My kids and I spend time together volunteering in our San Francisco community through our service organizations, National Charity League and Service Corps SF.

And I’ll admit something. As we are heading out the door to a service event, we are often both silently wondering why in the world we signed up when we are already so busy busy busy.

Actually, let me correct that.

I am silently wondering.

My kids are not always so silent.

But then we arrive. We get to work at the food distribution facility, the clothing center, or the senior dog fostering organization, and something shifts. The busy feeling fades. The gratitude rolls in. The car ride home is different from the car ride there. It is warmer, softer, and full of stories.

We talk about the people we met. The funny thing that happened. The dog we wanted to take home. The kind volunteer who made everyone feel welcome. The reminder that we all need each other.

That is the beauty of volunteering.

It gives back to the community, yes. But it also gives back to you.

And from a career perspective, volunteer work can absolutely belong on your resume.

Volunteer Experience Counts as Experience

Many dietitians, dietetic students, career changers, and new graduates forget to include volunteer work on their resume because they think, “Well, I wasn’t paid, so does it count?”

Yes, it counts.

Volunteer work can show leadership, communication, organization, dependability, community engagement, cultural humility, problem-solving, and service orientation.

Those are workplace skills.

In fact, some volunteer roles can demonstrate the exact skills employers are looking for, especially if you are newer to the field, changing practice areas, returning to work, or trying to show experience beyond your paid job title.

Volunteer experience can help tell a fuller story of who you are and how you contribute.

What Volunteer Work Can Show on a Resume

Think beyond the title of “volunteer.”

Instead, think about what you actually do.

Do you coordinate people? Manage logistics? Communicate with community partners? Track supplies? Train new volunteers? Handle a database? Organize an event? Solve 14 little problems before 9 a.m.?

That is resume-worthy experience.

Here are the types of skills to highlight.

Leading and Organizing

This includes coordinating events, managing logistics, setting up systems, organizing donations, overseeing a shift, or helping volunteers know where to go and what to do.

For example, instead of writing:

• Helped at food bank

You could write:

• Organized produce inventory and prepared client-ready food portions to support efficient weekly food distribution.

Communicating

Volunteer roles often require you to communicate with diverse groups of people, including clients, families, other volunteers, board members, nonprofit staff, community partners, and the public.

Communication is one of the most valuable skills in nearly every dietitian role.

You might write:

• Communicated with volunteers and community members to support a welcoming and organized distribution experience.

Managing Data and Systems

This is one of my favorite overlooked categories.

I volunteer my time helping run the backend of membership databases and tech systems for service organizations. And yes, I include that on my resume.

Why?

Because managing membership databases, updating records, organizing digital systems, troubleshooting tech, creating workflows, and maintaining accurate information are professional skills.

You might write:

• Managed membership database updates and digital systems to support accurate records and efficient chapter operations.

Training and Mentoring

If you onboard new volunteers, run orientations, explain procedures, mentor younger members, or teach people how to complete a task, include it.

Training is leadership.

You might write:

• Trained new volunteers on service procedures, organization expectations, and shift responsibilities.

Budgeting and Fundraising

Planning an event with a budget? Helping with a fundraiser? Tracking donations? Coordinating supplies?

That counts too.

You might write:

• Supported fundraising event planning, including volunteer coordination, supply organization, and budget-conscious logistics.

Problem-Solving

Because volunteering almost always includes problem-solving on the fly.

The delivery is late. The room is locked. The sign-in sheet disappeared. There are 47 sweaters and no hangers. The senior dog needs a ride. Someone forgot the labels.

This is where you show adaptability.

You might write:

• Adapt quickly to changing service needs and help resolve day-of logistics to maintain smooth volunteer operations.

Where to Put Volunteer Experience on Your Resume

There are a few good options, depending on how relevant and substantial the experience is.

If the volunteer work is highly relevant, ongoing, or demonstrates skills connected to the job you want, you can include it in your Professional Experience or Relevant Experience section.

This is especially useful if you are a student, new graduate, career changer, or someone trying to show transferable skills.

If the volunteer work is meaningful but not central to the job you are applying for, include it in a dedicated section called:

Volunteer Experience

or

Volunteer Work, Service, and Community Participation

That second one can feel a little more polished and expansive, especially if you have board service, philanthropy work, school service, community leadership, or nonprofit involvement.

Resume Example: Food Bank Volunteer

Here is an example of how to include food bank volunteer experience on a resume.

Food Bank Volunteer, San Francisco Community Food Distribution, San Francisco, CA, Sept 2018 - Present

• Lead produce inventory and portion fresh food for client delivery during weekly shift.
• Coordinate schedules for 32 volunteers weekly to achieve consistent coverage.
• Support community food access through organized food distribution and client-ready preparation.

This is much stronger than simply listing “Food Bank Volunteer.”

It shows responsibility, consistency, leadership, organization, community service, and measurable impact.

And yes, numbers help. If you know how many volunteers you coordinate, how often you serve, how many clients are supported, how many pounds of food are distributed, or how long you have volunteered, include that.

How to Make Volunteer Experience Stronger

The goal is not to overstate your role. The goal is to clearly show the value of your contribution.

Use action verbs like:

• Coordinated
• Organized
• Managed
• Supported
• Trained
• Led
• Prepared
• Communicated
• Maintained
• Assisted
• Improved
• Delivered

Then connect the action to the outcome.

For example:

Instead of:

• Helped with clothing donations

Try:

• Sorted and organized donated clothing to improve accessibility and distribution for community members.

Instead of:

• Volunteered with dog rescue

Try:

• Supported senior dog foster organization through care coordination, supply organization, and volunteer communication.

Instead of:

• Helped with nonprofit database

Try:

• Maintained membership database and digital records to support accurate communication, reporting, and volunteer engagement.

Why This Matters for Dietitians

For dietitians and dietetic students, volunteer experience can be especially valuable because so much of our work is rooted in service, communication, education, organization, and community health.

Food access work connects to public health nutrition.

Clothing distribution may show community engagement and service leadership.

Senior dog fostering may not scream “clinical nutrition,” but it can still show compassion, reliability, teamwork, and follow-through.

Board service can show leadership.

Database work can show technology skills.

Fundraising can show project management.

Volunteer coordination can show people management.

All of that can help a hiring manager better understand how you work, what you value, and what you bring to a team.

A Simple Formula for Writing Volunteer Resume Bullets

Use this formula:

Action verb + what you did + who or what it supported + outcome or purpose

Examples:

• Coordinated weekly volunteer schedules to maintain consistent coverage for community food distribution.
• Managed fresh produce inventory and prepared client-ready portions to support accurate and efficient delivery.
• Trained new volunteers on service procedures to improve shift readiness and team communication.
• Maintained membership database records to support accurate reporting and member engagement.

Simple. Clear. Useful.

Final Takeaway

Your volunteer work is not “just volunteering.”

It is experience.

It can show leadership, communication, organization, problem-solving, technology skills, community engagement, and long-term commitment.

So the next time you update your resume, do not skip over the work you do in your community.

Name it clearly. Write it with value. Show the skills behind the service.

Because the work you do when no one is paying you can still say a lot about the professional you are.