Sharing your volunteering experience with your LinkedIn network
27 September 2023
Catch the attention of potential employers and impress your network by highlighting your tutoring experience.
Our Marketing and Communications team recently attended a workshop all about maximising our personal LinkedIn profiles. We want to share some of our learnings with our volunteer network to help you get the most out of using the platform.
LinkedIn is a career-focused social network that has evolved into a great platform for amplifying achievements, sharing experiences, and becoming a recognised voice in a particular industry or network.
As a volunteer tutor, you already have good knowledge of education, working with young people, and an interest in tackling education inequality. You are well placed to start your journey to becoming a thought leader in these fields.
Maximise your profile
First impressions are crucial, so you want your LinkedIn profile to have a professional profile and cover photo, a relevant and insightful “About” section, and your passions, work and education history.
There is a volunteer section for you to list your tutoring experience and link Action Tutoring. You can also write a short description. Try to include your motivations for volunteering, skills you have learned, and how you think it will help you in the future.
Here is an example which you can edit to match your own experience:
I am a volunteer tutor for Action Tutoring because I believe that all children and young people should be able to get the most out of their education regardless of social and economic disadvantage. There is an attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. By volunteering an hour/ X hours a week for X months/years, I have helped pupils make meaningful academic progress, opening up doors for future opportunities.
Thanks to this experience, I have grown my skills in teaching, managing pupil behaviour, explaining tricky topics and time management.
It is my goal to work in the X industry. By volunteering, I am developing crucial skills to help me in this field.
Posting content
By posting regular content, more people are likely to find your profile and connect. It also gives you the opportunity to become a thought leader in your chosen field.
If you are unsure of what to post, your volunteer tutoring experience is a great place to start. You could share your thoughts from a recent session, a photo of a thank you card a pupil gave you, or give your opinion on why tutoring is important. Make sure to tag Action Tutoring so we have a chance to see and interact with your post.
Not all of your content has to be original and led by you. It is equally important to engage with other people and organisations’ posts by liking, commenting and reposting.
Take time to follow accounts that spark your interest. For us at Action Tutoring, that could be other charities, our colleagues, and education and policy thought leaders. Each time you engage in a discussion through commenting and reposting, your account will reach new people and allow you to make new connections.
Here are two examples of making the most of other people’s content, either by sharing a relevant article or reposting from another LinkedIn page.
In today’s interconnected professional world, LinkedIn serves as a powerful platform for networking, personal branding, and professional development. By showcasing your volunteer record on LinkedIn, you not only highlight your dedication to social causes but also enhance your overall professional image, making you a more attractive and well-rounded professional in the eyes of your peers, colleagues, and potential employers.
