In short
Volunteering experience strengthens a CV by showing skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and communication. Give it its own section if it’s significant, or include relevant roles under work experience, start descriptions with action verbs, quantify your achievements and tailor it to each job. It can also help fill gaps in your employment history.
The modern job market demands a strong CV, and volunteer experience is a key component often underestimated. This section explores the effective utilisation of your volunteering history to enhance your CV’s appeal.
Skills gained through volunteering
Leadership and teamwork: Demonstrates your ability to lead and work within teams, a vital skill in any professional setting.
Problem-solving and initiative: Shows your ability to address challenges creatively and proactively.
Communication skills: Engaging with different groups improves your capacity to communicate effectively in various scenarios.
How to integrate volunteer experience into your CV
Placement of volunteer experience
Dedicated section: If you have significant volunteer work, consider creating a specific section titled ‘Volunteer Experience’.
Under work experience: For roles that align closely with your career goals, integrate them with your professional history.
Describing volunteer roles
Use action verbs: Start descriptions with dynamic verbs like ‘organised’, ‘led’, or ‘developed’.
Quantify achievements: Use numbers to make your impact tangible, like “raised £5,000 for charity”.
Maximising the impact of volunteer experience
Tailoring to job applications
Relevance is key: Make sure your volunteer experience relates to the job you are applying for.
Examples of transferable skills: Illustrate how skills from volunteering are applicable to the job.
Continuous professional development
Learning and growth: Highlight how volunteering contributes to your professional advancement.
Utilising volunteer experience in different career stages
Early career professionals
Building foundations: For those with limited work experience, volunteering can demonstrate essential skills.
Mid-career transitions
Bridging gaps: Use volunteer experience to fill employment gaps, showing ongoing professional engagement.
Senior professionals
Leadership and expertise: Emphasise leadership roles in volunteer work to showcase advanced skills.
In summary, effectively showcasing volunteer experience on your CV can significantly enhance your job application, presenting you as a well-rounded and skilled professional. It’s about the skills and experiences you’ve acquired, not just the roles you’ve held
Want to volunteer but don’t know where to start? Download our app for volunteering and find opportunities near you.
Written by
Co-founder and CEO
Ashley Staines is the co-founder and CEO of Volunteero. After seven years in investment banking, he started it to make volunteering easier to organise.
