Volunteer Coordinator Resume Example & Guide (+25 Tips)

Does writing an effective volunteer coordinator resume seem as tough as dealing with the lack of resources or as exhausting as motivating a large group of burned-out volunteers? Crafting a solid resume shouldn’t be as frustrating as the problems you face on a daily basis as a volunteer coordinator.

And guess what—

It isn’t. As tough that is.

All you need is to follow some basic rules and you’ll have a resume that will have the organization’s HR folks volunteering to call you with the good news in no time.

Read on and you’ll see a professional volunteer coordinator resume example you can adjust and make yours. Plus, you’ll learn an easy formula for writing a resume for volunteer coordinator jobs that will land you 10x more interviews than any other resume you’ve written in the past.

Here’s a volunteer coordinator resume example made with our builder.

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Sample Volunteer Coordinator Resume

Now, here’s the job-winning volunteer coordinator resume formula:

1. Use the Perfect Format for Your Volunteer Coordinator Resume

Folks who do volunteer work tend to be healthier and live longer than those who don’t, according to AmeriCorps. To make those opportunities available, volunteer coordinators cultivate relationships, and not only recruit volunteers but also develop and implement training programs, as well as market ideas and philosophies. When it comes to your own capacity building strategies in landing the next great job, the natural place to start is by writing a volunteer coordinator resume that sings your praises loud and clear.

So—

You may want to use a more creative resume template for something a bit different. But whichever look you go for, your volunteer coordinator resume should follow the right resume formatting rules and include all the right resume sections:

• Set line spacing at 1.15.
• Choose a clear, legible resume font like Helvetica or Calibri.
• Begin with your name, job title, and contact information.
• Make each section stand out with big headings:
  • Summary (this is your resume intro but it is usually best written last)
  • Experience
  • Education
  • Skills
  • Extras (e.g. Courses and Certificates, Hobbies, Interests)
• Save your resume in PDF, unless instructed otherwise.

And you’re off to a great start. Now, on to the meat. 

Read more: Best Resume Types

2. Write a Volunteer Coordinator Resume Experience Section

Your volunteer coordinator resume experience section offers something much more important than a mere list of your previous tasks and duties. If done correctly, it showcases your talents, skills, and strengths. It also features those aspects of your previous employment that align directly with the qualities outlined in the job ad.

Sounds good, right?

Here are the main points to follow when putting work experience on your resume:

• Use the reverse-chronological resume order and list your most recent position first.
• Start with your title, the company’s or organization’s name, and your start and end dates.
• Write up to six bullet points that demonstrate your achievements. Each bullet should start with an action word like maintained, recruited, trained, developed.
• Represent each accomplishment in your resume with numbers where possible.
• Tailor your resume to emphasize your competencies as they relate to the position you’re seeking.

See these volunteer coordinator resume samples:

Volunteer Coordinator Job Description for a Resume

Did you notice both lists might apply to the same candidate? Sure, the wrong example does say what the candidate’s duties were, but it falls short on substance. It doesn’t lay out the success or extent of each responsibility. And the right example? It not only underlines the responsibilities’ subsequent successes, but spells them out in countable terms.

What if you have no actual volunteer coordinator work under your belt? Easy. Phrase irrelevant experience in a way that proves you’re up to the task. Do this by determining which of your skills are transferable and write your bulleted list of achievements with them in mind.

See this entry-level volunteer coordinator resume sample:

Entry-Level Volunteer Coordinator Job Description for a Resume

As you can see, the devil really is in the details. If you simply say what you were responsible for, it really doesn’t say anything about how well you did those things.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.

Create my resume now

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

3. Include an Education Section to Your Volunteer Coordinator Resume

Adding education on a resume may be a no-brainer and is easy enough to do. But just like with other resume sections, it should be done the right way.

If you have more than a high school diploma or a GED, only list the higher education. Don’t forget to mention any relevant coursework, tacking it onto your volunteer coordinator resume’s education section. Thinking of putting your GPA on your resume?That’s optional, but not a bad idea if it’s 3.5 or higher.

Here’s an example:

Read more: How to Put Your Degree on a Resume

4. Add a Skills Section to Your Volunteer Coordinator Resume

As a volunteer coordinator, you carry a big load that requires all sorts of people, organizational, and technical skills. But you’re a people person and really know how to get things done—you have drive. So, simply put, the skills on your resume need to make it crystal clear that you’re the right person for the job.

Here’s how:

• Read the job ad carefully to determine what skills are required. These will be your resume keywords.
• Make a list of your skills and compare it with the job description skills.
• The matches should be the first skills you list. They should also be sprinkled throughout your other resume sections. Doing this will also make your resume ATS-friendly.
• When brainstorming your own skills, think of both soft skills as well as hard skills you have.
• The skills list should be 5–10 bullets.

Here are some examples of volunteer coordinator skills:

Top Volunteer Coordinator Skills for a Resume

• Management Skills
• Motivational Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Social Perceptiveness Skills
• Analytical Thinking Skills
• Communication Skills
• Personability and Friendliness
• Creative-Thinking Skills
• Detail-Oriented Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Time-Management Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Critical-Thinking Skills
• Teamwork Skills
• Marketing Skills
• Administrative Skills

Read more about how to list skills on a resume: 99+ Key Job Skills for Resumes

5. Beef Up Your Volunteer Coordinator Resume

Social and community service managers’ job outlook looks great—a 17% growth by 2029 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To make sure you don’t miss the train, add some punch to your resume. 

How?

Extra sections of course.

They’re a great way of elevating your volunteer coordinator resume to a higher level. For example, mentioning hobbies and interests can become that little extra something that gets you an interview.

For example:

You can also add volunteering projects, certifications and awards or a memberships section for an eye-catching resume.

Make your resume extraordinary: What to Put on a Resume to Make it Perfect

6. Write a Volunteer Coordinator Resume Summary or Objective

VCs can be found in diverse environments—in everything from universities to corporations to grassroots religious charities to huge international non-profits. This means that besides containing all of the needed resume elements, your resume introduction needs to show your understanding of the organization’s function and industry.

A resume introduction, also called a resume profile, comes in two shapes: resume summary and resume objective. This short paragraph should be put at the top of your resume and summarize your biggest accomplishments in a concise way. 

Here’s how to make it so:

1. Open with an attractive adjective that describes you, like enthusiastic,dedicated, motivated.
2. Insert your title next, followed by years of experience (2+, 4, 7).
3. You can opt to end the first sentence with mention of your particular field of expertise. 
4. Form the next sentence so that it highlights one to two of your greatest volunteer coordinator achievements. If possible, choose these accomplishments based on the keywords you found in the job description.
5. Finally, get personal by calling out your target employer by name and lay out how you’ll contribute to achieving that company’s or organization’s goals.

Here’s a right and wrong example for you:

Volunteer Coordinator Resume Summary

Planning a career change?

If you’re pursuing your first volunteer coordinator job, you’ll still need an introduction, but you’ll write a resume objective instead of a summary.

The key to writing an entry-level resume objective is to make it focus on your transferable skills.

See these entry-level volunteer coordinator resume examples:

Entry-Level Volunteer Coordinator Resume Objective

See that? Huge difference!

Learn more: How to Start a Resume

7. Do Include a Cover Letter with Your Volunteer Coordinator Resume

Including a cover letter with your volunteer coordinator resume is not only highly recommended, but often required by the employer. If done properly, it can be a great introduction and overview that gets the recruiter’s attention and your foot in the door. 

So—

Read on to write a great volunteer coordinator cover letter:

1. Firstly, set up your cover letter spacing and margins. Generally single space is best.
2. Avoid cover letter salutations like Dear sir or madam. It’s best to find out the name of the person who’ll be reading your resume.
3. Write the opening paragraph of your cover letter—introduce yourself and outline your best features and accomplishments as they relate to volunteer coordinating.
4. Follow that paragraph with expressing your understanding of the position.
5. End your cover letter with a call to action by asking for an interview or a phone call.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Read more: How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

Key Takeaways

Here’s a summary of the most important things to remember when writing your volunteer coordinator resume:

• Read the job ad carefully to craft your resume according to the specific position’s requirements.

• Write your work experience in bullets, focusing on quantifiable achievements. Don’t simply list your duties.
• Make sure your list of skills includes those that match the ones in the job ad.
• Go the extra mile by adding additional resume sections that benefit your job as a volunteer coordinator.
• Add a one-page cover letter.

And that’s it! Now I’d love to hear from you: 

• What are some of the challenges you face when writing a volunteer coordinator resume? 
• Are there any volunteer coordinator resume sections you’d like to read more about?

Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!