As I try and sort through the volunteering options aimed at me, it occurs to me that picking a candidate or issue that matters to you and getting involved with the effort to help is a dynamite idea, one that you need very little (if any) previous experience to get going with.
No, they won't send you to the Sunday morning talk shows to represent the cause your first week, but they will welcome envelope-stuffers, phone callers, media outreach folks, helpers with food and drink, facilities assistance, list-makers, and many other things that relate to "getting the word out." You can make neat contacts for the future, develop skills that can help you, be exposed to new things that might really grab your attention, and hang around with people that have similar views and interests as you, which is fun all by itself!
It also strikes me that these sort of situations are spots where being VERY into the candidate or cause is more than just okay...it's helpful and encouraged! The more you care and can talk about why you care, the more options you'll have as far as possible duties, and this will lead to more knowledge and greater options, the very definition of engaged work. This is a spot where your granular understanding of the issue or person or opposition can come out appropriately and will be appreciated by those around you.
By getting going with this, you'll have new and pretty intriguing things to put on your resume, and you don't have to worry that places won't be interested in you because they might disagree with what you support...in reality, even if an individual might make a different selection personally, the fact that you got involved and cared enough to get active will impress them more than be dissuasive. It might lead to some lively conversation when being interviewed for a position, but as long as you know how to allow other people to have their own opinions, it's all a positive that will certainly work in your favor!
Writing, outreach, phone skills, teamwork, persuading people of your cause, "getting in there and getting your hands dirty," organizational skills...all things campaigns need and things that you can do for them, and are also skills that many jobs want. What better way to get/enhance/exhibit these skills by working for something that you care about?
'TIS THE SEASON...SEIZE THE MOMENT AND THE OPPORTUNITY!
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