Is there a place for volunteer commitments on your resume?
This is a frequently asked question and certainly one that deserves some consideration. Over the years, I have developed a strategy to determine whether to include a client’s volunteer work on their resume or not. I evaluate my client’s professional situation, their target position and the actual volunteer activity. I have found that there are several scenarios where the answer to this question, is most definitely yes.
1. Has there been a career gap? If yes, and my client was smart enough and proactive enough to engage in volunteer activities to stay involved, apply their skills, and expand their network this is a resounding, yes—include. Volunteer work can show initiative, commitment, and of course indicate a heightened ability to work with people with diverse backgrounds and skill levels.
2. Is there a correlation between the volunteer tasks and the job requirements? This is a unique opportunity to capitalize on your volunteer commitments to reinforce you possess the target positions skill requirements. A recent client was going back to work after taking a significant amount of time off to have a family. However, she was actively involved in planning unique, successful and high-end fundraising events for a very esteemed and committed charity. Her targeted role was Executive Assistant which mentioned planning, scheduling and orchestrating exceptional events for both clients and staff as among their key requirements. I seized this opportunity to minimize her career gap and highlight her exceptional event planning skills. Her career gap became a minimal concern.
3. Is the volunteer activity in a more senior capacity? Serving on a board or in an advisory role? Treasurer managing significant funds? Applying for and successfully securing grants? Absolutely include, this emphasizes that you are employing and even in some cases enhancing your skills beyond the work environment. It indicates that you have the ability to balance multiple priorities, and that you are obviously viewed as a leader in your field. These are key skills that all prospective employers are looking for in a potential candidate.
4. Does the position you are targeting have a relationship with the charity or organization you volunteer for? Maybe someone on the board or your “soon to be” manager has ties to the same charity? This is common ground and can assist you in forming an instant connection, helping you stand out in a crowd of applicants. Of course, you already know about this connection because you have done your research!
