You feel like you’re stuck in your job, doing the same ol’ same ol’, day in and day out. You were excited when you first started out, upgraded your skills, and advanced in your position. When you needed a change, you changed organizations, met new people, learned new processes. But after years doing the same types of work, you’re feeling stale and unsatisfied and you know you need a new challenge. Simply changing jobs or organizations won’t do it for you anymore – you need something more drastic. If this sounds like you, a career change is in order, and one great way to achieve that is by volunteering.

Volunteering can be a fantastic way to spend your free time, or if you have planned for it, take a leave of absence to immerse yourself in a more in-depth experience. Volunteering can also help you make that much needed career change, and this is what it can do for you:

1. Have new experiences: Because of the nature of volunteering, you will have new experiences that could be different from a typical office job. You could be out in the field, doing more physical work, or still doing office work but in a different capacity. These experiences can make you stand out from other candidates who only have their office jobs to fall back on.

2. Meet new people: With every new experience comes new people. Meeting new people is a necessary part of volunteering and you will meet people from all walks of life, with different experiences, backgrounds, and contacts. Some may become friends, some may know of opportunities for you, and some just may have some interesting stories that can help you decide what path you want to take.

3. Apply your skills in new ways: When you are selected to work for a volunteer group, they want to take advantage of your skills as it benefits them. By doing that, you get to use the skills that you have gained and apply them in different ways that can help the volunteer group. You could also learn new ways of using your skills that you didn’t realize existed outside of your daily job – and that can make you more innovative for potential new employers.

4. Learn new skills: While a volunteer group will use the skills that you have, they can also teach you skills that you didn’t have before. This can enhance your employability.

5. Sense of satisfaction: Instead of feeling like each day is a grind, volunteering can improve your mental outlook. You can feel great knowing that you are helping your community or others in need, or contributing to a personal and worthy cause. These can give you a refreshed outlook on your life, and with that comes more personal satisfaction and confidence. And those feelings will shine through to any interview and make you a memorable and positive candidate for your upcoming career change.

To learn about yourself, about needs of others, and giving to your community are some of the benefits of volunteering. Additionally, with the people you meet, the new skills you learn, and the new ways of applying your existing skills, you become a much more rounded person with more diverse skills with a more confident outlook. By adding these skills and experiences to your resume and incorporating them into your interviewing strategy, you can increase your chances of a career change that is more fulfilling from where you are in your life right now. Why wait any longer – explore opportunities and make the most of whom you are and what you can do.