Resumes can be tough to draft when all your work has to be condensed and compressed into a one-page document of all your past achievements that can describe your future goals and priorities. Therefore, you must not fail to include anything relevant that can help you land that interview or job. Volunteer work is critical when drafting a resume, as it can help you define your personality and work ethic. But how do you make space for your volunteer work that seems unrelated but is undoubtedly essential to the job you are working for? Here is a complete guide on squeezing volunteer work into your resume to increase your chances of an interview.
Should you include volunteer work on your resume?
After all, a resume is the first mode of interaction you have with your recruiter. Your resume must be tailored to fit the job description. Volunteer work showcases your interest in evolution and learning a new skill set. While listing every volunteer work of your lifetime can hammer your resume, listing relevant skills obtained through volunteer work will drastically improve your chances of standing out in a crowd of applicants. Volunteer work demonstrates active participation and illustrates you as a person who steps forward and is unafraid of hard work.
When to include volunteer work on your resume
Many people do not see volunteer work as significant. But when you are applying for a company that admires and contributes to societal work for the greater good with giving as its core value, mentioning volunteer work is your way to establish common grounds between you and the company and will help you fit in the role. Volunteer work can also be a significant fallback and stepping stone when you are a fresher and just out of college without job experience. Volunteer work can also save you from forming an explanation for a gap in your career timeline and make it look like you were keeping busy. When you are changing jobs or career paths, volunteer work can form a bridge between your past jobs and your future aim if you choose it carefully. Another instance of including volunteer work on your resume is when you see space that cannot be filled on the page.
Read the job description
Sixty percent of the resume drafting is to know what the job entails and what is expected of you. When you read a job description, you have to prove that you meet the qualifications and requirements that make you feel you are correct for the job. Once you know what the recruiter needs, you can begin to create your resume in accordance with it. Your task is to present yourself as the perfect candidate for the job and that you possess the required skill set to fulfill the job. You can do this by presenting and mentioning the volunteer work relevant to the job under the work experience section.
Relate to the job
Once you know what the job entails, you know what is expected of you and how you can bring specific values and unique merits to the table. How do you show that you are more than just your past job experience and education? Through volunteer work, you can illustrate your expertise or even experience in specific fields that the job requires you to have. Mention your volunteer work relevant to the job so that it is visible but not the only part that is highlighted and made to be the resume's focus. If your volunteer work is irrelevant but can boost your chances of getting hired, you should mention it under the title of projects and personal projects.
Place the volunteer experience in the middle
While you must keep the relevant experience at the top, it is equally important to understand which job experience will matter the most on your resume. Your most recent job experience must be placed at the top, followed by the other experiences listed in reverse timeline order. Your volunteer experience, if relevant, essential, and recent, must come after the job experience, education, and degree qualifications. But it must be pushed down on the resume if it contributed a complementary skill or was very early during your timeline.
Focus on the language
Another important aspect of drafting a resume is to choose your words carefully. When reading the job description, pick out the keywords and phrases that you think are a perfect description of the ideal candidate. Using and reiterating those keywords in your resume will help you make an impression on the recruiter looking for them. Put your volunteer work into words that will prove your interest to the recruiter and help your resume to appear in line with the job you are applying for. The recruitment process also utilizes various filtering systems to track and shortlist candidates based on the words on your resume. Volunteer work with specific keywords mentioned that match the keywords listed in the resume scanner will help you pass these systems to secure a job interview.
Frame your experience carefully
The difference between every resume and the winning resume is how the recruiter perceives the written document of your achievements. It is essential to frame your volunteer work as substantial and relevant to make a lasting impression on the recruiter that only scans your resume. Use action words, include accurate details, and mention the company or the organization, your role, your responsibility, and the results you achieved during your time at it. Mention your achievements over responsibilities and your contribution to the project you helped with, and paint a picture of before and after your contribution to it. Here's how you can do it:
- Your position and/or title
- Company/Organization name
- Dates
- Location
- Achievements/Responsibilities
- Volunteering timeframe
What counts as volunteer work?
Volunteer work is a great way to feature variety on your resume. It shows that you are not afraid to get your hands dirty and do the groundwork to build momentum. Volunteer work can kickstart your career, as not many people mention free work on their resume. Still, employers and recruiters always look for people with volunteering experience on their resumes. Volunteer work on farm and permaculture projects may not seem like a big deal, but it can work wonders for your job application when framed correctly. For example, you can list the type of farms you worked at, your responsibilities, and your learning experience. However, it will not come under the highlight but will contribute to your resume. But projects such as wildlife conservation projects, Animal Rescue, and Animal Care will come under hobbies to illustrate your personality. And lastly, Social Impact Volunteer Work such as Volunteering with children and youth NGOs, education and teaching volunteering, and community development will significantly impact your recruiter. So, make sure you have some of them ready to dish out and answer on your resume.
Conclusion
With these tips and drafting points, you are bound to make space for volunteer work on your resume without feeling the need to hide it in the corner of the page. A powerful resume comes from editing and reiterating the information you are putting forth to your interviewer. So, make sure it is perfect to the last dot. All the best.
