Businesses are increasingly looking at the volunteering experience of candidates when hiring for new positions, according to research released today.

In response to one in five UK managers saying that they have made hiring decisions based on a candidate's work experience in the voluntary sector, LinkedIn has introduced a ‘Volunteer Experience & Causes’ field to its profiles.

In the survey, 63% of professionals said that they had volunteering experience, but only 55% include that information on their CV. But the trend for businesses to be increasingly savvy about their CSR efforts, including extending volunteer opportunities to employees, means that the social responsibility demonstrated by candidates is now being measured alongside their other experience.

Nightline volunteer Kristina Bassett believes her time at the charity was useful for her career. “Volunteering as a team leader and secretary for Nightline greatly improved my career prospects and CV credentials. I gained experience creating publicity and organising fundraising events which had a very real effect on the success or failure of the service. It’s given me skills that are useful in today’s competitive job market.”

The incorporation of volunteer work into many people’s professional identities will be supported by LinkedIn’s new facility. Members will be able to list volunteer positions and organisations that they support, such as Oxfam International and Habitat for Humanity.