Do you have a sociable personality and are not afraid to strike up a conversation with strangers.  Have you tried social networking sites to try and find a job with no luck at all.  Volunteering may open the doors you need to find a good job and get you the connections that could help you find employment.  Not only can you meet the right people, but you will also be gaining valuable experience that if unemployed for a long period of time can prevent a questionable gap to keep on growing on your resume.  Keep in mind that when you volunteer your time to any cause, you want to show the people around you that you are committed to giving it your all and will treat your volunteer time as your true job.  This is a chance to show potential employers that when you make a commitment, no matter how small it might be, that you will see it through using your full potential.

An employer might see your volunteer experience as you being a self-motivated individual, passionate and a go-getter.  Remember that volunteering is not a short cut to finding a job, it is an opportunity to acquire new skills or improve on existing ones.  You might want to volunteer in more than one place depending on how much free time you have, this will better the chance of meeting people with similar job interest.  Meeting potential employers is also a huge plus when volunteering you time, and the wealth of information that you could gather will benefit you in many ways.

Prepare yourself for these opportunities by practicing a 30 second commercial about yourself.  Your commercial should come out with confidence and should give people an idea of what you are looking for and the strong points you have to offer their business.  Make sure to look professional and ask for contact information in case you need more information and the person is willing to talk to you.  So start looking for these opportunities and get back on track, you might even be helping out your community while you are at it.