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Volunteer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical volunteer skills. We ranked the top skills for volunteers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.0% of volunteer resumes contained child care as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a volunteer needs to be successful in the workplace.

14 volunteer skills for your resume and career

1. Child Care

Child care means the care, supervision, or guidance of a child by a person other than the child's parent, guardian, or custodian for periods of less than 24 hours. Childcare could be either center-based such as a daycare or a nursery or home-based care such as nannies or family daycare.

Here's how volunteers use child care:

Developed and facilitated small group sensory-based interventions with children age three to five enrolled in a community-based child care program
Job-shadowed Child Care Counselor and observed reinforcement of house rules and daily note-taking procedures.

2. Patient Charts

Here's how volunteers use patient charts:

Compiled and updated patient charts including MD orders and documentation -Performed administrative and clerical duties
Compiled patient charts and provided a comforting environment for patients through one-on-one interactions.

3. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how volunteers use patient care:

Organized and updated medical records * Directed and escorted patients to various hospital departments for patient care
Interacted directly with patients and worked alongside the interdisciplinary patient care team on hospital units.

4. Front Desk

Here's how volunteers use front desk:

Maintain a sanitary environment * Assist Veterinary Technicians and Veterinarian * Provide customer service to clients at front desk
General office work, filing, mail delivery, communications, code enforcement, front desk help, customer service, reception

5. Community Outreach

Here's how volunteers use community outreach:

Promoted the organization's services and programs by conducting literature tables and informational booths at community outreach and educational projects.
Participated in organizing and monitoring community outreach within the inner city of Philadelphia for health screenings for women and children.

6. Mathematics

Here's how volunteers use mathematics:

Volunteered in local Providence elementary school classroom to provide one-on-one instruction to first grade students in mathematics
Volunteered once a week tutoring elementary school children in mathematics at Hamilton Elementary school in Saint Louis

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7. Community Services

Community ѕеrvісе is аn unраіd activity in which аn individual оr grоuр еngаgеѕ tо bеnеfіt thе lосаl, nаtіоnаl оr glоbаl соmmunіtу. It іѕ also uѕеd as аn аltеrnаtіvе to imprisonment аnd іѕ intended tо connect offenders to the victim or society ѕо thаt they can undеrѕtаnd how their асtіоnѕ аffесt оthеrѕ.

Here's how volunteers use community services:

Partnered with Army Community Services to establish performance improvement and corrective action plans and programs to help families communicate.
Participated in school wide community services for a non-profit organization which gives back to the surrounding community

8. PowerPoint

Here's how volunteers use powerpoint:

Prepared publicity content for GLOW including Facebook posts and PowerPoint presentations for community partners.
Co-facilitated adolescent groups at a healthy relationship conference * Prepared PowerPoint presentation for group

9. Physical Therapy

Here's how volunteers use physical therapy:

Observed/assisted on physical/occupational therapy medical documentation process.
Prepared patients for physical therapy treatment by greeting, comforting and preparing treatment room for patient by following prescribed procedures and protocols

10. Emotional Support

At its core, emotional support involves providing support, reassurance, acceptance, love, and encouragement. It is especially important in a time of stress/sadness as it stabilizes an individual and provides a positive foundation for trust. Honing this skill is important for individuals who want to pursue the career of caregivers and emotional support nurses. Their job includes monitoring mental health and helping patients to handle any mental challenge.

Here's how volunteers use emotional support:

Provided physical and emotional support to riders with disabilities at a therapeutic riding facility; assisted with barn chores
Provided emotional support to inpatients while engaging in play therapy to promote positive emotional development in a hospital setting

11. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

Here's how volunteers use cpr:

Performed emergency procedures, including opening and maintaining an airway, administering CPR, and use of automated external defibrillators.
Completed Ohio Volunteer Firefighter School certification and CPR training.

12. Windows

Windows is a chain of operating systems that controls a computer and is developed by Microsoft. Every version of Windows consists of GUI (graphical user interface), with a desktop that allows the user to open their files.

Here's how volunteers use windows:

Assisted technology specialists in providing technological assistance to patrons, including information on using Windows operating system-based software and browsers.
Installed Windows XP for basic operating system functionality various donated desktop and laptop computers.

13. Ministry

The ministry іѕ a gоvеrnmеnt dераrtmеnt hеаdеd bу a minister whісh deals with a ѕресіfіс cause оr area of activity. Frоm the religious point оf vіеw, the mіnіѕtrу іѕ an activity саrrіеd оut by one or mоrе bеlіеvеrѕ оf a rеlіgіоn tо еxрrеѕѕ or spread thеіr faith.

Here's how volunteers use ministry:

Designed and implemented environmental education programming in partnership with the Ministry of Education and a leading NGO.
Assisted supervised congregational members performed door to door ministry to military families by using pamphlets.

14. Bible

Here's how volunteers use bible:

Performed unarmed security, facilitate bible study for children, and maintained property building management.
Volunteer religious work for above listed organization sharing encouraging information from the Bible

What skills help Volunteers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

List of volunteer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a volunteer resume and required skills for a volunteer to have include:

Child Care
Patient Charts
Patient Care
Front Desk
Community Outreach

Mathematics
Community Services
PowerPoint
Physical Therapy
Emotional Support

CPR
Windows
Ministry
Bible

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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