How to include volunteer work in your resume?

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If you have already volunteered your time teaching English or participated in social initiatives with Cidadão Pró Mundo, know that this can (and should!) also be included in your resume.

If you have ever volunteered your time to teach English or participated in social initiatives with Cidadão Pró Mundo, know that this can (and should!) be included in your resume.

More than filling a line on paper, volunteer experience shows the world who you are: a proactive, empathetic person committed to collective growth.

But how do you strategically include this experience in your resume? Let us show you!

Give it due prominence

Volunteering is not “less important” than formal work experience.

If you had responsibilities, learned skills, and contributed to results, that is real experience.

You can create a section in your resume called:

  1. Volunteer Experience

  2. Volunteer Work

  3. Social Engagement

How to write the experience?

Use the same format as your other professional experiences.

Include:

  • Name of the NGO (e.g., Cidadão Pró Mundo)

  • Position or role (e.g., Volunteacher)

  • Period (e.g., March/2024 – Present)

  • Brief description of your duties

  • Skills developed or results achieved

Example:

Cidadão Pró Mundo

Volunteacher

March/2024 – Present

I teach weekly English classes for groups of young people seeking academic and professional opportunities. I plan activities, develop materials, and promote practical conversation.

Skills developed: communication, leadership, organization, empathy, and English fluency.

Showcase Soft Skills

Beyond content, volunteering teaches something that companies greatly value: soft skills (behavioral skills).

Volunteering to teach English develops:

  • Clear communication

  • Teamwork ability

  • Organization and planning

  • Emotional intelligence

  • Positive leadership

Include these competencies in a “Skills” or “Competencies” section of your resume.

Use in Interviews and Cover Letters

What you learned as a volunteer can set you apart in interviews.

Explain how volunteering shaped your world view, taught you to deal with real challenges, and prepared you to work with purpose.

If you are sending a cover letter or filling out an online application, mention your involvement with Cidadão Pró Mundo and how this experience propelled you.

Value Your Journey

Not all growth comes from a name badge. Sometimes, it comes from a room with few resources, many dreams, and a huge desire to make a difference.

If you taught English as a volunteer, you are already an agent of change, and that carries weight in the job market.

Ready to update your resume?

If you are part of the Cidadão Pró Mundo network, congratulations! You already have an experience that shows that, besides being skilled, you care for others. And that, in today’s world, means a lot.

If you haven’t started yet, here’s the invitation: become a volunteer. Teach English.