How to Write a Non-Profit CV (with Examples)

A nonprofit professional’s CV should feature skills and experiences best suited for the job. Use these tips and nonprofit CV examples to craft yours.

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Nonprofit CV example

Nonprofit organisations differ from for-profit organisations in that they focus more on collective, social, or public benefits. Following these CV tips and CV examples can help you find a great nonprofit job in the future.

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What to highlight in a nonprofit CV?

Highlighting your experience in community outreach, fundraising for charity or other relevant experience within the nonprofit sector should be the main focus of your nonprofit CV. Recruiters will also take note of which nonprofit organisations you have previously worked with.

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Structure of a nonprofit CV

All professional CVs have the same sections, although, depending on the CV format you use, these may be ordered a little differently. However, here are the main sections of most CVs:

Contact information
Professional summary
Skills section
Work experience section
Education section

Contact information

This section should contain all your contact information. If applicable, you should also include your social media handles or LinkedIn profile as well.

CV summary

The summary or objective in CV section is next. What is a professional summary on a CV? The summary is a short 2-3 sentence paragraph that features an overview of your best skills and most significant achievements. However, if you are a recent graduate pursuing a career change, or have little work experience, you can opt for an objective, which focuses on skills and a statement of your career goals.

Skills

Include both hard skills and soft skills in the skills section to stand out to hiring managers. Noting key skills from the job description, matching them to yours, and adding them to your CV can help it get through an applicant tracking system (ATS), which employers use to scan CVs for specific keywords before it ever gets in front of a hiring manager.

Work experience

Your work experience section, also known as work history, should take up the majority of the CV. Pay attention to the job titles you use as well as the order in which you list your experience. Reverse-chronological order is typically best as it highlights your most recent accomplishments. You can use a CV builder to help you structure the work experience section correctly.

Education

In the education section, include your degree, the university you graduated from, your major, as well as any major coursework related to the job you want. If you are a recent graduate with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, you can include your GPA on your CV. Also, if you have any certifications relevant to the position, such as a nonprofit management certificate, be sure to include them.

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FAQs: nonprofit CV example

Q: Does working for a nonprofit count as volunteer work?

It depends. Many nonprofits do rely on volunteer work, but some nonprofit organisations do pay their employees regularly. An easy rule to go by is if you’re paid, it’s a job and counts as professional experience. If you’re not paid, it’s considered volunteer work.

Q: How long should a nonprofit CV be?

Most CVs should be no longer than one page, at the most. This can be extended to two pages if you have plenty of nonprofit experience, but these should only be reserved for specialists or experts in their field.

Q: Do I need to write a cover letter for my job application?

Yes. It’s always a good idea to include a cover letter with your application. These letters give you the chance to discuss your specific skills, career goals, and why you are the perfect fit for the job. You can use the cover letter builder to help you write your cover letter.

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