Working for a charity or nonprofit organization can be extremely rewarding. While the work is varied, many individuals feel a great sense of personal gratification knowing that the work they do makes a direct impact on others. In order to enter the field on the right foot, however, it’s essential to have a well-written resume. Whether you’re just starting out in your career or looking to delve into nonprofit work, USA Resume has the skills and expertise you need for a resume that will impress everyone.

Resumes for Nonprofit, Charity, and/or Early Career Opportunities

Resumes written for those just starting their careers and resumes written for individuals going into nonprofit or charity work vary greatly. We’ll tackle them separately to give you as clear an understanding as possible for both:

Nonprofit/Charity

Common job titles for those entering a nonprofit organization or charity may include fundraising director or program manager. If you are looking to modify your resume for such titles, we suggest making the following resume edits:

  • Highlight any volunteer work you have done in the past or present- just because it may not be your full-time job right now doesn’t mean it’s not valuable.
  • Emphasize your versatility; nonprofits are typically lean when it comes to staff, so all employees tend to do a little bit of everything. Show that you really can do it all.
  • Brush up on your technical jargon and learn key buzzwords of the nonprofit sector.

Early Career Opportunities

Applicant who are new to the workforce oftentimes need a different type of guidance when crafting their resumes. Some general advice includes:

  • Use company descriptions for any organization you've volunteered or worked for. This will flesh out your resume.
  • You may notice a lot of whitespace due to lack of experience – that's okay, as it’s better than cluttering up the page.
  • Mention extra-curricular activities in conjunction with your skillset.
  • Use relevant references of people who have seen you in professional settings and can speak to your work ethic (i.e. debate club supervisor, athletic coach, etc.
  • Provide a link to your professional online profile (i.e. LinkedIn)
  • Include a summary statement at the top of your resume.

When writing a resume, there are many things to keep in mind. Resumes geared toward specific jobs, careers, skills, positions, etc., have precise information pertaining to each, but there are some general tips that can be applied towards all. These include:

  • Never go back more than 10 to 12 years in the descriptive narrative of career history
  • If you’re over 45, take off dates that apply to graduations and anything else that hints at how old you are.
  • If you feel that your home location may deter an employer from hiring you, do not put your house address at the top of the resume. Rather, simply put your name and an email address. You can talk about the drive to work after they decide to interview you. Here are two reasons that your address might hurt you: 1) your employer may feel that your drive to and from work is too long; 2) you may live in a neighborhood that is considered “questionable”, and an employer may have preconceived notions regarding such.
  • Try, whenever possible, to keep your resume to under two pages. The following would be possible exceptions: 1) if you have extensive experience and feel that it would improve your chances for hire; 2) if you are over 60

With an extensive background in the creation of industry-specific resumes, our writers are certified and highly educated. They are also certified Career Coaches, thereby adding immeasurable value through knowledge and expertise. Some of the services USA Resumes offers include:

  • Professional Cover Letters
  • Custom-Tailored Resumes
  • LinkedIn Profile Optimization
  • A Review of Existing Resumes for Areas of Needed Improvement

The best thing to do when you need a high-quality resume for a nonprofit, charity, and/or early career position is to reach out to the professionals at USA Resume. We’ll put you on the right track to getting hired. Contact us today to learn more.