Volunteering: My Formula for Happiness and Career Success

Priyanka Markose from Bengaluru working as Application Development Associate with Accenture decodes what it means to leave behind a legacy. She also shares why paying back to the community is an indicator of success.

Have you ever wondered what kind of legacy you’ll leave?

A few days after I joined Accenture in 2017, I received an e-mail encouraging employees to get involved in their communities. I asked myself, at this point, what good am I doing for society? I may be a good application tester, but will that be my legacy? What will I leave behind?

The next day, I found myself a comfortable spot among some of the best Accenture volunteers in our swanky Bengaluru office. I was thrilled to step into their world and watch them pay it forward through various volunteering efforts for causes such as underprivileged youth, persons with disabilities and the environment.

Their passion, their conviction and their aspirations to create a positive change left me completely awestruck.

I walked into the room with a simple desire to explore something new. I left as the new volunteer on the block, ready to make a difference—and boost my career at Accenture along the way.

My formula for happiness

Fast forward to today. I am now the Corporate Citizenship Volunteering Lead in Bangalore, responsible for communications and strategy for our key areas of emphasis: Skills to Succeed, national volunteering, community volunteering, eco watch and virtual volunteering. I also help find people to set up and drive new initiatives.

Volunteering is my formula for happiness—I’ve donated more than 400 hours to an array of causes in Bengaluru and beyond.

My favorite volunteering moment?

It’s hard to choose, as I have many great memories. One of my favorites was teaching around 20 students at Nirmal Jyothi Technical Institute how to conduct themselves during interviews.

It was my first volunteering effort, and I was initially quite anxious. But the students’ inquisitiveness and positivity lifted me as I delivered a great session. Using my skills to help someone fills me with a deep sense of gratification.

Now, volunteering is an integral part of my life and I make it a point to do it every weekend.

How giving back leads to career success

Volunteering is not just good for the soul; it’s also a great way to gain vital skills to take your career to the next level. From interpersonal and leadership skills to relationship-building and time management, delegation, listening and analytics—I have learned so many skills that I’ve transferred to my day-to-day work.

Our ability to take initiative also grows when we volunteer. While spearheading our national volunteering events, I had to find the right points of contacts quickly and nurture relationships with them for help organizing events. This exercise helped me expand my network and, most importantly, see what was needed in the moment and act on that need.

This year, I’ll continue to focus on mentoring youth through our nonprofit partner, Enable India. Being a good sounding board for young people and having the ability to share my experiences in a way that prepares them for successes and failures really inspires me.

Remember, when you do good, it always comes back to you in ways you could have never imagined—personally and professionally.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave?

Make a difference while growing your career. Find your next opportunity with Accenture, today. 

This article was originally published here.