How to Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume

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Mentioning your volunteer work experience on your resume can increase your chances of getting hired. It can also create a positive impression of your personality and bring added-value to your skills and qualifications. This article explains why it can be beneficial to list volunteer work on your resume and how you can include it with the help of a template and an example.

Should you include volunteer work on your resume?

Volunteering can be time well-spent as a method for developing your skills while benefiting the community. The main objective of volunteer work is to unify with others towards the common good for an important cause or some other form of beneficial activity. Some people engage in volunteer work to establish connections in their community while others simply enjoy offering their time and talents in service to a particular cause or organization. Mentioning volunteer work on your resume can leave a positive impression about your skills and personality on an employer.

How to include volunteer work on a resume

The following steps can be followed to specify volunteer work on resume effectively:

1. Firstly, select the right section to display the volunteer work

Placing the volunteer work effectively on your resume is extremely important to create the right impression. You may display the volunteer experience next to your work experiences for the continuity and flow of information. If, however, you place the volunteer work experience before the actual work experience, it may create an adverse impression on your employer.

2. Secondly, make a selective list of your volunteer work

You shouldn’t mention an excessive number of volunteer work roles on your resume. The employer likely has minimal time to review your resume. You should include volunteer work that best projects your personality and interests. You can select up to two to three of your best volunteer experiences to list on your resume. You can then create a positive impression about the volunteer work mentioned on your resume, and you can discuss them further if you are asked about them in an interview. 

3. Thirdly, select related volunteer work

Select the volunteer work that is related to your application. Similar volunteer work can improve your resume’s impression on the recruiter. It also shows your experience in activities that are related to the job. An essential addition to your resume can be any volunteer work you have done in the institution itself. If you have a previous volunteer work experience at the same organization you’re applying to, you may include the experience to create a positive impression on the recruiter. 

For example, if you are applying for a hospital-based job, it is recommended that you include any hospital-related volunteer work. Or, if you are applying for an event management job, you can mention a the details of organizing a fundraiser to add to your skills and qualifications.

4. Fourthly, follow a particular format

You may choose any format that suits your requirements. It is, however, recommended that you select a format that is generally used to mention volunteer work on resumes. An example of the format may include specifying the volunteer work category at the top. You can then add one line, with the name of the work/experience and the address where the activity occurred. 

This information can be followed by one or two points elaborating your part in the activity, the results and the benefit of the experience. You may tailor a format that suits your purpose yourself. You may also add or reduce sections or points to the format mentioned above as per your requirements.

5. Next, mention one or two unrelated roles in volunteer work

Mentioning unrelated volunteer work on the resume can help the recruiter in seeing the diverse range of activities that you have contributed to. Unrelated volunteer work may include any activity that is not directly related to the vacancy. It may also include volunteer work done in a different industry or formal environment.

6. Then, diversify the categories that you mention

Volunteer work can belong to five categories: formal, governance, non-formal, social action and project-based. It is essential that on a general resume, you portray a combination of these volunteer works you have done. If, however, your resume targets a specific job, it is better to mention volunteer work that relates to the job category only. If you are applying for the job of a project manager, you may include details of any volunteer work where you have managed or assisted with a project.

7. Finally, only include work you have done

You should only mention the volunteer work that you have actually performed. Mentioning volunteer work experience that is not real can create a negative impression on the employer if they find out. It may become one of the reasons for your application to get rejected.

Template for including volunteer work on a resume

Use the following template as guidance for including volunteer work on a resume:

[Title of first related (formal) volunteer work]

[Name of event/position title]

  • [A one-line summary of your role in the activity]
  • [A one-line description of the results of the volunteer activity]
  • [Brief description of your experience]

[Title of second related (formal) volunteer work]

[Name of event/position title]

  • [A one-line summary of your role in the activity]
  • [A one-line description of the results of the volunteer activity]
  • [Brief description of your experience or a particular thing that you learned from your experience]

[Title of first unrelated (any category) volunteer work]

[Name of event/position title]

  • [A one-line summary of your role in the activity]
  • [A one-line description of the results of the volunteer activity]
  • [Brief description of your experience or a particular thing that you learned from your experience]

[Title of second unrelated (any category) volunteer work (if any)]

[Name of event/position title]

  • [A one-line summary of your role in the activity]
  • [A one-line description of the results of the volunteer activity]
  • [Brief description of your experience or a particular thing that you learned from your experience]

Volunteer work on resume example

Here is an example of what volunteer work could look like on your resume:

Related Volunteer Work

Fundraiser

Rosemount Volunteer Fundraising, 24 Community Complex

  • Worked as a senior assistant in fundraiser management, directly under the main event manager 
  • Collected $150,000 from 2,000 tickets, sold for the concert exceeding the target by $25,000
  • Learned promotional methods and gained top-level event management experience

Hospital volunteering

Member of the Hospital Management Committee, Great Grand Hospital

  • Worked in the hospital management department in coordinating weekly management activities 
  • Managed the daily routine works of both the administration and domestic staff 
  • Learned time-based and everyday management processes and methodologies

Neighborhood cleaning

Cleaning crew, 24th Grand Street

  • Engaged with a group of friends in cleaning the excessive waste in the landfill site near our home street
  • Gained group working experience