Should I ask for a salary for a volunteer position?

Hey Olivea,

You're right in that internships can have a salary or wage attached to them and volunteer opportunities do not. It's great to use volunteer work to build up your resume and work towards an internship. By definition, to volunteer means to give freely of your time and resources. If you decide to seek out volunteer opportunities, which I strongly recommend, you wouldn't want to ask for any compensation for the work you do. Sure, it would be nice to get paid for your gas or minor expenses, but that takes away from the idea of volunteering.

Volunteering is always a nice thing to do. Depending on where you are volunteering, you will need to go through an application process which involves filling out forms and having an interview. Since you are in High School and have no experience, do some research about the volunteer opportunities. Most not for profit organizations have many volunteers who are doing it because they enjoy it. For you, a High School Student, volunteering can serve many purposes and this should guide your decision: 1)It will give you experience in applying for a job. 2)You get a closer inside look at a profession you might be interested in pursuing. 3)It will look good on your application to college or the next step you take after graduation. 4)You could make some great networking connections when you do apply for a paying opportunity. Keep all those things in mind as you look for opportunities. For instance, if you are interested in law or medicine, look in those firms. Be prepared to work for experience, not for a salary. Your pay is all the experience you will be gaining, and it's a nice thing to do.