The idea of writing a resume is to show your prospective employer that you’re a perfect fit. It includes information like your educational qualifications, skills, and professional experience and explains why an employer should consider you for the job. Listing community service on resume can help employers get a deeper insight into your interest and the societal help you have done.
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Here are some reasons why you should add community service to your resume:
- Adding community service work on the resume will help employers know about your experience and interest- majorly if you have little professional experience.
- It offers details on transferable skills when switching careers or sectors.
- It adds context when there are gaps in the resume for a long period.
- It adds weight to a resume with limited experience, especially when you are just out of college.
Community service work is also great for those applying in sectors where the work is valued, such as NPOs or academic jobs.
Here are some tips on listing your community service work on your resume.
Name and contact details
Pick a professional email address. Add details like a professional portfolio link.
Job experience
Add keywords specific to your job and showcase what impact you made by working at different companies with numbers, if possible.
Education
List your recent educational qualifications. Support them with related certifications and awards, if any.
Optional section
You can add an optional section of volunteer work, awards, interests, etc. there are different community service formats on your resume. Choose the one that suits you.
Tips for listing community service on resume
Check your resume for every job application
It is important to personalize your resume to every employer’s requirements. Add specific skills, qualifications, and characteristics your potential employer wants to see in you. Develop a personalized version that will work best for the specific job position. You should also do some research on the company by visiting their website.
Add keywords relevant to the job posting
Cautiously check the job posting for which you want to apply. Pay attention to the keywords used in them and add those under your qualifications and experience sections. The job posting keywords will give you an idea of the employees the employer is looking for. You can include your volunteer work here. Make sure you position it efficiently.
For instance, if the employer wants to see your organizational skills, take a moment to mention specifics time when you made such efforts during volunteer work.
Add volunteer work as and when needed
Community service work can add support and volume to a resume that doesn’t have essential work experience. But if you have extensive experience, you can shorten your volunteer section.
Add community service work to your resume, especially if it is relevant to your potential employer. However, if it doesn’t have any connection to your job goals, you can leave it.
These are some tips to focus on when mentioning community service on a resume. Follow them to get a good and appealing resume.
