by L.E. Duncan

Created on: April 11, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Do not underestimate yourself! The knowledge and skill sets you have obtained through volunteerism and community service are valuable to prospective employers! Properly communicating your non-paid work to a hiring manager or human resource manager is critical to the success of your job search and obtaining that all-important job-interview.

The goal of your resume and cover letter is to get a hiring manager's attention and ultimately entice him or her to invite you in for an interview. Using volunteer work or community service on your resume not only shows that you are an involved citizen of your community, but if your volunteer work is applicable to the job you are seeking, it absolutely should be on your resume.

Many people re-entering the workforce after a significant period of time can use their volunteer activities to show their knowledge, skills and the ability to work well with others. There are many volunteer positions that are not just "given away" because you want to volunteer. Human resource managers know this, and respect the work and required skill-sets just as they do paid employment.

Whether a paid position or volunteered, the organizational skills, communication skills and the ability to lead, work on a team or coordinate with multiple organizations to accomplish a goal are critical skills that are activley sought out by employers. Ensure you communicate these skills and experience to prospective employers.

The correct format for your resume is very dubious, that is, the popular opinion on resume formats waiver considerably and it can be difficult to decide the proper format to use. In the past there have been formats that include a section for Volunteer Work or Community Service. When determining how and where to place your volunteer work in your resume do not use a separate section.

Instead, integrate your volunteer work into your Work Experience or Work History section of your resume. Where it is important to communicate that you are a volunteer and are involved in the community, do not use the words such as "Volunteer" as your job title. Use the title for the position or work that you did. For example, if you volunteered to manage a community clean-up project, use the title Project Manager in your work experience.

It is important to understand that your resume should be tailored for the job you are applying. Throwing your volunteer work onto a resume or in a cover letter just to fill space, or show that you've done something, anything, is irrelevant to an employer. Your resume should be easy to read, with plenty of white space. Most of your volunteer work can easily be articulated in such a way to support the position you are applying for, just don't add it for lack of better substance.

You should always communicate all of your experience, whether it was from paid employment or volunteer work. It does not matter to a hiring manager where those skills, knowledge or experience were received; the fact that you have them is what is important.

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