Volunteer for something you feel passionately about

It's free for you, you help others, and it's one more thing to add to your resume. In this kind of economy, anything that sets you apart from other applicants will be your key to getting that interview.

When I was going to school in Santa Barbara, there was a volunteer organization called Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter (B.U.N.S.), which cares for abandoned rabbits that I worked at with a friend. I love animals, but there was no way I could have a pet, let alone a bunny in Isla Vista, a college party town. In order to get my pet 'fix', I helped out once a week and cleaned cages, let the bunnies out to play, feed them, and of course cuddle them! Not only did I LOVE hanging out with the bunnies, but I also helped for the sake of helping. Whether you want to find your own bunny shelter or maybe help at a local food bank, volunteers are almost always welcome.

Some suggestions:

• Craigslist has a volunteers section under 'Community'
• Second Harvest Foodbank
• Project Open Hand
• SPCA
• The Red Cross
• American Cancer Society
• Meals on Wheels
  
• Senior Centers
• Upcoming film festivals
• Libraries
• Hospitals
• Volunteer opportunities in San Jose