I’m applying for a junior marketing role which specifically asks for demonstrable work experience. I’ve been heavily involved in my local community, volunteering extensively for various organizations, including running social media campaigns for a local animal shelter and organizing fundraising events for a youth center. These roles required significant responsibility, time commitment, and the development of skills directly relevant to marketing, like content creation, social media management, event planning, and communication. I haven’t held a paid marketing position before. Considering the skills I’ve gained and the responsibilities I’ve held in these volunteer roles, is volunteering considered work experience, especially when tailoring my resume and cover letter to highlight the transferable skills I acquired through these activities?
Answer
Yes, volunteering can be considered work experience.
Reasons Why Volunteering is Work Experience:
- Skill Development: Volunteering often allows individuals to develop and hone a variety of skills that are transferable to paid employment. These skills can include:
- Hard Skills: Technical skills specific to the volunteer role, such as data entry, website maintenance, construction skills, customer service software proficiency, or specific software related to accounting.
- Soft Skills: Interpersonal and personal attributes that are valuable in any workplace, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, time management, organization, adaptability, empathy, and conflict resolution.
- Responsibility and Accountability: Many volunteer positions require individuals to take on responsibilities, meet deadlines, and be accountable for their actions. This demonstrates reliability and a strong work ethic, similar to paid employment.
- Professionalism: Volunteering provides opportunities to practice professional behavior, such as adhering to dress codes, communicating effectively with colleagues and supervisors, and maintaining confidentiality.
- Industry Exposure: Certain volunteer roles can provide direct exposure to specific industries or fields, allowing individuals to gain valuable insights and make connections. For example, volunteering at a hospital can provide insights into healthcare, or volunteering for a non-profit organisation can provide experience with fundraising and management.
- Networking Opportunities: Volunteering can create opportunities to meet and interact with professionals in your field of interest, leading to valuable networking connections and potential job leads.
- Resume Enhancement: Including volunteer experience on a resume can demonstrate a well-rounded personality, a commitment to community involvement, and a willingness to learn and contribute.
- Experience in a Structured Environment: Many volunteer roles are performed within organizations that have established hierarchies, policies, and procedures. This provides experience in navigating a professional environment and working within defined systems.
- Demonstration of Initiative: Actively seeking out and participating in volunteer opportunities demonstrates initiative, self-motivation, and a proactive approach to personal and professional development.
- Filling Employment Gaps: Volunteering can be a valuable way to fill gaps in employment history, showing that you have remained active and engaged during periods of unemployment.
- Career Exploration: Volunteering can allow individuals to explore different career paths or industries before committing to formal education or paid employment.
- Leadership Experience: Many volunteer opportunities allow individuals to take on leadership roles, such as managing teams, coordinating events, or training new volunteers.
- Project Management: Some volunteer roles involve managing projects from start to finish, including planning, execution, and evaluation.
- Experience with Diverse Populations: Volunteering can provide opportunities to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds, enhancing cultural sensitivity and communication skills.
How to Present Volunteer Experience as Work Experience:
- Treat it seriously: Approach your volunteer role as you would a paid job.
- Quantify your achievements: When describing your volunteer experience on a resume or in an interview, use quantifiable metrics to highlight your accomplishments and impact.
- Use action verbs: Use action verbs to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments, just as you would for paid employment.
- Highlight transferable skills: Focus on the skills you developed and how they relate to the requirements of the job you are applying for.
- Include details: Provide details about the organization, your role, and the impact of your work.
- Obtain references: Ask your volunteer supervisor for a reference to validate your skills and experience.
- Tailor your descriptions: Tailor your descriptions of your volunteer experience to match the specific requirements of the job you are applying for.
- Contextualize your experience: Explain how your volunteer experience has prepared you for the role you are seeking.
- Be prepared to discuss it: Be prepared to discuss your volunteer experience in detail during interviews, highlighting your skills, accomplishments, and lessons learned.