How to Communicate Volunteer Abroad Skills on Your Resume
How to Communicate Volunteer Abroad Skills on Your Resume
It’s no secret that volunteering is a resume builder – it shows you know how to work, you’re willing to better yourself and others, and you take initiative. But many people struggle with communicating their skills to potential employers. Buzz phrases like “great work ethic” and “self-starter” and “flexibility” describe valuable qualities in trite ways that make the good stuff about you sound stale.
Let’s say you’ve gone on an amazing volunteer trip abroad (or 2 or 3) and you learned a ton, but you’re unsure how to communicate those skills in your job search. Here are 4 great examples to help you effectively communicate your volunteer experience on your resume.
Examples:
Volunteer Experience |
Job Skill |
| John traveled to Indonesia to work on community development projects. He knew nothing about Indonesian culture before his trip but managed to have a fantastic experience. |
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| While in Germany, Drew expected to use his management skills to plan and oversee local food and clothing drives at a nonprofit. Instead, he spent most of his time sorting through and categorizing donations in the storage room. |
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| Maggie was the team leader for a volunteer trip to Senegal. When they arrived, she worked closely with the local community and delegated tasks to her team members. |
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| Clayton traveled to Haiti to assist leaders in rebuilding projects. He had no previous construction experience but really wanted to help. |
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Source: Why is Volunteering Important? Advice for Job Hunters
