Toastmasters on Resume

Should You List Toastmasters on Resume

In many professional contexts, particularly in industries that value communication skills, leadership development, and teamwork, listing your involvement with Toastmasters on a resume can be beneficial. However, the relevance of including this information may vary depending on the specific job you're applying for, the regional standards, and the industry norms.

In the United States, where Toastmasters is well-known and respected, it can be an asset to highlight your membership or achievements within the organization. In other countries, while Toastmasters may not be as widely recognized, showcasing the skills you've acquired through your participation can still demonstrate your commitment to personal development and professional growth.

Why to List Toastmasters on Resume

• Communication Skills: Toastmasters provides an excellent platform for improving public speaking, active listening, and leadership abilities. These are vital skills in virtually any profession and can set you apart from other candidates.
• Leadership Experience: As a member of Toastmasters, you have the opportunity to hold various roles within your club, such as Club President or Vice President Education. These positions offer hands-on experience in leadership, project management, and team collaboration.
• Continuous Learning: Demonstrating a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development is attractive to employers. Toastmasters encourages participants to continually improve their communication and leadership skills through participation in club meetings and workshops.
• Networking Opportunities: Being part of the Toastmasters community offers the chance to connect with professionals from various industries, fostering valuable networking opportunities that can lead to new career prospects.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Toastmasters provides a safe space to practice solving real-world problems through effective communication and collaboration with others. These problem-solving skills are essential for success in the workplace.

Where to List Toastmasters on Resume

• Professional Experience/Work History: If you've held an official role within Toastmasters, such as Club President or Area Director, list it under your professional experience section, following the standard reverse chronological format (most recent first). Include the title of the position, the name and location of the club, and the duration of your service.
• Skills Section: If your involvement in Toastmasters has helped you develop specific skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for, such as public speaking or team leadership, list these under a dedicated "Skills" section on your resume.
• Education/Certifications Section: In some cases, your achievements within Toastmasters may qualify as a certification, such as the Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) or the Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB). If this is the case, you can include these certifications in your education or certifications section.

Examples of How to List Toastmasters on Resume

Club President - XYZ Toastmasters Club, City, State

• Led a diverse team of club officers in organizing and executing weekly meetings, workshops, and other events that fostered communication skills development for club members.
• Successfully managed club finances, membership recruitment, and public relations efforts to maintain a thriving club environment.
• Spearheaded club projects and collaborated with neighboring clubs on regional initiatives, demonstrating strong leadership and teamwork abilities.

Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) - Toastmasters International

• Completed ten specialized communication projects and delivered a total of 30 speeches in various formats, including informative, persuasive, and entertaining talks.
• Demonstrated competence in advanced public speaking techniques, such as vocal variety, body language, and storytelling.
• Earned the Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) award, reflecting a commitment to continuous learning and development of communication skills.

What to Avoid While Listing Toastmasters on Resume

• Vague Descriptions: Be specific about your role within Toastmasters and the accomplishments you've made during your tenure. Provide quantifiable results whenever possible, such as number of speeches delivered or members recruited.
• Overemphasis: While Toastmasters can be a valuable addition to your resume, it should not overshadow more relevant professional experience or qualifications. Include it judiciously and ensure that it supports and strengthens the rest of your application.
• Outdated Information: Keep your Toastmasters-related information up-to-date by including only current roles, certifications, or achievements. If you've completed a project or earned a certification in the past but have since moved on to other endeavors, there's no need to list it unless it directly relates to the job you're applying for.
• Generalizations: Instead of simply stating that you are a member of Toastmasters, provide details about your specific roles and accomplishments within the organization to showcase your skills and value to potential employers.

How to List Public Speaking Events Organized on Resume

Best Practices:

• Highlight Relevant Details: Start with the name, date, and location of each event. This provides a clear context for potential employers. For example, if you organized a Toastmasters speech contest, include the name of the club, the city, and the date of the event.

  • Example: "Toastmasters International Speech Contest, New York City, March 15th, 2021"

• Specify Your Role: Clearly state your role in organizing the event. This helps employers understand your level of responsibility and the skills you demonstrated during the process.

  • Example: "Organized and facilitated the club's annual speech contest as the Vice President of Education."

• Detail Key Responsibilities: List the key tasks you were responsible for during event organization. This could include scheduling speakers, coordinating logistics, or managing a team of volunteers.

  • Example: "Managed a team of 10 members to schedule contestants, coordinate with judges, and ensure smooth execution of the event."

• Emphasize Outcomes: If possible, quantify the success of the event. This could be the number of attendees, the number of speakers involved, or the positive feedback received.

  • Example: "Successfully organized a speech contest with 200 attendees and 30 contestants, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants."

• Showcase Transferable Skills: Highlight any transferable skills gained from organizing public speaking events. This could include leadership, communication, or project management skills.

  • Example: "Developed strong leadership and organizational skills by successfully managing the Toastmasters International Speech Contest."

Example 1: Public Speaking Events Organized on Toastmasters Resume

In this example, let's assume you were the President of a Toastmasters club and organized several club meetings and contests. Here's how you might list these events on your resume:

Public Speaking Events Organized (Toastmasters)

• Club Meetings: Weekly meetings, January 2019 - December 2020, [City Name] Toastmasters Club
  • Facilitated the organization and execution of weekly club meetings as the President.
  • Coordinated with members to ensure a variety of engaging speeches and roles.
  • Maintained an average attendance of 30 participants per meeting.
• Annual Speech Contest: March 15th, 2021, [City Name] Toastmasters Club
  • Organized and facilitated the club's annual speech contest as the President.
  • Managed a team of 10 members to schedule contestants, coordinate with judges, and ensure smooth execution of the event.
  • Successfully organized a speech contest with 200 attendees and 30 contestants, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants.

Example 2: Public Speaking Events Organized in Toastmasters Context

In this example, let's assume you were a member of a Toastmasters club and took on the role of the Contest Master for a district-level contest. Here's how you might list these events on your resume:

Public Speaking Events Organized (Toastmasters)

• District Speech Contest: April 20th, 2019, [City Name]
  • Served as the Contest Master for the district speech contest.
  • Coordinated with the Area Directors and Club Presidents to ensure a smooth event.
  • Successfully organized and executed the contest with 150 attendees and 30 contestants, receiving positive feedback from participants and judges.

How to List Communication Skills Developed on Resume

Best Practices for Listing 'Communication Skills Developed' Subcategory:

• Specify the Context: Clearly state where you developed these skills. For instance, if you honed your communication skills through Toastmasters, specify that. This gives potential employers a clear understanding of your dedication to improving these skills and the context in which they were gained.

  Example: "Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Delivered over 50 speeches, demonstrated versatility through various speaking roles, and developed leadership skills by leading three different club meetings."

• Quantify Your Achievements: If possible, provide numbers to quantify your achievements. This can help give employers a sense of the depth and breadth of your communication skill development.

  Example: "Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Delivered over 50 speeches, improving public speaking confidence by 80% as measured through pre- and post-speech self-assessments."

• Highlight Relevant Skills: Focus on the specific communication skills you developed in this context that are relevant to the job you're applying for. This could include active listening, effective presentation, persuasive communication, or facilitating group discussions.

  Example: "Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Gained expertise in crafting engaging and persuasive speeches, improved active listening skills by participating in group discussions, and honed my ability to facilitate productive meetings."

• Describe Key Achievements: Briefly describe key achievements that demonstrate your communication skill development. This could include winning speaking contests or leading successful club projects.

  Example: "Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Served as Club President, led the club to win the 'Best Club' award, and delivered a persuasive speech that won the 'International Speech Contest' at the District level."

• Use Action Verbs: Use action verbs to make your accomplishments more dynamic and engaging. This can help demonstrate your enthusiasm and effectiveness as a communicator.

  Example: "Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Engaged, motivated, and inspired audience members through compelling speeches, honing my ability to captivate and persuade."

Example 1: Communication Skills Developed on Toastmasters Resume

Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Delivered over 200 speeches, improving public speaking confidence by 95%, and leading two successful club projects, demonstrating leadership and teamwork skills.

Example 2: Communication Skills Developed in Toastmasters Context

Communication Skills Developed (Toastmasters): Gained expertise in crafting persuasive speeches, improved active listening skills by participating in group discussions, and honed my ability to facilitate productive meetings, resulting in the club winning the 'Best Club' award two years in a row.

How to List Specific Roles in Club Activities on Resume

Best Practices for Listing This Subcategory

• Highlight Achievements: Clearly define the role you held within the club activity and quantify your achievements if possible. For instance, "Club President: Led a 30-member Toastmasters club to increase membership by 20% over a year."

• Role: Club President

• Responsibilities: Led a 30-member Toastmasters club to increase membership by 20% over a year.

• Use Action Verbs: Start each bullet point with a strong action verb that conveys the task you performed effectively. For example, "Organized and facilitated weekly meetings, ensuring efficient use of time."

• Role: Meeting Facilitator

• Responsibilities: Organized and facilitated weekly meetings, ensuring efficient use of time.

• Describe Skills Acquired: Explain the skills you gained from the role that will be valuable in your prospective job. For example, "Developed leadership, public speaking, and organizational abilities while serving as a Toastmasters Club Officer."

• Role: Vice President Education (VPE)

• Responsibilities: Developed leadership, public speaking, and organizational abilities while serving as a Toastmasters Club Officer.

• Mention Projects: If you were involved in any specific projects within the club activity, be sure to mention them. For example, "Coordinated the successful execution of the annual International Speech Contest."

• Role: Contest Master

• Responsibilities: Coordinated the successful execution of the annual International Speech Contest.

• Provide Context: Briefly explain the club's purpose and mission to give context to your role within it. For example, "Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their public speaking and leadership skills."

• Club: Toastmasters International

• Description: Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their public speaking and leadership skills.

Example 1: Specific Roles in Club Activities on Toastmasters Resume

• Role: President
  • Responsibilities: Led a 25-member Toastmasters club to increase membership by 30% over the year. Coordinated and facilitated weekly meetings, ensuring efficient use of time. Developed leadership, public speaking, and organizational abilities while serving as a Toastmasters Club Officer.
  • Context: Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their public speaking and leadership skills.

Example 2: Specific Roles in Club Activities in Toastmasters Context

• Role: Area Director
  • Responsibilities: Oversaw a district with 15 clubs, responsible for evaluating club performance and offering guidance to support their growth. Coordinated the successful execution of district-level contests and events. Developed strong leadership and mentoring skills while serving as an Area Director for Toastmasters International.
  • Context: Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their public speaking and leadership skills.

How to List Achievements and Milestones on Resume

Listing your achievements and milestones effectively can significantly enhance your resume's impact. Here are some best practices:

• Specificity: Be specific about what you achieved. Instead of saying "led a team," specify the number of people in the team, the project objectives, and the results achieved.

  • Example: Led a team of 5 individuals to complete a comprehensive marketing campaign that resulted in a 20% increase in website traffic over a three-month period.

• Quantifiable Results: Whenever possible, include quantifiable results. This helps recruiters understand the scale and impact of your achievements.

  • Example: Spearheaded a company-wide training program that improved employee productivity by 15% and saved the company $50,000 in annual training costs.

• Action Verbs: Use active voice and action verbs to describe your actions. This makes your achievements sound more dynamic and engaging.

  • Example: Developed, implemented, and evaluated a new customer service strategy that increased customer satisfaction scores by 25%.

• Relevance: Tailor your achievements to the job you're applying for. Highlight those accomplishments that are most relevant to the position you're seeking.

  • Example: Streamlined project management processes, resulting in a 30% reduction in project timelines, beneficial for fast-paced environments.

• Chronological Order: List your achievements in reverse chronological order, with the most recent first. This helps recruiters quickly understand your most recent experiences and accomplishments.

Example 1: Achievements and Milestones on Toastmasters Resume

In a Toastmasters context, you might list your achievements as follows:

• Earned the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award, demonstrating exceptional leadership, communication, and mentoring skills.
• Served as Club President, where I increased membership by 25% and led the club to achieve President's Distinguished status.
• Delivered a TEDx talk on "Effective Communication in the Digital Age," reaching over 10,000 viewers online.
• Mentored 3 new Toastmasters, helping them develop their public speaking and leadership skills.

Example 2: Achievements and Milestones in Toastmasters Context

Here's an example of how you might list achievements within the specific context of a Toastmasters competition:

• Placed first in the District-level Table Topics Speaking contest, demonstrating my ability to think on my feet and deliver compelling impromptu speeches.
• Advanced to the Semi-finals of the International Speech Contest, showcasing my ability to craft and deliver a persuasive, engaging speech on the topic "Embracing Change: The Key to Growth."
• Served as a contest judge at two district contests, applying my communication skills to evaluate and provide constructive feedback to fellow competitors.

How to List Leadership Positions on Resume

Best Practices for Listing Leadership Positions:

• Quantify Achievements: Highlight the number of people managed, projects led, or initiatives launched under your leadership. For instance, "Led a team of 10 members, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity."

• Define Responsibilities and Achievements: Clearly outline your responsibilities and accomplishments within each leadership position. This can include strategic planning, problem-solving, decision-making, and team management. For example, "Spearheaded project planning and execution for club events with a success rate of 95%."

• Use Action Verbs: Start each bullet point with a powerful action verb to convey your initiative and drive. Here are some examples: manage, direct, supervise, coordinate, motivate, mentor, delegate, and inspire.

• Highlight Transferable Skills: Emphasize the skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for. For Toastmasters leadership positions, this might include public speaking, conflict resolution, or project management.

• Employ Keywords: Incorporate industry-specific keywords and phrases, such as "Toastmasters," into your resume to help automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) pick up your application. This can increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters.

Example 1: Leadership Positions on Toastmasters Resume

• Vice President Education (VPE) at [Toastmasters Club Name]
  • Led club education and learning program for continuous improvement of public speaking skills
  • Managed a team of five members, resulting in a 15% increase in member engagement
  • Coordinated monthly educational meetings and workshops
  • Incorporated feedback from club members to adapt the learning curriculum to their needs

Example 2: Leadership Positions in Toastmasters Context

• Club President at [Toastmasters Club Name]
  • Supervised club operations, ensuring adherence to Toastmasters International guidelines
  • Motivated and mentored fellow members to develop their leadership potential
  • Organized weekly meetings, club events, and workshops to facilitate skill development
  • Managed the club's budget, securing sponsorships and grants for various projects