Does volunteer work bolster a resume?

Putting your volunteer work on your resume can demonstrate that you are active and passionate outside of work. It shows some personality in a document that can often be impersonal. I would put this information in a brief and succinct bullet in the last section ("Additional Experience/Other Experience") of my resume.

Volunteer work can also help bolster a resume that is lacking in work experience, especially for recent graduates. When I was looking for my first job right out of college last year, I had listed the following volunteer work under work experience in my resume:

P.R.O.V.I.D.E.S. (Global Service Organization) , Ann Arbor, MI

Treasurer (May 2007-Present), Education & Social Committee Leader (May 2006-May 2007)

• Successfully led a 130+ member organization committed to executing impacting philanthropy, campus fundraisers, and campus awareness events aimed at alleviating global hunger and poverty.

• Effectively compiled grant and appeal requests for a cumulative funding of more than $5500 over the course of a year to surpass PROVIDES' budget restraints.

• Managed operations budget of $1500, prepared Excel sheets tracking financial state of entire organization, and coordinated the flow of disbursements.

• Increased fundraising donations to $700 per month and doubled membership through creative marketing strategies and successful fundraisers.

U OF M PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT, Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Peer Adviser

• Planned and organized psychology-related academic events and forums about careers and higher education in psychology and successfully attracted over 50 students to attend each event.

• Guided over 200 students to solving their academic problems and helped them design academic and career plans on a one-on-one basis.