Your CV is probably missing this killer piece of information
Thousands of British job applicants are limiting their work prospects by failing to mention volunteering experience on their CV, research released today has discovered.
More than half (54 per cent) of job applicants in the UK have carried out some form of voluntary work, yet only eight per cent mention on their CV, according to analysis from jobsite Indeed.
This goes against what employers are looking for when recruiting. Two-thirds (64 per cent) of employers value volunteering work in a candidate and over half (53 per cent) said that they would use voluntary experience as a deciding factor when selecting between two candidates.
Read more: Over half of parents disagree a degree is better for career success
“Millions of Britons volunteer every year, yet most of them are missing a trick by failing to mention this valuable experience on their CV,” commented Bill Richards, UK managing director of Indeed.
"Employers place great value on the skills that volunteering develops – such as teamwork, confidence and self-motivation – and jobseekers who highlight any voluntary work they have done will give themselves an edge over other candidates.”
Two-fifths (41 per cent) of recruiters revealed that they ask candidates about voluntary work in job interviews, yet a third (33 per cent) of jobseekers admitted that it had never occurred to them to put voluntary work on their CV.
Read more: Speedmailing: Control your email, don't let it control you
For specific job sectors, manufacture and construction were found to value voluntary work very highly, with over three-quarters (77 per cent) considering it a valuable asset for potential employees.
[infographic id="913"]