I couldn’t believe I had turned into someone who could cheerfully buttonhole strangers! Recently I’ve started leading tours for school groups, which is fantastic practice in tailoring content to the audience and adjusting things on the fly. As a result, I’m now thinking about offering webinars or workshops in my professional field as a way of growing my business. 

Even short-term volunteering in areas completely unrelated to work, such as helping at events or donating blood, can offer perks such as free admission and swag, provide opportunities to meet people in a low-pressure setting, and create fodder for your website, newsletter, or social media posts. If you dislike self-promotion, getting the word out about a cause you believe in feels less braggy and much easier. I’ve found my posts about volunteering usually do well, and often the organization shares them with its much larger audience.

Besides the great feeling of making a difference for a cause you care about, volunteering brings  recognition and gratitude that can be hard to come by when you’re working solo, without much feedback from colleagues or clients. 

I haven’t usually volunteered with the goal of advancing my career, and it’s not the main reason I’ll keep doing it, but after years of volunteering in various ways, it’s clear that it has helped my work tremendously. Volunteering has enhanced my expertise, boosted my confidence, increased my visibility and reputation, connected me with great people, been a lot of fun, and I hope done some good in this world. I highly recommend it. 

Interested in volunteering with Freelancers Union? Email our Hub Direcor Jalen Vasquez at jvasquez@freelancersunion.org.