As an accounting professional in Canada, you should consider volunteering with a local non-profit organization. Serving on a board of directors or an audit committee can help advance your career.

A non-profit’s board of directors is its governing body. The directors focus on high-level strategy, oversight, and accountability for the organization.

As a volunteer board member, you are involved in making key decisions that address the organization’s mission and goals. This includes addressing the public’s interest through the non-profit’s work.

Being a volunteer member of a non-profit organization’s audit committee can provide opportunities to work in cybersecurity, compliance, financial reporting, risk management, or related areas. These opportunities let you develop skills that can benefit your professional path.

Discover how volunteering with a non-profit organization can advance your accounting career in Canada.

Guidance for an Organization

Volunteering with a non-profit board of directors or audit committee lets you gain a new perspective on guiding an organization.

• Rather than serve in a management role, your duties include reviewing financial documents and asking management questions to gain additional insight.
• The experience you gain provides additional insight into guiding your company.
• This experience helps advance your career.

Skill Diversification  

Serving as a volunteer for a non-profit organization’s board of directors or audit committee lets you diversify your skill set. This places emphasis on skills that do not involve numbers.

• You can actively participate in strategy development and interpret information for the rest of the board or committee.
• This participation provides skills for additional career advancement.

Networking

As a volunteer member of a non-profit’s board of directors or audit committee, you get to know other professionals in the community.

• These professionals share many of your interests.
• The professionals volunteer alongside you to reach common goals that benefit local residents.
• Adding these professionals to your network also provides access to their networks.
• Any of these connections can help advance your career.

Credibility in the Community

Being appointed as a volunteer member of a non-profit board or audit committee lets you give back to the community. It also adds credibility to your professional reputation.

• Serving on a board of directors or audit committee helps develop your governance leadership skills.
• This service also shows you have the financial expertise needed to fulfill high-level responsibilities.

Resume Enhancement

Including details about your volunteer experience with a non-profit board or audit committee helps your resume stand out.

• Hiring managers enjoy meeting candidates who are active leaders in the community.
• Being trusted with a visible, high-impact role is an endorsement of your expertise and value.
• This endorsement makes you attractive to hiring managers.

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