Put Volunteer Work on Your Resume

Volunteer work can be a great way to show employers you have experience in a specific area and demonstrate your commitment to helping others. Volunteer work is also ideal for recent graduates who do not have a lot of work experience but have logged significant volunteer hours. To showcase volunteer work on your resume, start by selecting volunteer experience that is relevant and specific. Describe the volunteer work so potential employers are aware of its value and impact on you. Then, place the volunteer work in your resume so it flows well with your other experience.

Steps

Selecting the Volunteer Work

  1. Pick volunteer work that relates to the positions you are applying for. Do not include every single good deed or volunteer position you have done, as this will just clutter up your resume. Instead, focus on volunteer work that demonstrates skills or experience that will be useful for the positions you want.[1]
    • For example, if you are applying for jobs in education, include volunteer experience where you worked with children or for organizations that focused on mentoring young students.
  2. Include volunteer work where you took on a leadership or management role. Volunteer work is the most effective when it shows an employer that you took on a vital role or position.[2] Highlight work that shows you are a leader or a self-starter. Include volunteer work where you helped to run a program, a team, or a product table. Pick volunteer work where you lead an initiative or collaborated with others to get a program going.[3]
    • For example, you may include volunteer work where you ran the volunteer table at your local art fair. Or you may mention volunteer work where you worked with a team of other volunteers to ensure a goal or task was completed.
  3. Choose volunteer work you have done consecutively for several years. Employers like to see that you are a devoted volunteer and tend to notice if you have volunteered for the same organization or program for several years in a row. They may also appreciate if your volunteer work focuses on the same industries or areas over a long period of time, as this shows you have a lot of experience in one area.[4]
    • For example, you may include your years as a volunteer at music festivals and art fairs if you are applying for a position in the arts. Or you may note your ongoing volunteer work with youth in your community, a position you have held for several years in a row.
  4. Select volunteer work that speaks to your professional interests. Be sure to include volunteer work that will give your employer a good sense of your character and your interests as a professional. Tell your employer what you care about and what you like to support through the volunteer work on your resume.[5]
    • For example, if you are passionate about supporting at-risk youth, include your volunteer experience in this area on your resume. Or if you like to support young girls in engineering, include your volunteer work in this area.
    • Make sure you are comfortable including volunteer work that is affiliated with religious groups or political groups, as your employer will take this into account when reviewing your resume.

Describing the Volunteer Work

  1. Use a specific title for your volunteer role. If you managed a program or project as a volunteer, use a title like “Project Manager” or “Program Coordinator.” If you lead a team of volunteers, go for a title like “Team Lead” or “Team Organizer.” Avoid generic titles like “Volunteer,” as it is not very specific and does not tell your employer much about your experience.
    • Keep the titles short, no longer than 1-3 words. Use terms that indicate you were a leader or played a vital role in the volunteer effort.
  2. Highlight your achievements in the role.[6] Include any goals you helped the organization to reach as a volunteer. Note any money raised by the organization during your time as a volunteer. Describe your achievements as a volunteer in 1-2 short sentences or phrases.
    • For example, you may write, “Helped the organization to raise $5,000 for cancer research” or “Assisted the program in serving meals to over 4,000 homeless people in the community.”
  3. List the skills you gained in the volunteer role. Be detailed and specific when you discuss the skills you gained. Include 1-2 skills per each volunteer role so your employer can get a sense of what you did as a volunteer.
    • For example, you may write, “Trained a team of 10 volunteers,” “Composed newsletters and press releases,” or “Promoted the organization on several social media platforms.”

Placing the Volunteer Work in Your Resume

  1. Create a section called “Community Service” or “Volunteer Work.” This is a good option if you do not have any work experience you can list on your resume as a new grad.[7] It may also be ideal if you have a lot of work experience and want to keep your volunteer work separate.[8]
    • Make sure you include at least 3-5 volunteer positions that are relevant and detailed so the section feels full.
  2. Integrate your volunteer work into your “Work Experience” section. Rather than create a separate section for volunteer work, put it under your existing work experience section. Include it in chronological order among your other work experience. This way, your employer can get a sense of your work experience as a whole.
    • Make sure you note any experience that was volunteer-based as “voluntary” or a “volunteer position” so employers are aware of the difference.
    • If you already have a lot of work experience, only include the most important volunteer experience so the section is not overly long.
  3. Format the volunteer work to match the rest of your resume. Check that the spacing and font of your volunteer work matches the rest of the text in your resume. Use the same styles for the titles for your volunteer work. List the details of your volunteer work using the existing format you already have in your resume. This will ensure your resume looks cohesive and polished.[9]

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References