Healthy Living
4 tips to help your volunteer experience stand out on your resume
23 February 2018 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
By Markie Rousseau
People volunteer their time for many reasons, but a major motivator for many volunteers is to gain experience they can use toward landing a job. But some may wonder: Does volunteering help you stand out to a potential employer?
The answer to that question (drumroll please) is YES! Your unpaid work does matter when you’re applying for a job. In fact, it could mean the difference between being selected for an interview or not — especially if you’re new to the workforce, re-entering the job market after an extended absence, or changing careers.
In each of these scenarios, your volunteer experience is vital to showing that you have skills and experience relevant for the job. Here are four tips for how to include this experience on your resume:
List your volunteer positions alongside your paid work, under the heading Experience (not employment history). This way you are being honest and showing your engagement in work-related activity.
List accomplishments, and not just tasks or duties. Explain how you are making a difference for the company/organization based on your work and contributions. Add in any statistics and always list your skills, how you developed them, and why they contribute to the success of the company/organization.
Match your accomplishments to the job you are applying for. When reviewing the job posting, make sure you are mirroring its duties and objectives throughout your resume.
Have your volunteer supervisor review your resume for feedback and to ensure accuracy. Do not disclose sensitive or private information and always be honest.
If you have other unrelated volunteering experience, you can add a separate section at the bottom of your resume, after all the relevant employment information. Here, you can add any soft skills that would be beneficial in any working environment, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, goal attainment, and time management.
To make your resume stand out, you must always target it to the specific employer and company. This requires research, time, consideration and creativity. If you would like assistance in doing this, visit a YMCA Employment Centre near you. And if you’re looking for a rewarding volunteer experience, check out our Volunteer Opportunities page.
People volunteer their time for many reasons, but a major motivator for many volunteers is to gain experience they can use toward landing a job. But some may wonder: Does volunteering help you stand out to a potential employer?
The answer to that question (drumroll please) is YES! Your unpaid work does matter when you’re applying for a job. In fact, it could mean the difference between being selected for an interview or not — especially if you’re new to the workforce, re-entering the job market after an extended absence, or changing careers.
In each of these scenarios, your volunteer experience is vital to showing that you have skills and experience relevant for the job. Here are four tips for how to include this experience on your resume:
- Treat volunteering like a job
List your volunteer positions alongside your paid work, under the heading Experience (not employment history). This way you are being honest and showing your engagement in work-related activity.
- Show what you achieved and learned
List accomplishments, and not just tasks or duties. Explain how you are making a difference for the company/organization based on your work and contributions. Add in any statistics and always list your skills, how you developed them, and why they contribute to the success of the company/organization.
- Customize your application
Match your accomplishments to the job you are applying for. When reviewing the job posting, make sure you are mirroring its duties and objectives throughout your resume.
- Get feedback
Have your volunteer supervisor review your resume for feedback and to ensure accuracy. Do not disclose sensitive or private information and always be honest.
If you have other unrelated volunteering experience, you can add a separate section at the bottom of your resume, after all the relevant employment information. Here, you can add any soft skills that would be beneficial in any working environment, such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, goal attainment, and time management.
To make your resume stand out, you must always target it to the specific employer and company. This requires research, time, consideration and creativity. If you would like assistance in doing this, visit a YMCA Employment Centre near you. And if you’re looking for a rewarding volunteer experience, check out our Volunteer Opportunities page.
