Leveraging your Volunteer Experience

Volunteering can be a way to gain new skills, knowledge and experience. It can also develop one’s existing skills and knowledge, and where you can share your professional skills and knowledge to benefit others (usually described as pro bono). Volunteer experience can enhance a resume with the result of improving one's employment prospects.

With this perspective, Volunteering can be a viable route to employment, or a chance to try something new which may lead to a career change

Whether you’re a recent grad or a seasoned professional, you might be wondering if you should put volunteer work on your resume. Employers want to see value, contribution, and impact on your resume. Volunteerism might be one of the best ways you can demonstrate those qualities, so don't discount its value to your job application. If you’re reading this and wondering if you should put volunteer experience on your resume, chances are you should!

Resume space is valued real estate — so how much of it should you spend on your volunteer experience? You might provide your title and a short description of your involvement with the organization. You may also include the number of hours you volunteered, so employers can gauge your level of involvement.

Here’s the best part: volunteer experience illustrates important skills you possess and shows that you’re involved in your community. This gives the hiring manager a more complete picture of who you are, making you a more compelling candidate. Use your volunteer experience as an opportunity to show a different side of yourself, as well as reinforce the qualities and skills that make you an appealing candidate.

And don’t downplay your experience — you should still take the time to describe your time spent volunteering even if it isn’t directly related to the job at hand. Emphasize the transferable skills you learned while working as a volunteer and describe your duties in quantifiable terms whenever you can.

 But be concise — describe how great you are in as few words as possible. Remember that everything on your resume should serve some purpose, not just fill space. Your volunteer work can go a long way in demonstrating your unique skill set and how it relates to the job you are seeking.