To put my experience as school governor on cv / job application?

[Cottagepieandpeas]

I think I use my skills & experience and have learned a lot, but is it ok to use it in the same way as I use my actual work experience?
If you were the employer would you see it as having equal value as previous jobs?

I would see it as a skill and would stand out to me on a CV as long as you have other work experience I was looking for.

Yes definitely put it on, speaking as HR and a former Recruiter its definitely relevant experience, it’s organisational governance.

Thank you. That’s good to hear. It will enable me to give better and more varied examples on applications and in interviews.

I would absolutely put it on. A school govenor has responsibilities and is usually selected because they have particular skills. I think it would be scraping the barrel a bit to put that you were the class PTA rep but a govenor is absolutely worth mentioning.

Of course, it's quite a while since I was a governor but I'm pretty sure it's still on my CV

What would be your reasons not to include it?

Absolutely put it on - it is classed as a non-executive role.

I'm Chair of the PTA & have it on my CV under voluntary work.

Put any substantial volunteer work on there (not just a one off evening at three soup kitchen etc), I recruited a few months ago and the volunteer work on one CV made the difference between interviewing her or not, I'm glad I did as she interviewed brilliantly, we hired her over people with more direct experience in the field and she is an excellent addition to the team.

Put it on, I got my job because of it.

Yes, definitely and list any training you've done too, that may be relevant to the role.

Like Rocketpants50, I got my job because of it.

I don't think it carries equivalent weight to a job but definitely worth including

@DailyPotion

I don't think it carries equivalent weight to a job but definitely worth including

Yes, don't put it as a job, it goes in the "other" bit

Definitely. It says a lot about what sort of person you are (a very good one with lots of skills).

I would list as a valid means of obtaining experience. As a recruiter I doubt I would give it equal value with paid employment though, as it simply doesnt take many hours or require much actual responsibility.

It does have some value though, and is worth listing. It also shows your positive attributes of being community minded, happy to pitch in and help out etc.

Yes, under your skills and experience heading.

Many people don’t realise that, done properly, school governance is pretty onerous and a significant responsibility. Depending on the role you are applying for you might also include any relevant governor training, eg safer recruitment.

I list it under the ‘relevant experience’ section where you write freely on an application, not under the work history.

it simply doesnt take many hours or require much actual responsibility

Have you been a governor in the last ten years?

John exactly what I was going to say! I'm chair of a two-school federation and it's a considerable amount of time and legally mandated responsibility.

I sit on a board of governors as a member of staff, so it's part of my paid job, but it never cases to amaze me that we get good people prepared to do it for free. It's a huge commitment and carries massive responsibility.

it simply doesnt take many hours or require much actual responsibility

That's one of the funniest sentences I've read on here this week

I have it on my CV and have got a job because of it.

Yes, I used it on my cv when I went back into paid employment after 16yrs as a SAHP. It certainly helped me get a job, and my headteacher and Chair of Govs both volunteered to give references. It's bloody hard work, much more responsible than my current paid job, and far more time consuming too!

Haha to the idea that it doesn't take many hours or have responsibility. If you ignore the budgets, disciplinaries, discussion of curriculum and SATS, the time spent with OFSTED, pay committee, behaviour committee, the recruitment etc...then sure there's not much time or responsibility. Yeah it's not as much as my paid job but it's not just sitting there discussing what time to do the Christmas assembly. There's one full meeting per term but that's far from all it involves.

I have it on my CV.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

I would list as a valid means of obtaining experience. As a recruiter I doubt I would give it equal value with paid employment though, as it simply doesnt take many hours or require much actual responsibility.

It does have some value though, and is worth listing. It also shows your positive attributes of being community minded, happy to pitch in and help out etc.

I suppose that depends on your definition of many hours and responsibilty, I know people who put a lot of time and effort into it especially when something big is going on at the school

@JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson

it simply doesnt take many hours or require much actual responsibility

Have you been a governor in the last ten years?

That's what I was wondering?

Even Sir Michael Wilshaw, when he was ofsted chief inspector wanted to pay some school governors for the amount of work they were putting in, especially when so many schools were being made to amalgamate.