Importance of volunteering competences on the labor market: the opinion of employers

Straipsnyje, remiantis Lietuvos ir užsienio autorių teorinėmis įžvalgomis, analizuojama savanorystės samprata skirtinguose kontekstuose, pateikiamos savanorystės fenomeno ir skirtingų požiūrių sąsajos. Atliktu žvalgomuoju tyrimu: pusiau struktūruotu interviu buvo siekiama nustatyti, kokios, darbdavių nuomone, yra reikalingiausios kompetencijos darbo rinkoje. Akcentuojama, kad darbdaviai vis daugiau dėmesio kreipia ne į formalias kompetencijas, būtent įrodantį išsilavinimo dokumentą, o į patirtį ir asmens charakteristiką.Volunteering is promoted in Lithuania. Labor market workers, the youth centers workers speak about it, emphasize the importance of voluntary activity for young people‘s practical skills and personal excellence. However, the aim of our study was to find out whether employers think the same. So, research problem is based on the question if non-formal (volunteer) competences are evaluated in the Lithuanian labor market, with the exception of non-governmental, business and the public sectors. Each of these sectors have different management, financing system, labor structure, the staff relationships. Research aim is to analyze the importance of non-formal competencesin the Lthuanian labor market. Research objectives are: to underline the theoretical aspects of volunteering phenomenon; to underline the Lithuanian labor market aspects for non-governmental, business and the public sectors; to assess the importance of non-formal (volunteering) competences for Lithuanian labor market. Analysis of scientific literature disclosed that volunteering is analyzed in three ways: as a phenomenon, activity form and educational process. The results of the pilot research have shown that the non-governmental sector employers appreciated voluntary activities, realized the growing popularity of it, and try to avoid threats of voluntary activities such as "fictitious" volunteering. Business sector employers understand volunteering during the economic aspect and its efficiency when a person invest in himself and in the future its has influence to his earnings. Public sector employers understand volunteering as a personal added value, but not as the main characteristics of the trait. The informants of all sectors consider that they need a person, who is communicative, creative, innovative, is able to to learn and have professional knowledge. It should be emphasized that all these competencies are more or less developed in voluntary activity. The recommendations of the article for young people are: to write about volunteering experience in their CV and to talk about it during a job interview; specific activities and responsibilities should be described. The recommendations of the article for employers are: to realize volunteering as an educational process, use working environment for voluntary activities and to provide opportunities for young person to get knowledge about particularity in the work