Volunteering in your local community is a great way to make change, whether a one-off event or a regular role. It is also an excellent way to gain valuable experience, demonstrating your commitment and ability to work effectively.
Sofia's Experience and skills developed
I volunteered two years in a row for the Bath Marathon, in which I took on the role as information desk assistant. Both years, I found the experience to be both fun and beneficial. In terms of fun, I got to work with a lovely team of people who taught me all about the role so I could be confident in the service I was providing. I found that the experience significantly boosted my confidence - having to communicate with hundreds of individuals pushed me out of my comfort zone in a good way. It improved my interpersonal skills since I had to listen carefully and provide empathetic guidance to so many strangers. Finally, working a long shift helped me develop my resilience which I have applied to several other jobs and assignments I have taken on.
I also volunteered with the Raise and Give society at Bath Uni and acted as a lead designer for the Valentine’s Ball. With a small group of other students, I was responsible for planning, managing, and designing the event. This increased my leadership skills since I had to direct and collaborate with people in a way that I hadn’t previously had to. As head designer, it was my role to research potential decorations, as well as overlook the advertising of the event. As someone interested in marketing, this allowed me to gain first-hand experience in something I am genuinely thinking of pursuing in the future. The experience helped me realise my passion for the subject and allowed me to begin to make my cv more marketing focused. Additionally, I had a lot of fun during the planning and the execution of the Valentine’s Ball - working with my friends and making new friends gave me a nice break from my studies.
Translating into a CV
If you have various experience in similar fields and don't have enough space on your CV to put it all, you could always group some or all of it together. This can be done for volunteering, hospitality, retail work or whatever you deem necessary.
Various Volunteering Positions 2024-present
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- Communicated with 100s of participants to give assistance on the running of the Bath Marathon, demonstrating my ability to give guidance and support to multiple people
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- Developed my ability to coordinate and apply a theme to events and marketing strategies through the organisation of the Bath Valentine's Ball. Being head designer, I oversaw and helped conduct advertisement, resulting in a successful event.
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