How to Write a Letter to Volunteer

Volunteering is when you give your time and effort to help others or join organizations without considering monetary benefits. You should first choose an organization to volunteer with. Once you’ve found an organization you’d like to contribute to, you can write a letter explaining your reasons for volunteering, your desired position, and your skills and experience. By knowing how to write a volunteer cover letter and what information to include in it, you’ll be able to land a life-changing role at an organization you’re interested in.

Table of Contents

Find the desired location

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Browse volunteer positions looking for candidates. These positions are often posted on a company’s website, perhaps alongside a list of other paying jobs, or on a list specifically for volunteer work.

Explore different locations to find the one that works best for you.
Find out what skills are required for the position you are interested in. You need to consider this before applying, because volunteer work still requires volunteers to have certain skills, experience, and education, even if it’s unpaid.

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Learn about the organization. Once you’ve found the position you’re looking for, you need to know a little about the company or organization you want to join. Even if you’re interested and qualified for a particular position, it’s possible that the organization’s values are different from yours. Before applying to volunteer, you should make sure that you are happy doing the work and are the right candidate for the organization.

Read the organization’s goals and mission. This information is usually available somewhere on the organization’s website. Researching ahead of time will save you time and frustration when you get to work.

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Find contact information. Whether the volunteer position you are applying for is posted online or in printed form, there will be contact information for interested candidates. You need to know who is responsible for recruiting the new employee as well as his or her contact information.

If the job posting doesn’t include the necessary contact information, try looking on the organization’s website to see who is in charge of recruiting there. You may need to contact this organization’s human resources department for information.
If the hiring decision is up to a senior employee, you may need to personally send a letter to that person.

Write letter

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Write professionally. You should write your cover letter for a volunteer position the same way you would a cover letter for a paid job. The letter should demonstrate your professionalism and suitability for the job. An unattractive letter can cost you your opportunity.

Use consistent font sizes and fonts. It is recommended to use a font size between 10 and 12 and choose a font that is easy to read and has clear handwriting like sans-serif fonts. A few professional font styles include Arial, Century Gothic, Futura, Lucida Sans, News Gothic, Technical, Times New Roman, and Rockwell. ^{[1] X Research Source}
Do not use unusual font colors. The body of the letter should be written in black.

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Format letter layout. Present your letter in the right format to be as professional as possible.

Provide your contact information in the upper left corner of the letter. The contact information includes full name, address, phone number and email address. ^{[2] X Research Source}
Leave a line or two, then write the recipient information. Start with the recipient’s full name (or appropriate title if you don’t know them, for example: Ms.Stone (Mrs. Stone)), department, name and address of the organization. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
You can add a date to let the reader know when you sent your application letter. The date may lie between your contact information and that of the organization you are applying to. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Opening letter. The first thing you should do (after providing your contact information and those of the organization) is to greet the recipient with their title. If the recipient has a doctorate, you should call him by the title doctor (Dr.), otherwise you can call him Mr (Mr.) or Mrs (Ms). If you don’t know the recipient’s gender, you can use your full name instead of your title. ^{[5] X Research Sources} If the job posting doesn’t provide contact information and you don’t know who to send your letter to, you can use a subject line instead of a respectful greeting. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

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Write the first paragraph. In this paragraph, you need to introduce yourself to the employer and state the purpose of the letter.

Write a sentence expressing interest in the position you are applying for.
Mention how you know the notice to find volunteer candidates.
Write two to three sentences outlining your experience and expertise in the area you are applying for.
Refer if you have formal training or have learned in the field you are applying for.
State the importance of the organization’s mission or goals to you. You should also tie your expertise, experience, and interest to the mission of the organization. Show the employer that you are willing and able to contribute to their common cause.

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Write the second paragraph. After you have introduced yourself and expressed your desire to apply for a volunteer position in the first paragraph, let the employer know more about you in this paragraph.

Talk about your work history, volunteer work, and how those experiences relate to the position you’re applying for. If your previous work isn’t directly related to a volunteer position, you can use your work history to highlight specific strengths. You can focus on your work ethic, dedication to your current or former employer, and any skills relevant to the position.
List useful or relevant skills for the position and explain why those skills are useful to the employer.
If you have any major accomplishments to be proud of (showing useful and relevant skills), explain in detail why those accomplishments make you an ideal candidate for a volunteer position. .
List the major problems in your current or previous job (or during your internship) that you found and solved. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
Discuss how you have successfully innovated policies and procedures at your old/current company/internment. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Incorporate examples that demonstrate leadership, demonstrate a sense of responsibility or leadership skills. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Write the third paragraph. If in the first two paragraphs you have successfully introduced yourself, explained why you are applying for the volunteer position, and proven you are a good candidate, then in the last paragraph you need to close your letter. by making a commitment to what you can do.

Let the employer know how much time you can commit to working each week or day, and what time period will best fit your schedule to start working if you are hired.
Don’t act like you’re sure to get it. Writing about yourself and giving your time as if you’ve been offered the position can be a minus in the eyes of the employer.
Suggest an opportunity to meet and discuss more about the position with the employer and when you can come for the interview. You need to be flexible when scheduling your interview, try to keep an open schedule and be ready to arrive even with very short notice.

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Close your letter in a professional manner. You need to thank the employer for taking the time to read and consider your letter. Use appropriate, formal language and end with phrases like “Sincerely,” “Sincerely.”

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Sign. Send both printed and handwritten signatures. If you’re emailing your employer your letter, you can print it out and hand-sign it with a black ink pen (the same color as the text in the body of the letter), and then scan the signed letter into a PDF file.

Mailing

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Spell check. Carefully check for typos, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. These errors will make the letter appear sloppy and unprofessional. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Attach a curriculum vitae. Even if you’ve included your skills, experience, and qualifications in your cover letter, you’ll still need to include a resume. Your resume will tell employers more about your study and work history with details like time spent working or volunteering. Attaching a resume also shows professionalism in the way you work. Employers will see that you take the application seriously and are willing to work hard to win the opportunity to be part of the organization.

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Prepare two letters of recommendation. Depending on the job, you will be asked to provide a letter of recommendation or not. However, even if it’s not required, including a cover letter will help you look more professional. ^{[11] X Research Source}

The letter of recommendation should be written by an authorized person, in which they will verify your personality and qualifications. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Alternatively, instead of a letter of recommendation, you can provide a list of recommenders with contact information. This allows the employer to contact them directly if needed, and it also shows that you can maintain a positive relationship with former employers and colleagues.

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Mailing. Employers will have specific requirements for submitting an application letter online or in hard copy (to submit or submit by post). Please comply with the given requirements. If you are sending a letter by post, be sure to pay the full postage and include the correct recipient’s name and address on the envelope.

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Call to inquire. Wait at least a few days (maybe a week) before calling to investigate and don’t be too pushy or demanding. Simply send a friendly email or call during business hours to the hiring manager, informing you that you’ve submitted your cover letter and formally expressing your interest in the organization. Remember to always be professional and polite.

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Write a thank you letter after the interview. This is a polite and professional way to thank the employer for their time. Thank you letters can be email or handwritten, and each letter should be addressed to each person who interviewed you. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Write greetings to interviewers with their names ^{[14] X Research Source}
Thank them for giving you the opportunity to meet and discuss the position. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Try to repeat a specific detail the interviewer said when talking to you. Show that you care about what they have to say to demonstrate focus and seriousness about your job opportunity. ^{[16] X Research Source}
End politely, without pretending that you’ve had a successful interview. Say something like, “I look forward to the opportunity to discuss this job opportunity further,” or wish the interviewer good luck in the selection process.
Some organizations will have too many applicants and may ask you not to call. You should only call on a case-by-case basis.

Steps

Find the desired location

Write letter

Mailing

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