1. Turning experience into employment
A ‘how to’ guide to use with your volunteers

2. STEP 1: REORGANISE EXPERIENCES INTO SKILLS
Case study
Name: Amy
Role: Fundraiser Nightingale House Hospice
Experiences: Interacting with members of the public, planning and executing fundraising events and schemes, counting money after the events, working with other volunteers in a team.
Skill
Experience
Learning
Result
Teamwork
Organisation
Spoken communication
Attention to detail
Responsibility
Fundraising

3. STEP 2: ADD SPECIFICS TO THE EXPERIENCE SECTION
Skill
Experience
Teamwork
Worked with a team of 5 to run 4 fundraising events in 2 months, completing my tasks and helping out another member with their activities when they were unwell
Organisation
Organised 4 fundraising events with a team, using a GANTT chart and specific goals to share activities, set deadlines and keep the project on track
Spoken communication
Was responsible for attendees at fundraising events, completing registration, giving instructions and collecting feedback
Attention to detail
Double counted and recorded all takings at fundraising events
Be brief, but do include the details, for example, numbers, tools used, timescales.

4. STEP 3: ADD THE RESULTS
Skill
Experience
Result
Teamwork
Worked with a team of 5 to run 4 fundraising events, completing my tasks and helping out another member with their activities when they were unwell
Participants commented that the events ran smoothly, and the team maintained a strong relationship throughout. The team has been asked to take on more volunteer roles as a result of our successes.
Organisation
Organised 4 fundraising events with a team, using a GANTT chart and SMART* goals to share activities, set deadlines and keep the project on track
All tasks were completed on time, and the events themselves were successful, with over 200 people attending and £2000 raised .
Spoken communication
Was responsible for attendees at fundraising events, completing registration, giving instructions and collecting feedback
My team members and volunteer coordinator highlighted my personable and positive verbal communication style as being key to the enjoyment of participants and success of the events.
Include outcomes where you can – amounts raised, examples of qualitative feedback, numbers reached, feedback from colleagues
*Specific, measurable, agreed, realistic, timebound

5. STEP 4: SHOW HOW TO USE THE SKILLS ON A CVs…
A skills or competency based CV starts with the skills, and groups experience (from jobs, volunteering and qualifications) together under skills headings.
You might end up with loads of skills in a ‘master’ CV which can be adapted for each application
Skill
Experience
Result
Teamwork
Worked with a team of 5 to run 4 fundraising events, completing my tasks and helping out another member with their activities when they were unwell
Participants commented that the events ran smoothly, and the team maintained a strong relationship throughout. The team has been asked to take on more volunteer roles as a result of our successes .
Profile: ipsum lopsem
Skills
Teamwork: 2 years’ experience on 4 volunteer teams, for example, fundraised £2000 for Nightingale House Hospice by running 4 fundraising events as part of a team. Team mates commented on my positive and enthusiastic communication style and willingness to help out with their tasks.
Amy Wendell

6. …APPLICATION FORMS Amy Wendell
Use your skills CV to complete application forms. Most application forms have a section for the applicant to answer the person specification – copy the requested skills and competencies from the skills section of the CV straight to the application form.
Amy Wendell
Profile: ipsum lopsem
Skills
Teamwork: 2 years’ experience on 4 volunteer teams, for example, fundraised £2000 for Nightingale House Hospice by running 4 fundraising events as part of a team. Team mates commented on my positive and enthusiastic communication style and willingness to help out with their tasks.
Please explain how you meet the criteria in the person specification in the section below
Excellent teamwork under high pressure: 2 years’ experience on 4 volunteer teams including tasks that had tight deadlines. For example, I worked with a team to fundraise £2000 for Nightingale House Hospice by running 4 fundraising events in just 2 months. Team mates commented on my positive and enthusiastic communication style and willingness to help out with their tasks, even when we were under pressure.
APPLICATION FORM

7. … AND INTERVIEW
Interviewer: Please give us an example of when you have succeeded under pressure…
“I was a volunteer fundraiser for Nightingale House Hospice. In a team, we agreed to run 4 fundraising events in just two months, and set ourselves a target of £1500 to raise. As the events approached, one of the team members, responsible for publicity, fell ill. I remained positive and calm, and we worked together to share the work so that the events happened on time. Participants commented on how smoothly the events ran, and we broke our fundraising target, and raised £2000!
Adapt your examples for interview, and don’t forget to mention the success in your interview examples

8. STEP 5: TRY SOME OF THESE
Have a good personal development template so volunteers get in the habit of recording not just what they’ve done, but also what they have learned, the skills developed and their successes
Include in your support meetings and exit interviews help for volunteers to identify the skills they’ve developed and the results / successes stemming from their contributions.
Build in time and funding for CV / application / interview support sessions for your volunteers into project planning – staff might find these useful too!
Encourage volunteers to peer review each others’ applications and CVs (taking into account data protection considerations)
Keep a folder of good practice CV and application form examples, as well as guidance that you can refer volunteers to
Help volunteers to gather the results of their contributions and to think about how they might measure their own success.