What's the best way to include volunteer work on your resume?

The inclusion of volunteer work on a resume is beyond invaluable. Doing so demonstrates versatility in being selfless, kind, and patient. You’re also manifesting a proven skill set of community minded tasks. The last section of a CV or resume is typically the location in which one would place volunteer service. However, some people find it beneficial to highlight these elements at the top of the page. Choose the design you’re most comfortable with.

One thing that I have found help is to know where your talents lie and share them with organizations that are struggling for help. For example you may be great with dogs. A shelter may need your help with dog walking. You never know your upskilling my start your own business!

I personally chose to mention my voluntary work in my profile to highlight the fact that I made a conscious choice to take a career-break from a traditional corporate role out of passion for the work I volunteered. It is important and pertinent for me to know how many prospective employers consider this role relevant in their hiring process and consider it as a valuable contribution to their vision and mission of their respective organisations.

Including volunteer work on a CV not only demonstrates commitment but also enhances a candidate's adaptability and problem-solving skills, developed through handling diverse and unpredictable scenarios. It shows the ability to swiftly integrate with various team dynamics and cultural environments, crucial in a globalized workplace. Volunteer experiences also reflect a dedication to ethical practices and social responsibility, resonating with corporate priorities on social impact. This engagement highlights emotional intelligence, vital for leadership roles that require empathy-driven management and innovation, indicating a candidate's readiness to contribute uniquely and significantly to an organization’s culture and operational success.

I chose to include my volunteer work as a separate section rather than mentioning it at the bottom of my resume. I chose to highlight my volunteer work in the career-break section which is a well thought out provision made by LinkedIn. While many articles scream at you to desist from highlighting or even mentioning career-break in your resume, in today's world of an evolving mindset, however bleak it may seem, it is worth making an effort to project one's sincere and conscious attempt to have taken a career-break rather than make your prospective employer assume that it was a lack of options that made you take a break. Care must be taken to back your decision with a convincing reason.

Including volunteer work in resume gives a wider perspectives of what you really like to do and how your skills are used outside work, it can be an eye opener. Volunteer experience develops a whole lot of transferable skills for future roles and present opportunities to gain wider experience.

While it's common to separate volunteer roles from paid positions to distinguish between the two, integrating volunteer work into the work experience section can be highly effective, especially if your volunteering involves significant responsibilities akin to a full-time job. For instance, if you've served as the executive director of a non-profit, this role should be listed under your professional experience. This highlights the extensive skills and leadership qualities you've applied in managing an organization, underscoring your capability in handling complex roles, regardless of monetary compensation. This approach ensures your volunteer experience is visible and underscores its relevance and impact alongside paid roles.

Incluindo na aba de atividades voluntárias, mas buscando traduzir as principais habilidades adquiridas, quais as conexões das atividades com cargos tradicionalmente remunerados e principais atingimentos, incluindo elementos quanti e qualitativos da trajetória.

𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲. For seasoned professional, I would suggest NOT including this experience as you don't want it "𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠" for the attention of the person reading the resume. For new graduates and those with little to no practical experience, volunteer experience can be a nice supplement to add to your general knowledge and to show you are an active participant in the workforce.

➡️ On your resume, create a special part for "Volunteer Work" or "Helping in the Community." ➡️ If you did something special or achieved a goal, talk about it. Like, "Organized an event that raised $8,000 for an NGO." ➡️ Think about the skills you learned from volunteering. These could be things like talking with others, working in a team, leading, organizing, and solving problems. If these skills match the job you want, mention them. ➡️ Try to connect your volunteer work to the skills the job needs. This shows how your volunteering fits with the job. ➡️ If you were in charge of something when you volunteered, tell about it. This shows that you can take the lead and handle tasks.

What happens if you receive compensation for volunteer work? For instance, I know an oil and gas executive who, in retirement, teaches university students. Although the institution compensates him, the amount is negligible compared to his previous earnings. In many cases, he even subsidizes the teaching activities. Therefore, he lists all his teaching roles as volunteer work because, financially, he supports them more than he profits.