How to Create a Nonprofit Resume (Template and Example)
A nonprofit professional’s resume should feature skills and experiences best suited for the job. Use these tips and nonprofit resume examples to craft yours.
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Nonprofit Resume Example
Nonprofit organizations differ from for-profit organizations in that they focus more on collective, social, or public benefits. Following these resume tips and resume samples can help you find a great nonprofit job in the future.
Build my resumeWhat to Highlight in a Nonprofit Resume
Highlighting your experience in community outreach, fundraising for charity or other relevant experience within the nonprofit sector should be the main focus of your nonprofit resume. Recruiters will also take note of which nonprofit organizations you have previously worked with.
Build my resumeStructure of a Nonprofit Resume
All professional resumes have the same sections, although, depending on the resume format you use, these may be ordered a little differently. However, here are the main sections of most resumes:
- Contact information
- Resume summary
- Skills section
- Work experience section
- Education section
Contact information
This section should contain all your contact information. If applicable, you should also include your social media handles or LinkedIn profile as well.
Resume summary
The resume summary or resume objective section is next. The summary is a short 2-3 sentence paragraph that features an overview of your best skills and most significant achievements. However, if you are a recent graduate pursuing a career change, or have little work experience, you can opt for a resume objective, which focuses on skills and a statement of your career goals.
Skills
Include both hard skills and soft skills in the skills section to stand out to hiring managers. Noting key skills from the job description, matching them to yours, and adding them to your resume can help it get through an applicant tracking system (ATS), which employers use to scan resumes for specific keywords before it ever gets in front of a hiring manager.
Work experience
Your work experience section, also known as work history, should take up the majority of the resume. Pay attention to the job titles you use as well as the order in which you list your experience. Reverse-chronological order is typically best as it highlights your most recent accomplishments. You can use a resume builder to help you structure the work experience section correctly.
Education
In the education section, include your degree, the university you graduated from, your major, as well as any major coursework related to the job you want. If you are a recent graduate with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, you can include your GPA on your resume. Also, if you have any certifications relevant to the position, such as a nonprofit management certificate, be sure to include them.
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FAQs: Nonprofit Resume Example
Have questions? We’re here to help.
Does working for a nonprofit count as volunteer work?
It depends. Many nonprofits do rely on volunteer work, but some nonprofit organizations do pay their employees regularly. An easy rule to go by is if you’re paid, it’s a job and counts as professional experience. If you’re not paid, it’s considered volunteer work.
How long should a nonprofit resume be?
Most resumes should be no longer than one page, at the most. This can be extended to two pages if you have plenty of nonprofit experience, but these should only be reserved for specialists or experts in their field.
Do I need to write a cover letter for my job application?
Yes. It’s always a good idea to include a cover letter with your application. These letters give you the chance to discuss your specific skills, career goals, and why you are the perfect fit for the job. You can use the cover letter builder to help you write your cover letter.
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