Does Volunteering Matter to Employers? The Truth Behind Volunteer Work on Your Resume

If your resume has a dusty old section about soup kitchens or beach cleanups, you might wonder, does anyone in HR even glance at your volunteer experience? Or is it just resume fluff, like listing “proficient in Microsoft Word” for the hundredth time? Some hiring managers say volunteer work is nice but not essential. Others claim it’s a huge plus. But who’s right—and how much can volunteering really help you snag a better job?

Why Volunteer Work Lands on So Many Resumes

This is where things get interesting. Volunteer work pops up on nearly half of American resumes, according to a LinkedIn survey from 2023. But here’s the kicker: almost 89% of professionals say they include it to "show character," not just to fill in gaps. There’s also a practical reason. College grads, especially those new to the workforce, often have more hours logged volunteering than they do in paid jobs. Without a work history loaded with impressive titles, they figure volunteer gigs might be their golden ticket.

Recruiters are split. In a 2024 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) poll, 60% of hiring managers said seeing volunteer experience helps them understand if a candidate would "fit" their company culture. Only 22% said it makes little or no difference. Meanwhile, employers in nonprofits, healthcare, and education tend to put extra weight on volunteer work. That’s because they hope to hire people who care about more than a paycheck. Tech and consulting companies? It varies. Some are impressed by nonprofit leadership; others just want to see problem-solving or tech skills, regardless of where you got them.

But there’s more to this than wishful thinking. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that folks who volunteer are 27% more likely to get a job after being out of work than those who don’t. Not bad. Volunteering can also show soft skills—think teamwork, adaptability, or leadership—that aren’t always obvious in traditional roles. For example, organizing a fundraiser proves you can manage projects and rally people together. Mentoring teens at a coding bootcamp shows you’re patient, reliable, and tech-savvy. That’s value you shouldn’t overlook.

Facts That Will Make You Rethink Volunteer Experience

The idea that only internships and paid experience count is outdated. Employers look for more than technical skills—they want someone who’ll blend into the culture, bring energy, and maybe give back to the community, too. According to Deloitte’s 2023 Impact Survey, 82% of hiring managers said they prefer applicants with volunteer experience.

A Harvard Business Review piece from October 2022 gave some numbers that might surprise you. About 35% of recruiters in North America admitted they’ve ignored candidates who didn’t list any extracurricular activities. On the flip side, candidates with "wow" volunteer leadership experiences—say, president of a food bank or coordinator for disaster relief—stand out even if their paid work is less robust. That old advice about “show, don’t tell” really comes alive here.

Global companies are on the volunteering train, too. Google’s "20% Time" once saw employees volunteering their expertise for open-source projects. Salesforce has its "1-1-1 Model," encouraging staff to donate time, money, or products for the greater good. So it’s not just about community service—it’s about showing you can go above and beyond, whether for clients or for causes.

Another fun fact: Employers in countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia openly ask about volunteering when hiring for government or public service jobs. In those fields, missing the volunteer section could be a deal-breaker.

Do Companies Really Value Volunteering? An Inside Look

Here’s where things get nitty-gritty. Employers love volunteer experience…if you use it to highlight practical skills or growth. According to Robert Half’s 2024 Career Survey, 71% of hiring managers said the most important part of a resume is "examples of initiative." Volunteering screams initiative. It means you do things because you’re interested, not just because you’re paid.

Let’s break down what kinds of companies care the most. Tech startups want resourcefulness and passion—both things that often shine through in volunteer roles. Large corporations, especially those with corporate social responsibility programs, see volunteer experience as aligning with their brand. For law firms, political offices, or media companies, it can show a passion for justice or public service.

Certain volunteer gigs carry more weight than others. Teaching or mentoring, fundraising, project management, and board service look stellar. One employer at a marketing agency shared during a 2023 panel, “If you’ve chaired a major community event or designed a campaign for a charity, that lands just as well as corporate campaign experience.” Even digging ditches at a habitat build can show hands-on commitment and physical problem-solving skills—you just have to frame it right on your resume.

The trick is to be specific. “Volunteered at local animal shelter” is okay, but “Led a team of 10 in organizing a fundraising campaign that raised $20,000 in three months” is better. Numbers matter. Impact matters. A bland, generic description will blend in. Framing your experience as problem-solving, leadership, or skill-building makes hiring managers take notice.

How to Highlight Your Volunteer Experience Effectively

So, how can you get companies to actually care about your volunteer work? Punch up your impact by showing exactly what you achieved and learned.

• Lead with Results: Use numbers wherever you can—money raised, people helped, hours taught, meals served. Instead of just "volunteered," go with “Coordinated food drive serving 800 families.”
• Show Business Skills: Plenty of volunteer gigs involve skills companies love. Managed a team? Say it. Used spreadsheets to track donations? Say that too. Designed posters or ran social media for a charity? That’s real-world marketing experience.
• Connect to Company Culture: When you tailor your application, choose volunteer work that mirrors what the company values. Tech company? Highlight your experience at a hackathon for charity. Environmental firm? Talk up your tree-planting weekends.
• Don’t Hide It: Put volunteer work in its own section high up on your resume if it’s recent or relevant. Sometimes, it even deserves to be listed as experience, not just “Additional Activities.”
• Be Ready to Tell a Story: Interviewers love stories. Be ready to talk about what you actually did, what you learned, and how it shaped you. Avoid a laundry list of duties; focus on challenges, impact, and why it mattered.

According to a 2024 LinkedIn Talent Trends report, candidates who detail their volunteer accomplishments—using action verbs and specific results—get up to 18% more interviews. That’s not pocket change; that’s the difference between crickets and callbacks.

So…Should You Volunteer Just for Your Career?

This is where things get honest. Yes, companies care if you volunteer—but not for the checkbox or the moral brownie points. What they really want to see is what you did, what you learned, and whether you can translate those experiences into valuable traits at work.

If you’re volunteering just to pad your resume, it can backfire if your answers sound canned. But if you pick causes you actually care about, chances are you’ll go further and achieve more—and that’s what impresses employers in the first place. Volunteering isn’t just about filling blank space; it’s about showing you have the drive to make things happen, even when no one’s writing you a paycheck.

Still, there’s a reality check: Volunteering won’t get you a job on its own if you’re missing the key technical skills. But it’s a powerful bonus—one that gives you stories to share, skills to show off, and, if you play it right, an edge over other candidates who never left their comfort zone.

Next time you update your resume, don’t treat your volunteer work as filler. Treat it as proof you’re the kind of person companies want—the kind who steps up, even when it’s not required.

And if you’re choosing between binge-watching a season or showing up at your local charity, remember which one might actually help land you the interview.