Depending on what kind of job you are seeking you have to tailor your resume to the needs of employers. This is the most effective way of getting a good chance of receiving an interview invitation. But there are different kind of jobs and those pursuing employment have to be aware of that. Government jobs, private sector, nonprofit organizations - all of these are different from each other. We have already written about government resumes and have covered even more information on how to write a resume for a private sector. Today we will focus on developing a resume or CV for nonprofit organizations. Even though this may not be the most popular choice of job seekers there are still people who are looking for jobs in nonprofit organizations who need resume writing assistance. Therefore, we decided to help such people and write this post.
How to Write a Nonprofit Resume
The principles of developing an effective resume or CV are very similar (or almost identical) to principles used when drafting application documents for a private sector. Like in every other case your success depends on how well you will be able to tailor your resume to the needs of a potential employer. There are over 1 million of organizations so job seekers need to first understand the organization he/she wants to apply to. This is the key to drafting a resume that will attract the attention of hiring authorities. Being relevant then still remains one of the most important things even though you are applying to a non-governmental organization (NGO). So before you even sit to work on your resume find out more about the organization, its culture, needs, and philosophies. Very similar to what you should do when applying to pretty much any type of job. Don't forget to check the job posting itself as well in order to familiarize yourself with company requirements.
One of the options is to volunteer for the organization for some time - this way you will have some insider information about your potential employer. Or you might even get a job interview if you do well. We should say that volunteer experience is something job seekers have to emphasize when drafting a resume for NGOs. The thing is that hiring authorities in nonprofit organizations like to see volunteer experience on application documents of candidates. Dedication to the local community is something HRs do value and therefore if you have any kind of that experience we strongly recommend adding it on your resume. Create a volunteer experience section and make sure it is located not at the very end of your resume. Committee memberships, fundraising initiatives, and any type of community involvement will help you demonstrate your dedication to serving the community. If you want to make the transition to the nonprofit sector then you should highlight skills that could be effectively utilized in the operation of a non-governmental organization.
We are pretty much sure that there are lots of things people who come from corporate companies can offer to NGOs because many such organizations are run in a corporate or businesslike style. So some of your accomplishments could make a huge difference, especially if a similar type of things are required by the organization. It is also important to explain why you want to make a change (probably the best place for the explanation would be a cover letter). At the beginning of your resume, you should pay special attention to the summary section. That's where you have a good chance to prove that this job is exactly what you want.
