Be Able to Say, 'Been There! Done That!': Cultivate your Career Skills through Deliberate Volunteering  

To attain your career goals, you cannot simply go to work and perform the assigned projects, allowing your manager direct your professional path for you. You must treat your working life much like you treat a documentation project and be deliberate. Take charge of your progress by volunteering to complete projects that challenge and advance your capabilities. Plan and prepare for challenging opportunities that provide you with new work experiences; identify and execute tasks that advance your skills, knowledge, and abilities; and evaluate your career development, results, and your accomplishments with each enterprise you complete.

Swindle-Troell, Elizabeth F. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>TC>Planning>Volunteering

Cultivate Career Skills through Volunteering  

Describes how technical communicators can develop their skills and make themselves more marketable through volunteering.

Swindle-Troell, Elizabeth F. Intercom (2003). Careers>TC>Volunteering