Volunteer Experience on Resume
Definition: Volunteer experience should be included on your resume when it demonstrates relevant skills, fills employment gaps, or shows leadership for entry-level candidates. Format it like paid work experience.
When to Include Volunteer Work
Include If:
- It's directly relevant: Volunteering as a web developer for nonprofits when applying to web dev roles
- You're early career: New grads can list substantial volunteer roles as experience
- It fills a gap: If you were volunteering full-time during unemployment
- It demonstrates leadership: Board positions, committee chair roles
Formatting
Create either a "Volunteer Experience" section (if substantial) or integrate relevant volunteer roles into your "Professional Experience" section with "(Volunteer)" designation.
What to Emphasize
Focus on transferable skills and quantified impact: "Led fundraising campaign raising $50K for local food bank" or "Managed volunteer scheduling system for 100+ active volunteers."
Should I include volunteer work on my resume?
Yes, if it's relevant to the role, demonstrates leadership, or fills an employment gap. Format volunteer experience like paid work: organization name, role title, dates, and quantified achievement bullets. This is especially valuable for entry-level candidates.
Where do I put volunteer experience on my resume?
If substantial and relevant: create a "Volunteer Experience" section after your paid work experience. If brief: add a "Community Involvement" section at the bottom. If directly relevant: integrate into "Professional Experience" with "(Volunteer)" designation.
Do ATS systems recognize volunteer experience?
Yes, ATS platforms parse volunteer sections the same as work experience — as long as you use clear section headers and standard formatting (organization, title, dates, bullets). The keywords and skills you demonstrate in volunteer work contribute to your match score.