No Result
View All Result
Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
 Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Military Families
No Result
View All Result

Translating volunteer work to a professional resume 

Crystal Kupper
by Crystal Kupper
August 23, 2019
Volunteer resume

Military spouses can know how to leverage their volunteer experience in their professional resumes with these key tips.

ShareTweetEmailWhatsApp

Some of the most important work Elizabeth Graham has ever done was unpaid. As an elementary teacher with volunteer stints in Haiti and Guatemala, the 29-year-old Texas educator knew she had plenty to offer employers: international teaching experience, cross-cultural leadership skills and a demonstrated drive to help children.  

Just one small hiccup: how to get that across to a potential boss with just one short section of a resume. 

“[My volunteer work] is job-related, so it only makes me a more well-rounded candidate,” Graham said. “Honestly, who cares if you get paid for the work? You just need to show you can do it well.” 

But how? Undoubtedly, volunteer work is something at which many military spouses excel. But some might struggle with how to get that volunteer work from the real world to the printed resume. 

What kind of volunteering are we talking about? How much might a boss want to know? Is it even helpful to include?  

As the careers manager for Blue Star Families based in San Diego, Laura Torres hears these questions frequently. The good news: including volunteer experience on one’s resume is not only doable and helpful, but might actually boost one’s hiring chances.  

“An employer wants to see the skills they’re looking for [on a resume], and including volunteer experience is a great way to highlight your specific areas of expertise,” Torres said. 

“Plus, it’s helpful in hiding the gaps” in employment that transient military spouses often accumulate, she added.  

But, Torres cautions that there are ways to get it wrong. The number one error to avoid: highlighting volunteer work that has nothing to do with the job you’re aiming for.  

“So, if I’m applying for an Information Technology [IT] desk support position, sorting clothes for a shelter doesn’t apply to IT,” she explained. “My employer doesn’t want to see that stuff — unless I sorted the clothes through a computer system and applied techniques within the field of IT.” 

In other words, people need to focus on skills that cater to both their volunteer position and the potential job. In Graham’s case, that meant showcasing all the flexibility and innovation — two attributes any school principal looks for — required while volunteering overseas. 

Volunteer experience counts

“I think employers are interested in seeing that you have well-rounded skills and are involved with organizations beyond your nine to five,” Graham said. 

To that end, employers may not want to know about every aspect of your volunteer activities. If you helped with a politician’s election campaign, for example, wonderful! But Torres points out that your future boss may be of the opposite political party and therefore develop a hidden bias against you. It’s far better, she advises, to feature the skills you demonstrated during the campaign than whether your candidate won.  

“You want to highlight your outreach: how many members you could grow or reach, how successful you were in fundraising,” she said. “So use terms that are nonpolitical, non-biased and that focus on the achievements. Highlight the growth and success as a result of your volunteerism,” remembering to concentrate on skills that are applicable to the job you’re applying for.  

There are multiple ways to do so. A traditional resume includes volunteer work after paid positions in chronological order. But more modern resumes emphasize skills first, then both volunteer experiences and paid positions to “prove” those skills. 

In Graham’s resume, for instance, she lists skills and leadership attributes like “Dedication” and “Team Player” in the left column, then multiple positions, both paid and not, where she demonstrated those qualities in the right column.  

A few hard-and-fast rules, according to Torres: don’t use military acronyms unless shooting for an on-base position. Don’t spell out every single duty of a volunteer experience — just the parts that intersect with the hoped-for role. And research the company beforehand, zeroing in on the area of social justice they’re interested in — the environment, literacy, military support, etc. — so the candidate’s experience in that field is shown.  

Most importantly, as a military spouse used to playing “second fiddle,” Torres advised to not sell oneself short.  

“When you don’t give yourself enough credit [on a resume], you’re cheating yourself out of a great opportunity for your career,” she said.

Read comments
Tags: "Military spouse employmentformating a resumemilitary spouse careerResumeBuildingVolunteerVolunteeringvolunteerism
Share48Tweet30SendSend
Crystal Kupper

Crystal Kupper

Crystal Kupper is a writer, photographer, runner, mom-of-four and Air Force wife living in Arizona. There's nowhere else she'd rather be than outside with her family, preferably clad in Oregon Duck gear.

Related Posts

Military spouse seeks to change landscape for women in politics
Military Spouses

Military spouse seeks to change landscape for women in politics

3 days ago
Summit encourages military spouses to make time for personal wellness
Military Spouses

Summit encourages military spouses to make time for personal wellness

5 days ago
Military Families Magazine
Military Education

From musician to soldier and back again

5 days ago
Soldiers talk about benefits of completing college on active duty
Military Career

Soldiers talk about benefits of completing college on active duty

6 days ago
One military spouse’s heart health journey
Military Health

One military spouse’s heart health journey

2 weeks ago
Marine Corps changes policy to give new moms 1-year break from fitness, weight rules
Military Career

Marine Corps changes policy to give new moms 1-year break from fitness, weight rules

2 weeks ago

Discussion about this post

Ads

Military News, delivered to your inbox

Get a free copy of MILITARY FAMILIES delivered to your inbox each month

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • MEET OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL

GET RESOURCES

  • EDUCATION GUIDE

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • CFC PARTNERS
  • PRICING
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
  • BOOK CLUB
Never miss out on the latest stories.
© 2021 Military Families by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • Relocation
    • Military Spouses
    • Military Kids
  • Education
  • Career
    • Transition
    • Entrepreneur
    • Veterans
  • Health
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Get Resources
    • Education Guide
  • Giveaways

© 2020 Military Families by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW.