Putting Volunteer Work on Your Resume

Sometimes translating the unpaid experiences can seem difficult.  Unpaid experiences at any level can count toward your next goal.  One approach used by many people is to add a section called “Community Service” or “Volunteer Work.”  You list the highlights of volunteering here to show that you have interests outside of your regular employment.  This is certainly better than ignoring volunteer experience on your resume but it is not the best way to highlight what you have learned as a volunteer. 

Consider integrating your volunteer work into the section of your resume called “Work Experience.”  Even if you were not paid a salary and did not consider the volunteering as employment, it certainly was productive work and should count as experience.  The key is to translate what you gained from the volunteer activity into the language of the paid work world.

Don’t use “volunteer” as a job title.  It’s an adjective and alone does not convey the work that you accomplished.  If you did tutoring, use the title “Tutor.”  If you coordinated a project, identify your work accurately as “Project Coordinator.”  The fact that you filled this position in an unpaid capacity is part of your description of the work. 

Next, describe the volunteer work in terms of your achievements, highlighting the skills that you learned and demonstrated.  What would be important to the work world about what you did?  For example, did you raise $100,000?  Did you manage a budget or accomplish goals on schedule?  Did you supervise?  Even if you supervised other volunteers, your success required the ability to be a motivating leader.

Take the time to analyze what you learned as a volunteer.  Did you have the chance to practice public speaking?  Write reports, news releases, newsletters?  Did you plan projects, coordinate committees, or train others to do the work?  Such skills are applicable to just about any setting.

Describe your activities and achievements fully.  You do not need to say these were done as a volunteer.  Be honest about your experience just like you would with a paid position.  Don’t overstate what you did but also be sure to give yourself the credit you deserve.  And, don’t apologize about giving space on your resume to volunteering.  The whole goal of a resume is to get you an interview.

Document your volunteer accomplishments.  If you are serious about building a career based on volunteer work, you will need to develop a portfolio that documents your service and supports that you have the skills and experience needed for the job you are seeking.  It should contain a job description including title of the position, duties and responsibilities, skills utilized, dates of service, number of hours contributed, and training received.  Also include a letter from your volunteer supervisor with a brief evaluation of your performance and overall contribution to the organization.  Also maintain copies of any letters of commendation, awards, or newspaper articles that you receive.

If you tell a prospective employer that you want a particular job, your resume must prove that you are the right candidate to fill the position.  The whole goal of a resume is to get you an interview AND the job you really want!

Finding work in today’s job market is a difficult and highly competitive experience especially if you are looking for your first job after school, planning a career move, or returning to work after a hiatus. 

Welcome to one of the biggest obstacles of finding the right job without the experience to back you up!   

An important part of the job search is communicating your qualifications to potential employers.  And, one of the best ways to do this is through a resume.  It represents you to a potential employer.  As you begin the process, keep in mind that your paid work history may not be as important as what you have done as a volunteer in demonstrating the necessary job skills.

For more information about Job Placement, contact us by phone 503.399.5026, fax 503.399.7483 or by e-mail at jobplacement@chemeketa.edu. Visit us on the main floor in Bldg. 2, Rm 115.

                                                  

Updated June 2007 by the College Advancement Department.