My volunteer leadership and management is much more extensive than my actual paid work- how to show this on my resume?

Erin Luken

September 15,2022 at 1:53PM UTC

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My volunteer leadership and management is much more extensive than my actual paid work- how to show this on my resume?

I have been working mostly office admin roles in healthcare and finance, and am more than ready to move up in my career, but am having trouble figuring out the best way to structure my resume. I am deeply involved in high level roles in two different international volunteer organizations in my spare time. These roles involve project management, project development, membership recruitment and retention, volunteer management, and leading/directing meetings with community business and non-profit leaders. I am frequently recognized for my diligence, passion, and follow-through in these roles and have been "promoted" quickly in these organizations, yet I feel stuck and unchallenged at work.

How do I showcase my leadership skills and experience on my resume, as volunteer experience is typically relegated to a couple of lines near the end?

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Gretchen SkalkaSeptember 15,2022 at 3:01PM UTC
Your resume and LinkedIn profile do not have to be just a rundown of what you've done in exchange for compensation.
Relevant experience IS experience.
A resume, after all, is simply a presentation document.
A personal marketing tool you create to acquaint others with your background, skills and accomplishments.
Don’t think of it as a ‘this is what I got paid for’ document. Instead, think of it as a ‘this is what I can do’ document.
Your volunteer work is also very attractive to employers because it shows that you have a growth and commitment mindset, and also demonstrates your ability to manage your time, prioritize commitments and that you ARE passionate (instead of just putting it on the document).
Volunteering is a demonstration of many of the skills people add but don't quantify.
So add it to your Experience section and highlight the accomplishments you've achieved there.
It is mega win-win for you Erin!
And also - I know I started with it, but I have to reiterate making sure your LinkedIn profile is also updated and optimized. You can really showcase achievements there.
As a hiring manager and department head for more than a decade, I can tell you that I leveraged LinkedIn for every candidate I hired.
I hope this was helpful! :)
Erin LukenSeptember 16,2022 at 5:29PM UTC
Thank you for the advice! Thinking about ALL of my experience as "Relevant Experience" is such a change in perspective. I feel empowered now to restructure my resume, while not feeling like I'm "cheating" somehow by enumerating my achievements outside of paid work closer to the top.
Thanks for the LinkedIn reminder, too! I've landed my last two positions through networking, but will be updating/using LinkedIn as I expand my search for roles that fit my goals.
Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterSeptember 15,2022 at 5:35PM UTC
As a Master Resume Writer, I completely agree with everything Grethen has said - experience is experience.
Joanne RosenSeptember 17,2022 at 4:05PM UTC
I ran a program in Canada that matched unemployed people with volunteer opportunities so they could learn new skills. We were funded by the government because they understood the value of voluntarism.
I've sat on non-profit boards and volunteered thousands of hours.
Yes, it's relevant experience. However, don't just list duties. Your whole resume should be based on achievements.
We just did a resume for a client who had been on a childcare sabbatical for 10 years. During that time, she did amazing volunteer work. THAT was featured on the top of her chronological resume because it was current.
She got the job.
Cheers
Joanne
www.analyticadvantagecc.com