Volunteer, does this time count on my resume?

[rachelshusband]

If I voluteer a few hours a week for the next 2 years, how does the hiring manager look at that on my resume as a new grad? Can I say that its 2 years experience?

[JoytoWorld]

Experience is experience.

The experience that you gain in work that was not paid remains experience. Sometimes the volunteer experience is of greater career value than some of the paid jobs we have held.

If it is significant experience for the employ you are seeking, it is worth noting on a resume. That you volunteered usher at the community theater may have little bearing for a nursing job. May be of value if the job you seek is to gain a position on the theater board.

If you volunteered for American Red Cross to do triage during a recent flood that may be of interest for a position in an ER.

Be clear about the amount of experience though. 2 hours per 2 weeks over 2 years is NOT 2 years experience.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

Volunteering looks good on a resume, and you never know. I volunteered for an anti DUI organisation, and to my surprise, all members were awarded "The Presidents Volunteer Action Award" which is very impressive on a resume!

[caliotter3]

It is more likely to be of use to you if you place it on your resume than if you leave it off. Add it. It can not hurt.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

Yes it looks good on a resume but it will not count as "experience".. Volunteer work really is not experience for working as a RN or LPN. The jobs are very different and many things you will do as a RN is not allowed by volunteers. Of course this depends on the type of volunteer work you have done..

[rachelshusband]

I should have done a better job and clarified. I plan on volunteering at the hospital on a floor I want to start my career in. So I'm trying to find out, due to the many job postings that want a GN to somehow have experience, will this count?

[llg, PhD, RN]

It will be looked at in a positive way ... but it is not the same as having nursing experience. You will still be a new grad. But you will be a new grad who has spent some time becoming familiar with that work environment, which is a good thing.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I put all my volunteering on my resume whether it is nursing related or not.

[rockabye]

Volunteering will not count as "nursing" experience, but it will show your motivation in working there and will also give you opportunity to know the staff and network.

[cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP]

I would list all volunteering experience on your resume, especially if it related to nursing/healthcare in some form. If you are volunteering for 2 hours a week X 2 years then you would list it as "200 Volunteering Hours over 2 Years". Listing simply "2 Years Volunteering Experience" is misleading and nonspecific. If the position your volunteering at is not related somehow to nursing/healthcare then I suggest you focus on what aspects of the position or attributes you have developed from the experience that are related to your position as a nurse (teamwork, leadership, patience, compassion, customer service etc.) All experience can be helpful to some degree if you know how to spin it right.

!Chris

[MoriahRoseRN]

Some places will allow you to actually give nursing care to patient's like regular paid staff. I would think that would count as experience. I am not sure if the OP will doing as such.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Volunteering at a free clinic helped me get noticed. It's not the same as actual work experience, but it's better than sitting on the couch doing nothing.

Just be sure to make it clear on your resume that it's volunteer/unpaid experience, so if/when someone calls to verify your "employment" they're not told "OP never worked for us" by someone in HR who didn't know you were a volunteer.