Hi,

While attending my school's career development info panels and reading articles on Monster.com, I learn that for recent grads, every if any working experience is precious on my bare, first resume. I just, however, can't be sure where to put some of my volunteer experience or how to connect them with what an employer might be looking for. I didn't work a job for a year after my graduation date. I took extra classes, and worked voluntarily in 3 projects, but now that I'm writing resumes, I don't know how to make these experience serve me, as they seem random and unrelated sometimes to the types of opening I was applying for.

For example the projects I work/ed in are:

1. I was part of the group for 2 years that planned and realized an art exhibition, doing research and designing websites.

2. Volunteer recruiting at various special events for the annual local gay pride this summer.

3. Part taking in planning committee meetings and website designing/building for a small, non-profit group focusing on Taiwanese female immigrant/international students.

And I would be applying for work in museums, but not able to include the last 2 experience. Or I would be applying for work in a glass workshop (I was a fine arts major), but not able to include any of these experience.

As all of these took time and efforts from me throughout the past year, I really want to make them be of help in my job hunt. I also worry that not being able to include them somewhere will make it look like I spent the past year doing nothing with myself, which looks bad!

Please give any advise and suggestion you may have. I'd appreciate it greatly!

Sounds like these activities were interesting and that you made some significant contributions, so why not include on your resume? Try to draw out the elements that are related to your career goal. For example, if you're pursuing a marketing position, then focus on the marketing-related aspects of your work. You can write something like: "Volunteer Marketing/Special Event Projects, 2006 to present" and include a bulleted list of your strongest, most related contributions.

Best wishes for a successful job search!

Kim Isaacs
The Resume Expert

I get this question a lot from students, and I'll tell you what I tell them.  Work is work, no matter if you were paid or not, so include it with your work history section if it's relevant to what you're seeking.   Volunteering doesn't mean that you don't do the same jobs as others, but rather it means that you approached them and just devoted personal time to helping out.  But if you typed some letters, does it matter if you did it on a volunteer basis or were paid?  No!  Point is you were typing out letters, which is "office experience."

So I would definitely suggest your including these on your resume under work history, or whatever you call it.

Thank you Resume Expert and Career Doctor for your advices. I will try to include these volunteer experience in my resumes from now on.