Treat Volunteer Experience as Valuable Work Experience

Volunteer experience should NOT be labeled separately from your work experience

Here are 5 reasons why volunteer experience is valuable and should be treated as legitimate work experience:

1. Volunteer Work is Real Experience

   • What matters most to employers is the experience, skills, and results gained during your time, not whether or not you were paid. If you contributed your time and skills to an organization or cause, you were performing valuable tasks—such as problem-solving, collaborating with teams, or managing projects—just like any paid role. Whether you were leading a team, organizing events, or handling client communications, these are all highly transferable work skills.

2. Use Descriptive Job Titles

   • Instead of labeling your role as "volunteer," consider using a title that more accurately reflects the work you did. For example, if you coordinated events, you could list yourself as an "Event Coordinator" or "Project Manager" rather than "Volunteer Event Coordinator." This shifts the focus from the fact that it was unpaid to the skills and responsibilities you handled, giving your experience more weight.

   Example:

   • Instead of: "Volunteer Coordinator"
   • Try: "Program Coordinator" or "Community Engagement Coordinator"

3. Focus on Achievements and Impact

   • When describing your volunteer work on a resume or in an interview, focus on the impact you made, and the skills you developed. Use bullet points to highlight responsibilities, accomplishments, and quantifiable results (e.g., number of people helped, funds raised, events organized). This demonstrates to employers that you were productive, goal-oriented, and contributed meaningfully—just like you would in a paid position.

   Example:

   • Instead of: "Volunteer at local animal shelter"
   • Say: "Managed social media accounts and led fundraising campaigns, resulting in a 30% increase in donations."

4. Showcase Transferable Skills

   • Many of the skills gained through volunteer work are directly applicable to the workforce, including leadership, communication, project management, customer service, and problem-solving. Whether you were mentoring, coordinating teams, or managing projects, these skills are highly valued in any professional setting. Framing your volunteer roles as legitimate work experience helps to demonstrate you're ready for paid work and can handle similar responsibilities.

   Example:

   • If you volunteered as a mentor or coach, emphasize skills like "mentoring," "team leadership," "conflict resolution," or "coaching."

5. Don't Downplay Its Significance

   • If you have significant volunteer experience but limited paid experience in a particular field, downplaying or omitting this experience might suggest that you lack relevant skills or commitment. Instead, treat your volunteer work as professional experience and highlight it as proof of your practical skills, initiative, and passion. Employers will appreciate that you took the time to gain real-world experience, even without a paycheck.

How to Position Volunteer Work on Your Resume:

• Use Job Titles Over "Volunteer": Use titles that describe what you actually did in the role, not just "volunteer."
  • Example: "Program Manager" instead of "Volunteer Program Manager."
• Quantify Your Impact: Use numbers to demonstrate your contributions, such as how much money was raised, how many people were served, or how many projects you completed.
  • Example: "Organized a charity event that raised $10,000 for local shelters."
• Skills Section: Include any relevant skills you developed during your volunteer work, especially those that align with the role you're applying for.
• "Relevant Experience" Section: If your volunteer work is directly relevant to the job you're applying for, place it in a section like "Relevant Experience" or "Professional Experience" rather than "Volunteer Experience."

Example of How to List Volunteer Work:

Event Coordinator | Nonprofit Organization | January 2022 – Present

• Boosted event attendance by 40% by developing and executing a targeted social media strategy, significantly expanding event reach and engagement.
• Created and implemented a targeted social media strategy that drove a 40% increase in event attendance, enhancing overall visibility and engagement.
• Secured a 25% increase in donations by launching targeted campaigns, securing sponsorships, and engaging donors through personalized outreach, exceeding fundraising goals.

Final Thoughts:

Volunteer work is not just about helping others; it's about building skills, gaining experience, and making a tangible impact. By treating your volunteer roles as legitimate work experience, you demonstrate to employers that you have the skills, initiative, and passion needed for the job. Whether paid or unpaid, your volunteer work is real experience that should be showcased in a way that highlights its value.