No work experience since 2010

[Nonetheless]

I am in nursing school, soon to be a new grad. I am under a great deal of stress about graduating and finding a job. I have no work experience since 2010, when I worked a non-nursing summer job.

Currently, I have extensive volunteer and leadership experience. I have been very active in nursing and in my community since 2010 -- however, none of my activities were paid for.

I wanted to focus on school when in school. Volunteering has flexibility that a job does not have, and I still gained valuable clinical experience whilst keeping my grades high.

Now, when I apply for my first job, will I be able to list these as work experience on my application? From what I have understood, online job applications ask for work experience and leave a blank spot for it, then you attach a resume separately -- meaning (I assume) that whoever is looking at your application has to like it enough to open your resume. I am proud of my resume and I am not in favor of leaving a blank spot and want nurse recruiters to look at it, not put it aside because I don't have paid work experience. I think I would make a very good nurse, and am excited and eager to learn and work.

Any personal experience?

I am open to working pretty much anywhere and in every unit (I like everything) but I do have my personal top choices/ dream jobs.

I know the job market is brutal. Is this going to hurt me really bad? Should I get a job at a grocery store or something just to gain work experience? Am I hopeless?

I am in a BSN program and this is my first degree.

[SpunkRN]

I am no expert but the volunteer work will look awesome on the resume. Play that up, I wouldn't go get a job at the GAP or anything unless you need the money.

[Smiley06]

I agree I think that the volunteer work would look good on a resume. Managers know how hard nursing school is and that you must focus on your studies. Some people can work full time and some can't. I volunteered at hospitals too and I love the flexibilty it gives me. Just be sure to detail the things that you did as a volenteer on your resume. I basically do everything that a PCA does without the paycheck but you better believe just because I did not get paid for those activities that I won't put it on my resume!

[llg, PhD, RN]

The volunteer work is great. As previous posters have suggested, play it up on your resume and in your cover letter. However, do NOT list it as work experience as that would be a lie -- and lying on a resume is something you should never do. When a lie is discovered (which it would be when they try to verify your employment at those places), you are usually eliminated from consideration for employment and may even be put on a list of people not eligible for hire at that institution for future jobs. So do not lie about it or anything else on an application or on a resume.

List your volunteer experience clearly as being "volunteer" on your resume and do not list it as if it were employment on an electronic application. Maybe ... depending on the format of the electronic application form, you might be able to list the job title as "Unpaid Volunteer" on the application. If the electronic form allows you to do that, I think it would be OK -- because you would be very clear in your labeling your status for that situation. But don't do anything to imply that it was anything other than what it was.

Most nursing hiring managers understand that new grads may not have worked throughout school due to the nature of many nursing programs.

[Swellz]

I had an extensive work history in the medical field, but I was still told to play up the few volunteer experiences I had on my resume. I think it stands out more to have that commitment without the pay than to have any old job. Plus, it shows initiative and leadership potential.

[Nonetheless]

Thank you :) I am happy with the responses. I don't need the money, fortunately, so I just won't work. If I have a hard time finding work after I graduate, I will just continue volunteering!

[Nonetheless]

Thank you! I am not volunteering at a hospital, but the work I do when volunteering is kind of what a nurse's assistant would do, like you stated. I will list every detail about what I have done!

[Nonetheless]

Thank you :) I won't lie! I will tell the truth on my applications and do something like write in big letters VOLUNTEER or UNPAID VOLUNTEER like you stated, so that I am honest on my applications. I think I will only do this if the electronic form allows me to, and if there is no where to put relevant clinical experience or volunteer experience or something with that sort of name.

[Nonetheless]

Thank you! yes, I committed to volunteering with the same institution with different positions for my entire 4 years of college. I think that's pretty valuable! I continuously committed to the same institution for an extended period of time, and grew and learned and contributed to the institution while I was there, and all for free :) I have to sit down and calculate my hours now