how does volunteering work look good on your CV?

just wondering how this can help your future employement?

oh - and can you put all this volunteering work like at oxfam on UCAS?

thanks

Reply 1

Juno

Yes, put oxfam on.

You've learnt good skills that will help. You've shown that you can do something and stick at it, even if you're not getting a monetary reward. And you're getting some experience.

Reply 2

Prince Rhyus

plopSDCSDC

just wondering how this can help your future employement?

oh - and can you put all this volunteering work like at oxfam on UCAS?

thanks

During the interview section of the Civil Service Fast Stream Assessment Centre I attended last year (which I passed! :smile:

), there was a 1 hour 1-2-1 interview with a specialist in human resources and interviewing. (The Civil Service employs outside professionals in this field to carry out these interviews - for which they get paid handsomely for their experience.)

Was he interested in what I had done at university? No
Was he interested in my working history? Not as much as I thought
What was he interested in?

1) My voluntary work for a university ballroom dancing society (for a university I never even went to!)
2) My voluntary work as an elected trade union official.

It's worth remembering that more and more firms looking for "graduates of any specialism" see asking for graduates as a means to reduce the number of applicants that they get. So it's more than likely that they will question you on your competencies and experiences than on what you studied, unless you are going for a specialist post related to your academic background or where it is explicitly specified.

On your CV it is worth highlighting any skills that you learnt during your volunteering, challenges that you faced and how you overcame them. It also shows that you are comfortable with a work/life balance and that you have a passion outside your main career path.

Reply 3

Ghost Grey

It looks good. Giving up your own time for unpaid work that ultimately benefits others than yourself.

Off topic completely, but I like Prince Rhyus' posts. :smile:

Reply 4

zzzzzoe

for me it was a personal thing more than anything. if anything it made me question my future and why i wanted to go into medicine (i did it an old persons home). to me it was one of the most valuable experiences of my life because it changed my mind about the career completely.
a lot of the residents i felt werent treat very well and my personal beliefs meant that i thought euthanasia was better for them than the home, and itd be pretty hard to go into a career were you have to do things that conflict with your own views and still having the passion for it.
so, i think certain work experience can be really helpful!

Reply 5

Sapphire_Eyes

because in years to come you may end up applying for work and if you apply where you did work experience/voluntereering it'll help because they know you and now know you can do the job well and have experience and the academtics to back up with.

Reply 6

Page1000

plopSDCSDC

just wondering how this can help your future employement?

oh - and can you put all this volunteering work like at oxfam on UCAS?

thanks

Well, I certainly plan to :biggrin:

I imagine it could show employers that your motivation isn't just coming from money and it'll stand out among the list of any other jobs you've had. The experience itself is good because if you ever need a part-time job in a shop/cafe/whatever (say at university) and you've no previous employment except for the charity work, it'll still show them you know how to work a till and stack shelves. :wink:

Just remember to get a reference after you leave.

The work itself isn't too bad either. A lot of the time at Oxfam (for me) it's sitting at a till while people wander around, revising from a textbook.

EDIT: Tip. If you're specifically looking for an Oxfam job, go for the Oxfam bookshop near Broad Street. Always fairly quiet and everyone is friendly.