Volunteer work is an excellent addition to your resume. It can help boost your work experience and showcase your employment skills. If you’re wondering, “Should I list volunteer work on my resume?” the answer is yes. If you’re in search of companies hiring in Nashville, TN, or a job anywhere else in the country, volunteer experience on your resume can help you land an interview.
When it’s Important to Include Volunteer Work
There are certain situations when volunteer work can especially help you. These include:
- If you’re recently graduated. College grads typically use functional resumes, since they are fresh members of the workforce with very little experience. Your functional resume can list skills you gained from working a volunteer job, helping make your resume even more robust.
- If you took time off from the workforce. Just because you weren’t collecting a paycheck doesn’t mean you weren’t gaining valuable job skills. If you took time off to raise children or take care of an ill loved one, volunteer work during that time tells a potential employer you were still learning and building on your marketable skills.
- If you have an unemployment gap. Volunteer work is a great way to fill time when you’re looking for your next job. It keeps you engaged and motivated, plus you were gaining knowledge that can help you in your next career move.
Skills You Can Learn from Volunteer Work
When you list your volunteer work, think about all the ways you contributed that could be applied to other jobs. Event planning, counseling, time management, teamwork, communication, budget, social media… depending on the services you provided, you may be able to draw on many of the skills you used during your volunteer experiences!
Other Spots to Include Volunteer Work
If volunteer experiences were somehow related to your paid work experiences, you can include them chronologically in the work history section of your resume. Remember, a paycheck is not the only way to judge the value of work you’ve done and ways you’ve helped.
Looking for Your Next Job?
Wood Personnel can help. We know about the companies hiring in Nashville, TN, and can help you find your next job. To learn more, visit our job search page or contact us today!
