Subject: What makes a good charity or non profit CV?

I have just finished university and i am looking to find my first job in the Charity sector. Whilst studying i have undertaken lot's of different jobs and volunteering placements, as a result i now have lots of potenial references.

I am unsure as to best practice in regards to listing referees, do i put them all down? Or is it ok to tell employers they can get them on request. I am worried by not listing them all they will think that i havent got anyone to put down on the flip side if i add them all my CV is 3 pages long.

Thanks, 

Choose a max of 3 referees.  Think carefully about where you had the most postive experience and then think about which of these are most closely aligned to the skills that you think employers are going to be look for and the area you are targetting eg if you're interessted in fundraising, list a referee from an assignment which included making trust and foundation applications for example.  Make sure you list someone you are confident they will (i) respond and (ii) be postive. 

As a general point, if you've had a lot of assignments you need to be brief when describing them.  You might want to think about grouping them into similar experiences rather than simply listing in chronological order eg Fundraising, Adminstration, Finance etc etc.

Good luck!   

From my experience in recruitment from both an agency and employer perspective within the sector - I would recommend that you definitely do not put any details of referees on your actual CV. 

Feel free to write 'References and certificates available on request' if you must but it isn't necessary. Most recruiters will say in the ad or JD that they will need to do a reference check or even CRB so by applying you are agreeing to those terms.

A lot of charities use electronic application systems which will ask you to put in the contact details of (usually 2) referees. Agree with Anne regarding selecting which referees you select for this, and about grouping your experiences to show off your skills.

A friend recently applied for an Admin position at a larger non-profit organisation and was told 600 people had also applied! Be sure to stand out by avoiding cliches and the same old sentences 'I enjoy working as a team but also can work alone' blaaaaahh nobody cares. 

Don't forget to show your PASSION for the VALUES of the organisation. Showing you are compatible in this respect is so important. 

I always recommend a 'Key Skills' section at the top of your CV directly under your personal statement - bullet point this and recruiters will love you. It saves time picking it out from the other info you supply.

Good luck!