Volunteer Work on Your Resume? Absolutely!

Does Volunteer work belong on your resume? Of course it does!

For some reason, most people are hesitant to include volunteer activities and experience on their resume. They feel that prospective employers care only about their paid work experience. If this is true, then employers are missing out on some highly qualified candidates. Volunteer work can demonstrate many desirable skills, such as organization, leadership, teamwork, flexibility and commitment. In addition, it shows that you have a balanced lifestyle, where you have integrated a focus on helping others, being part of your community, and providing service to those who need it.

Many employers appreciate volunteerism as a sign of commitment to causes that you value. Since volunteers are not paid, this also demonstrates your willingness to be there because you want to be there, not because you’re getting paid to be there.
Many volunteer positions provide you with skills that are directly transferable to the workplace.
If you should have a period of unemployment on your resume, volunteer activities can help to bridge the gap, and show that you were productively occupied (even if not employed) during that time.

As is true with all information included on your resume, it does matter how you present the facts. Here are some tips on including volunteer information in your resume:

Try to find a job description for your major volunteer positions. If you don't have one, contact the organization for help, or check their website, to see if any volunteer opportunities are described.
Don’t be afraid to highlight volunteer information, where appropriate. Don’t hide it in one line at the very end of the page – emphasize your accomplishments, leadership positions, and positive effects on the community.
When you can, try to relate the position to specific skills you learned or demonstrated. Were you leading, coordinating, motivating, encouraging, teaching, training, mentoring, supervising? Try to emphasize skills which would be relevant to the job you are applying for. If you’re interviewing for a management position, point out the coordination and supervisory aspects. If you’re going after a position where teamwork is emphasized, focus on mentoring, motivating, and working with different groups on a variety of tasks.
In general, it’s a good idea to word things in a neutral way, without indicating alliance with a particular religion, political party, or controversial issue. Yes, it does seem unfair, but the person reading the resume may make some sort of judgment based on what they read. You can let them know that you have supervised a religious youth group, or managed a political campaign, but you don’t have to tell them which religious affiliation or which political party. Listing volunteer work is not about making a political statement, it’s about demonstrating your skills, in such a way that the reviewer would feel they are a valuable addition to your experience.