Engaging as a Volunteer — October 2020
Engaging as a volunteer is a way to invest in your future.
As someone who likes exercising, I cannot tell you how much I have missed the gym. Every afternoon, for years, it has been my way to unwind and release the stress of the day. Since the dues are not cheap, a main motivator is ROI. I like the group classes; you know the format, the duration and what to expect. I had never been keen on using machines until after a chance encounter when I discovered that, with adequate guidance, I could have a fun and different experience almost every time. New favorites were on the horizon! The same can be said about MPI.
When you first joined, you probably only knew a person or two, if at all. Then as you started attending events your circle expanded and you started seeing familiar faces, both live and virtual. With our normal routines scrambled, what about stepping up your game and venture out to volunteer with any of the different committees available to you?
Volunteering offers you the magnificent opportunity to try your hand at things you may not typically do in your everyday professional environment. Maybe you want to find out more about fundraising, or how to book a Speaker. Maybe you want to dig deeper into social media marketing, or learn how to budget. Our normal day jobs don’t generally offer us that opportunity. One of the perks of being an MPI member is that you can test the waters, risk free! By doing so, I guarantee you will discover a whole new aspect of your line of business. Maybe you’ll recover the passion that made you join this crazy and addictive industry that focuses on making people happy. You will develop relationships at a deeper level, and you will experience first-hand that, yes, we are in this together.
Volunteering shows that you have initiative, that you are proactive about expanding your knowledge and that you care for the hospitality industry. Did we mention recommendations, referrals, and possible work opportunities?
Volunteering allows you to meet a plethora of new people with your same interests, a sounding board when you have doubts, and a tight group of committed individuals that thrive on lifting each other up. You would not pay a gym membership to go sit in the lobby... so put yourself first, volunteer with MPIOC and open the door to a fit professional life!
AnnaLaura Becerra, CMP CTA
MPIOC VP of Membership
vp-membership@mpioc.com
