Among Friends

[RinaRina]

If I've been doing volunteer work since I retired, should I include it on my resume'?

Do employers care? 

Does it really "count" if I didn't get paid to do the work?

[chrystaltree]

I don't work in HR but as a department manager, I did review hundreds resumes and I hired a couple of hundred people over the years.  It depends on what type of volunteer work you are talking about.  If it was directly related to the position you are applying for, if you "worked" regular hours and had the same responsiblilites that a paid employee would have had.  If you were supervised to the same extent a paid employee would have been; then, yes you definitely should included it on your resume.  I would have looked at it the same way I looked at an internship.  It's not a matter of employers "caring" about volunteer work, you would include it on your resume to show that you have relevant experience and you would want to use the person you reported to as a reference.  This can help if you have gaps in your employment history or if you don't have paid experience in the field but do have the experience as a volunteer.  

[code99]

I would absolutely include it!  While not in HR, I was a nursing manager for many years and hired lots of people throught my career. Your resume is a shapshot of your experience, and volunteering not only shows additional experience, it speaks well of the type of person you are!

[Pook]

@RinaRina  While I did not work in HR but as a supervisor I was on many interviewpanels to hire over the years.  Volunteer experience should always be shown on a resume.  The volunteer experience is a plus and as @code99  stated is speaks well for you character.

[Eileen in Virginia]

I didn’t work in HR either, but I hired lots of employees over the years. You should include your volunteer experience, especially if it required you to use some of the skills the employer is seeking. This can range from the ability to work well with others from a variety of backgrounds to coordinating an event that required setting interim deadlines, delegating authority to others, etc. up to and including successfully completing the event. Without going into copious detail, state your volunteer activity, the skills required to complete it successfully and the end result. 

[Abrowneyegirl]

As a hiring manager I agree with the others, yes include it!  

Definitely add a bullet or 2 noting the skilled used or developed during your volunteer work.

I have been on interviews when I have been asked about my volunteer or community work, people find it brings a more well- rounded employee.

Some people think volunteer work is trivial or mindless work and often it is not.  My volunteer work including working with a 99% volunteer organized and staffed event that raised a half a million dollars a year and had 500-800 attendees.

[Jaspersmom]

Most definitely include it.  I've served on interview committees to hire new teachers and sometimes the deciding factor to hire someone was because of his or her volunteer work.  We especially looked for people who gave back to the community in some way.  I agree with the other posters who mentioned that volunteer work says something about one's character and dedication to something other than one's self.  

Just curious, are you seeking a new job since you retired?  

[gardenman]

I would include it also. It shouldn't hurt anything. Here's a bit of a cheat for you. Many firms now prescreen resumes for key words using software. If you type their posted job requirements into your resume using an ink that appears invisible (white font color typically works pretty well fo emailed resumes) their computer will read it even though it's invisible to humans and you're apt to get called in for an interview over someone else since your resume contains the key words they're looking for. If they print out your resume they may wonder why their software singled you out since your resume doesn't reflect what they think they wanted, but getting the interview is the most important part of getting a job. That little cheat can often get you in the door for the interview. With much of the pre-screening process done by software, you can e-mail them a copy of your resume with their exact requirements tucked away invisibly that will get found by their screening software and your resume may move to the top of the pile.

[NYCLatinaMe]

@RinaRina I don't work in HR but I have done some hiring.  You don't describe what the volunteeer work is, if it is related to your desired job.  These days, young people make no distinction between their vlunteer and paid work if it in in their desired field.  It's all listed under "experience."  If it is obviously volunteer you can list it as such.  But if it is in your target job area, and you have a supervisor who will speak well of you and yor work, feel free to just list it under experience.  Employers tend to focus on "fit in" more than anything these days, assuming you have the minimal qualifications.

[ECBG]

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@RinaRina wrote:

If I've been doing volunteer work since I retired, should I include it on my resume'?

Do employers care? 

Does it really "count" if I didn't get paid to do the work?

@RinaRina Absolutely include the volunteer work if it relates to what you are presently applying for.

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