Boosting Your Resume with Volunteer Work and Projects from Uni

Want your resume to pop in a sea of applicants? Employers love candidates who show initiative beyond grades. Students have a tendency to list only coursework, missing chances to shine with real-world impact. By leveraging volunteer work and uni projects, you can showcase skills that scream “hire me!” These five practical tips will help you transform your resume into a standout story, Australian-style.

Find Impactful Volunteer Gigs
Join volunteer roles that align with your career, like tutoring at a community centre or helping at RSPCA events. Browse Volunteering Australia for visa-compliant opportunities. Commit to a few hours weekly to gain skills like teamwork. Experts say relevant volunteering boosts employability by 27%, giving your resume serious cred.

Highlight Key Uni Projects
Feature standout projects - like a marketing campaign or engineering prototype - from group assignments or capstones. Describe your role, tools used (e.g., Python, Canva), and outcomes (e.g., “Increased event turnout by 15%”). Research suggests project-based experience signals problem-solving, making your resume irresistible to employers.

Tailor Skills to Job Ads
Scan job descriptions for keywords like “communication” or “project management.” On your resume, link volunteer tasks (e.g., “Coordinated charity event”) or project skills (e.g., “Led data analysis”) to these terms. Tools on Prosple Australia help match skills to roles. Studies show tailored resumes increase interview chances by 40%.

Quantify Your Achievements
Numbers grab attention. For volunteering, write “Raised $500 for local charity” or “Trained 10 new volunteers.” For projects, note “Designed app prototype for 200 users” or “Cut costs by 10% in simulation.” Experts say quantified results make your contributions concrete, elevating your resume’s impact.

Network Through Experiences
Connect with supervisors from volunteer roles or project teammates for references. Attend uni showcases or volunteer events to meet industry pros. Mention these connections subtly, like “Collaborated with NGO staff.” Research suggests networking via experiences opens job doors, adding weight to your resume.

Your resume can tell a powerful story with volunteer work and uni projects. Find impactful gigs, highlight projects, tailor skills, quantify results, and network smartly to stand out. For more opportunities, check Volunteering Australia.

Want to craft a killer resume? OZGRADS offers career coaching and workshops to boost your edge - reach out to us!

Make your resume a ticket to your dream job!

References

Australian Government (2023) Volunteering Australia: Opportunities for community engagement. Canberra: Volunteering Australia. Available at: https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org (Accessed: 15 August 2025).

Prosple Australia (2023) Career resources for Australian students. Sydney: Prosple. Available at: https://au.prosple.com/ (Accessed: 15 August 2025).

Hillage, J. and Pollard, E. (1998) Employability: Developing a framework for policy analysis. London: Department for Education and Employment.

Tomlinson, M. (2017) ‘Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability’, Education + Training, 59(4), pp. 338–352. doi: 10.1108/ET-01-2017-0009.

Disclaimer

This blog contains links to external websites and platforms for informational purposes only. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by any of the organisations, platforms, or services mentioned. All references are provided to support students and readers in accessing useful resources.