I’ve been waiting for some time for LinkedIn to figure out that it needed to include Volunteerism and Boards & Committees as a stand alone category (see the screen shots at the end). Well, that day has finally arrived. (Thanks to Christopher Penn @cspenn for his tweet about it.)
I’ve seen people be very creative with how they listed their non-profit and volunteer work within their profiles. I haven’t been satisfied with my options and I kept hoping that they would wise up. Up until now, I’d had mine listed in Groups & Associations. This section is, sadly, way at the bottom. I always wonder if those that are viewing my profile will have the stamina and attention span to make it to that valuable information.
Why is this important? Do you ever wonder who it is that’s reading your profile? They are wanting to: hire you, sign a contract with you, finance you and your business, recommend you, recruit you out of a solid job to an even better one, work with you and many other scenarios. What you do with your time is telling of your character. It deserves it’s own real estate in your work portfolio. Since the majority of the service clubs, networking groups, non-profit organizations, civil service, educational support groups, and those boards and committees are unpaid work, being able to list it on your resume is payment in itself. You know when you walk into someone’s house or office and glance at their bookshelf? I find myself scanning the shelves, I’m looking for a hint of who they really are and how we might be the same.
It’s ultimately important because it shows you give a damn about something other than yourself. Think I’m all talk? Check out my volunteer roles to call my bluff.
Care about others. Do good unto the world around you. And put it on your resume.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!