Metro seeking views of HR experts

ended 25. May 2021

A journalist at Metro is seeking views from HR/recruitment experts about having volunteering on your CV. The piece is for Volunteer Week (next week), so she is keen to hear about why volunteering can make a difference on a CV, and what employers think when they see it? Or does it make no difference at all?

5 responses from the Newspage community

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Sarah Loates
Director at Loates HR Consultancy
"Recruit for attitude, train for skills is the mantra for many recruiting managers. Having volunteering on your CV unequivocally demonstrates that a candidate has this in spades. "For those with less work experience, it’s also a fantastic way of showcasing skills you have learnt for competency-based interviews. "For the past five years I have volunteered as a Trustee, and it has taught me a plethora of life skills and experience I could never have gained as a small business owner."
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Kate Underwood
Managing Director / HR Director at Kate Underwood HR and Training
"For someone who maybe doesn't have a lot of experience, volunteering is an excellent way to get ahead and show you have the drive to learn. "In the same way, if you are made redundant and don't find a role straightaway volunteering will help with your own mindset as well as showing a potential new boss that you did something and maybe learnt something new while you were looking for employment. "Both are great traits to have in an employee and the behaviour I look for when recruiting for my clients."
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Gary Parsons
Managing Director at Talk Staff
"Employers are focused on culture fit more than ever before, which is great for those with volunteer work listed left, right and centre on their CVs. "In fact, many employers are encouraging their employees to get out into the community and involve themselves in projects that matter. "If an employer can see that your values align with theirs, then you’re already onto a winner."
Danny Roberts
Partner & Practice Manager at DFA Law LLP
"Seeing a volunteer role on a CV is only ever positive in my opinion. It shows a kind personality and a 'will do' attitude. "One brief line of the kind or work done is usually sufficient: save the juicy bits for a discussion point at the interview stage."
Paula Gardner
Founder at Redundancy Recovery Hub
"If you've been made redundant, or put on furlough, volunteering really makes a difference. It shows that you have motivation, and are looking out at the world, rather than focusing on yourself - two vital qualities that every employer is looking for. "Finally, depending on what you did and whether it's relevant to the job, there's also the possibility that you can offer the employer entry to a new network with new connections."