Answered by Steve, Hiring Expert at Caterpillar Inc., on Friday, June 6, 2014
Internships are great, but they are not the only thing that companies look at when considering someone to hire. The most important qualification for a job is your character. Therefore, yes, volunteering and other community and campus activities do matter to companies. If you assumed a leadership role in these activities, that is even better. On your resume, you should structure it in a way that emphasizes your education and your volunteer/community activity. If you can show a recruiter on your resume that you are a candidate with high character, plus leadership skills, that will help you to obtain interviews. Once you have an interview, you can explain the personal reasons for not obtaining an internship.