Listing Volunteer Work On Your Resume

Job seeking can be a hit or miss situation, especially if you’re new to the workforce or a seasoned career changer. A big roadblock for some people is experience, which is common due to the fact that it’s in the top three things hiring managers are looking for when skimming resumes. The good news is that, even if you don’t have work experience, there are plenty of ways to attain that experience depending on the position you’re trying to land. An easy and FREE way to gain experience is to volunteer!

Volunteer work can be a great addition to your resume especially if you want to show some personality in the first few seconds of introduction to potential employers. Not only does it show employers that you can commit to something, it also shows that you are willing to stay active in your job search. The key is tailoring your resume to match the type of position you are applying for and that same concept can be applied to your volunteer work.

There are plenty of organizations who provide opportunities within different departments and enlist volunteers to help. Volunteering ranges from soft skills to technical skills, and so on. There is literally an opportunity for everyone. One thing to remember is that you need to choose the type of volunteer event based on what you hope to gain. If you are looking for work experience, find opportunities based on the industry or specific position you are interested in. For example, If you want to be an administrative professional search for administrative assistant volunteer opportunities. Tons of companies have paperwork just waiting to be organized, meetings to be scheduled, etc.

If you are interested in volunteering because it gives you a sense of giving back to the community then choose opportunities that are based on the important things you care about as an individual. This would be a great tool to use in interviews when hiring managers ask the famous question “Can you tell me about yourself?” Employers love hiring candidates that are dedicated and motivated, what a better way to show that by giving your time and resources to someone in need. Another pro to volunteering is that your volunteer supervisor(s) can be references! In concussion, there are plenty of benefits to volunteering and one just happens to be potentially landing you your dream job. See below for some local volunteer opportunities and don’t forget to update your resume!

Human Resources:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp3240481.jsp

Administrative:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/results/opp_detail.jsp?oppid=3180517

Accounting/Finance:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/results/opp_detail.jsp?oppid=2968962

https://www.volunteermatch.org/results/opp_detail.jsp?oppid=2878737

https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp809639.jsp

https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp3296483.jsp

Child Care/Social Work:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/results/opp_detail.jsp?oppid=2905865

https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp2004983.jsp