Do you have volunteer experience?

If your volunteer activities are related to your career, focus on describing those activities in your response. Even if you do not volunteer in a capacity that relates to your target population, it still shows you are interested in helping the community. The interviewer will understand that you genuinely have a passion for helping others, whether you are getting paid for it or not.

Avoid saying you volunteer if you do not. The interviewer may want a reference from where you volunteer, and you do not want the interviewer to discover you were untruthful. If you have not had time to volunteer, explain that to the interviewer and describe where you would like to volunteer when you have more time.

"Yes, I have many years of experience volunteering. When I was ten years old, my mother started my brother and me volunteering at a soup kitchen. She wanted us to learn that not everyone has a home or hot food to eat and taught us the value of giving back to our community. Since then, I have continued volunteering in the soup kitchen, at homeless shelters, and most recently at a battered women and children's shelter. Volunteering motivated me to pursue a career in social work, so I thank my mother for introducing me to it at a young age."