What’s this stuff about volunteering when what you need is a job that pays? Virtual volunteering can be the ticket to the job of your dreams. Here’s how.

Successful disability employment often starts with networking. Virtual volunteering, or offering your services gratis via the Internet, is a prime method for getting yourself known. Other professionals will have the chance to evaluate your work, and can provide you with references or have your name at the ready when a job opens up.

You’ll be able to engage with a variety of organizations covering as many fields, or aspects of the same field, that you want. You’ll have:
•    Several contacts willing to give you a reference.
•    Experience in many facets of work.
•    Knowledge of a range of job duties.
•    Connections with several organizations.
•    A better understanding of what you want to do for paid employment.

All of this without leaving your home … priceless. Now that you’re convinced virtual volunteering is a step on the road to gainful employment, let’s look at how people with disabilities can find jobs on the web without having to worry about disclosure or accessible travel means.

VolunteerMatch recruits both nonprofits and corporations to its site, where more than 58,000 volunteer opportunities are available at this writing. To find an opportunity, enter your zip code and some key words describing the type of work you’d like to find (mentoring, environment, newsletter, etc.).

If there are specific skills you want to develop, input those. You’ll be able to comb through a listing of virtual volunteering opportunities that match up with your needs.

Go to ServiceLeader for information about all aspects of donating your time, including a substantial section on virtual volunteering, including how to build contacts within an organization, complete with resources.

Here, you will find FAQs from volunteers and agencies alike, as well as advice and commentary from past online volunteers. Assistance is given for finding job opportunities, grant research, mentoring, and guidelines for technical assistance.

There’s a sample volunteer agreement and code of conduct document, as well as tips on how to guard against computer viruses and working with PDF files. An extensive library of sample online assignments demonstrates the variety of jobs available and can give you an idea of what to look for.

Best of all, their “Volunteers with Disabilities” segment covers accommodations, the benefits to people with disabilities of volunteering online, disability-related online resources, how to make an agency virtually accessible to people with disabilities and how to work with online volunteers who have disabilities.

You might not think the latter two categories apply to you, but it’s always instructive to see your situation through the eyes of the people you’ll be working for.

Download the free, 138 page “Virtual Volunteering Guidebook” for additional information.

Jumpstart your disability employment search here.