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Boost your resume with volunteer project management experience

Zaytoen Domingo

Posted: September 15, 2022

5 min read

Project management is quickly becoming one of the most sought after skills. Here’s how you can get project management experience while volunteering in breathtaking places around the world.

It’s the classic catch-22 of the modern career: you can’t get a job without experience, but it’s difficult to get experience without having a job.

Consider volunteering abroad as a way of gaining the experience you need to get your foot in the door. This experience will also give you the adventure of a lifetime and a new global perspective.

Add project management experience to your resume

As well as showing that you already have desirable skills – like project management – you’ll be able to demonstrate that you are committed to your career and willing to think creatively to get the experience you need.

Project management skills are always a worthwhile addition to your resume, as they will hold you in good stead no matter which career path you choose to follow.

Volunteers working hard in a vegetable garden

Having volunteer project management experience on your resume can open up job opportunities in a range of fields.

How to get project management experience

If you’re struggling to land your dream job because you don’t have enough experience, then volunteering or interning abroad might be the solution you need. You’ll get the chance to gain those practical skills – like project management – in an international context.

While on project, you’ll have a number of individual and group goals and objectives to meet to complete the bigger task. This will help to develop – and later demonstrate – your critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, time management and adaptability skills – a big plus for your resume.

GVI’s international volunteer programs offer a practical way to start gaining this career experience. From volunteering for a couple of weeks to interning for a couple of months, GVI programs provide opportunities to gain project management experience while being involved in long-term sustainable projects with clearly defined impact goals.

What are the benefits of volunteering or interning abroad?

As a volunteer or intern, you’ll be making a positive contribution to communities while strengthening and developing your professional skills.

Volunteer experience on your resume shows that you are passionate and knowledgeable about global issues. It also highlights your international experience, which is highly sought after in today’s increasingly multicultural workplaces.

In fact, international experience can massively improve your chances of finding employment. A survey by Kaplan, called Going Global, found that respondents with international experience on their resume were twice as likely to find a job within six months of graduation, compared to their peers who had not travelled abroad.

Volunteer and internship experience is multi-faceted, giving you a broader range of experiences than working in a job at home.

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International volunteer project management experience also sets you up for a globalised career by giving you the tools to succeed in an international context. Like being able to understand and effectively communicate with a diverse range of backgrounds, and being able to approach the complexities of working across cultures and countries. This resourcefulness and resilience are ideal attributes for a number of careers.

Gaining project management experience with GVI

GVI’s international volunteer programs and internships are specifically designed to develop teamwork and leadership skills, giving you the chance to gain practical experience while contributing to key global issues across a variety of fields.

Internships abroad also offer portfolio-building opportunities for aspiring project managers. Our internships abroad require participants to take leadership of and coordinate a personal research-based project carried out on base. To prepare for this you will have the opportunity to take part in GVI’s accredited online course – such as leading teams for impact. You’ll also have a mentor, who will help you review the project over the course of your internship. Weekly, one-on-one mentorship sessions and evaluations will provide you with expert guidance.

Plus you’ll go home with a professional recommendation upon the completion of your project as well as access to our job portal – and a job placement if you take part in a three-month internship.

Supercharge your resume and gain volunteer project management experience with GVI. Explore our internships and volunteer abroad opportunities today.

By Zaytoen Domingo

Zaytoen Domingo is a content writer and editor based in Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently enrolled in the Masters program in English at the University of the Western Cape. After graduating with an Honours Degree in English and Creative Writing, Zaytoen completed a skills-development program for writers and became an alum of the GVI Writing Academy.

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