Volunteer Work in Resume: Why Your Resume Needs Some Volunteer Love? 

The “Human” Factor

So, you've got a killer set of skills and job experiences that make you look like an all-star on paper. Awesome. But guess what? So do a lot of other people. Volunteering is your chance to show employers you’re a well-rounded human being, not just a resume robot. Think of it like this: your resume is a cake, and volunteer work is the icing that makes it memorable. In the words of Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

Gaining Real-World Skills

Hey, don't underestimate the power of the skills you gain while volunteering. Sarah, a friend of mine, started out helping with administrative tasks at a local charity. Before she knew it, she was organizing events and managing volunteers. When she applied for a management position later, her resume was a cut above the rest because of this experience.

Volunteer Work in Resume: The Different Flavors of Volunteering

Skill-Based Volunteering

This is where you use your professional skills in a volunteer setting. Say you’re a graphic designer; you might volunteer to create brochures for a local nonprofit. How cool would it be to tell a future employer, “I designed a brochure that helped raise $10,000 for a local charity”?

Good Ol’ Community Service

Let's be real; not every volunteering gig will align perfectly with your career. But picking up trash at a local park or serving meals at a soup kitchen can still show you’re a team player and care about your community.

Volunteer Work in Resume: Where Should This Golden Nugget Go?

Its Own Special Section

You can set aside a section titled "Volunteer Experience." Trust me, it stands out and gives recruiters something more to engage with.

Mixed Into Your Work History

If your volunteer work closely relates to your career, don’t hesitate to put it under "Work Experience." It’s all work; you just got paid in feel-goods rather than dollar bills.

Volunteer Work in Resume: The Nitty-Gritty of Adding this Stuff

Name-Dropping the Organization

Start off with the name of the organization where you volunteered and the timeframe. Was it Greenpeace from June 2020 to December 2020? Put that down!

Be a Storyteller with Your Role

Don’t just list tasks; tell a micro-story about your role. Instead of saying, “Organized charity runs,” how about, “Spearheaded a charity run that attracted over 500 participants and raised $20,000”?

Numbers Speak Louder Than Words

Hey, if you can quantify your volunteering achievements, you’ll be a step ahead. Why? Because numbers are easy to skim, and they catch the eye. Also, they give a sense of scale to what you did. Remember, "not everything that is counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted," but in a resume, the things that can be counted really stand out!

Shine a Spotlight on Those Skills

Hard Skills

Got to use Python to analyze donor data? That's gold, my friend. Put it right there on the resume.

Soft Skills

Managed a group of volunteers? Sounds like leadership skills to me! Tactful communication with different kinds of people at the organization also counts.

Volunteer Work in Resume: The Do’s and Don’ts

Yeah, Put That In

Make sure you include experiences that can be transferable to your job. Have you demonstrated leadership, problem-solving, or teamwork? That’s prime resume material!

Maybe Skip That

Avoid adding volunteer work that might be controversial or divisive, like political campaigns, unless it’s super relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Volunteer Work in Resume: Pick Your Resume Format

Chronological—The Classic

This is your standard resume format. Stick your volunteer work in its own section if it doesn't relate closely to your job experience.

Functional—The Skill Highlighter

Here, you're focusing on skills more than job history. You can weave in volunteer experiences as proof of your skills.

Hybrid—Best of Both Worlds

This one gives you room for both job history and skills, and volunteer work can fit snugly into either category.

Let’s Talk Keywords

You know those specific words and phrases in the job description? Those are your best friends when writing a resume. Incorporate them to make sure you get past the ATS (Applicant Tracking System).

Your Cover Letter: The Wingman to Your Resume

Don't forget, your cover letter can go into more detail about how your volunteer work prepared you for the role. Tell a compelling story about a problem you solved or an impact you made.

Volunteer Work in Resume: Common Mistakes

Don't go overboard or underboard. Keep it relevant, and don’t make it the star of the show unless it genuinely should be.

Tailor, Tailor, Tailor

Your resume should be as custom-fitted to the job as a tailor-made suit. So tweak your volunteer experience to align with the job description whenever possible.

How To List Volunteer Work on Your Resume (With Example)

Volunteer Work in Resume: Time to Wrap Up

Adding volunteer work isn’t just fluff; it’s strategic. It shows you have skills, character, and experience that set you apart. So go ahead, sprinkle that volunteer magic on your resume and watch opportunities unfold!

FAQs: Volunteer Work in Resume

Is volunteer work really that important on a resume?

Absolutely, especially if it gives you an edge in skills or experience.

I’ve only done a few volunteer gigs; should I still add them?

If they add value to your resume or fill in employment gaps, yes.

Can I add remote or virtual volunteer work?

Definitely! Remote work is work.

What if my volunteer work is super different from my career goals?

It still shows character and soft skills, so consider including it.

Do employers verify volunteer work?

Some might. So keep it honest, okay?