What Volunteer Experience to Put on a Resume
When crafting a resume, it’s essential to showcase your volunteer experience effectively. Volunteering not only demonstrates your commitment to community service but also highlights transferable skills that can be valuable in the workplace. However, not all volunteer experiences are equally beneficial to include on your resume. Here are some tips to help you decide what volunteer experience to put on a resume.
1. Relevant Skills and Experiences
First and foremost, prioritize volunteer experiences that align with your career goals and industry. For instance, if you’re applying for a marketing position, you might highlight your experience with organizing events or managing social media campaigns for a non-profit organization. Similarly, if you’re aiming for a healthcare career, showcasing your volunteer work at a local clinic or hospital can be advantageous.
2. Leadership and Management Skills
Volunteer positions that required leadership or management skills are particularly valuable to include on your resume. Examples include being a team leader, organizing volunteer events, or overseeing a project. These experiences demonstrate your ability to motivate others, manage resources, and achieve goals, which are valuable skills in many professional settings.
3. Community Impact
Highlighting the impact of your volunteer work can make your resume stand out. Explain the positive changes you helped create, such as raising funds for a cause, improving community facilities, or supporting underprivileged individuals. Quantify your achievements whenever possible, such as by stating the number of people you helped or the amount of money you raised.
4. Transferable Skills
Volunteering can provide you with a wide range of transferable skills that are valuable in the workplace. These include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. Be sure to identify and emphasize these skills in your resume, using specific examples from your volunteer experiences.
5. Unique or Unconventional Experiences
If you have a unique or unconventional volunteer experience, consider including it on your resume. For instance, if you’ve volunteered abroad, worked with a marginalized community, or participated in a specialized project, these experiences can set you apart from other candidates and provide valuable insights into your character and capabilities.
6. Omitting Irrelevant Experiences
It’s important to be selective about the volunteer experiences you include on your resume. Avoid listing experiences that are too outdated, irrelevant to your career goals, or don’t demonstrate your skills and accomplishments effectively. Focus on the most impactful and relevant experiences to make the most of your resume space.
In conclusion, when deciding what volunteer experience to put on a resume, prioritize those that align with your career goals, showcase your skills, and demonstrate your commitment to community service. By effectively highlighting your volunteer experiences, you can strengthen your resume and increase your chances of landing your desired job.
