How to Make Volunteering a Valuable Part of Your CV
Volunteering is more than a good deed
It can also be an important investment in your future. Many employers see volunteering as a strong signal of responsibility, initiative and teamwork skills. But how do you ensure that your volunteering becomes a strength on your CV and in your career? Here’s a guide on how to use volunteering strategically.
Define your role and outcomes
When writing volunteer work on your CV, it’s important to describe exactly what you did. Instead of just writing ‘Volunteer at X’, highlight your specific tasks and achievements.
Example: ‘ Planned and facilitated monthly patient webinars with +100 participants, increasing member engagement by 30%.’
This not only shows your involvement, but also the difference your efforts have made.
Use Volunteering as Career Training
Volunteering can be a great way to develop new skills that can be used in your future career. Think about what skills you have gained and how they can be transferred to other job roles.
Examples of skills from volunteering:
- Planning and organising events
- Communication and social media
- Coordination and teamwork
- Project management and strategy development
- Networking and relationship building
These skills can be just as valuable as those you gain in a paid job.
Use Volunteering in your Elevator Pitch
When applying for jobs or attending networking events, you can mention your volunteer work as part of your professional narrative.
Example:
‘I have experience facilitating patient communities and creating engagement through digital platforms – something I developed through my volunteer work at PiCC United.’
This shows not only your experience, but also your ability to take responsibility and create value.
Add It Active on LinkedIn and your CV
To make the most of your volunteering experience, add it visibly on both your CV and LinkedIn profile. Create a separate section for volunteering where you describe your role, just as you would with a paid job.
On LinkedIn, you can also ask for endorsements from people you’ve worked with to further strengthen your profile.
Utilise your network
Volunteering is often an opportunity to meet people who can help you further your career. Reach out, attend relevant events and build relationships that can open doors to new opportunities.
Ask for recommendations
Have you worked closely with an organisation or leader in your volunteering role? Ask for a written recommendation or a recommendation on LinkedIn. A strong reference from a volunteer organisation can be just as valuable as one from an employer.
Use Experience as a Springboard
Considering a career change? Volunteering can be a great way to gain practical experience in a new field. For example, if you want to work in communications, mention that you created content for a voluntary organisation – it shows hands-on experience.
Conclusion
Volunteering isn’t just something you give – it’s also something you get! By actively using your experience, you can strengthen your career, develop new skills and create valuable networks. So be sure to highlight your volunteering efforts so that it becomes part of your professional development journey.
Have you used volunteering to boost your CV?
Share your experiences in our forum and ask another PiCC advocate-members if they have don it.
Download our “How to Make Volunteering a Valuable Part of Your CV” e-book in our Toolsbox