CAREERS NOW 02-03-08

Volunteer Work: Red Meat For Resume Or Not?

DEAR JOYCE: I became a stay-at-home mom seven years ago but now I need to think about going back to work in case anything happens to my husband's job.

I've done some volunteer work and I thought that would be a good thing to put on my resume but my husband says that they laugh at volunteer experience where he works. They don't see it as the real deal. A friend also told me that unpaid work isn't taken seriously at her company either. What's your opinion? - B.O.K.

Work is work, paid or unpaid. Skills acquired are skills acquired, in paid or unpaid work. Resume-worthy experience is resume-worthy experience, period.

In any job search, the real question to ask yourself is whether the information on your resume relates to the job you seek. Do you have the skills required? Are you a good fit?

Before accepting new volunteer assignments, be strategic about choosing beneficiaries of your valuable hours. Lacking a trust fund, you never know when you'll want to return to the paid workplace, as you now do.

Seeing my previous comments about the value of volunteerism in careers, a few readers felt that placing a focus on strategic selection dilutes the point of freely giving service to others. When you feel a moral tug to serve in an activity that bears little relationship to the workplace, do so if that's important to you. But reserve the major portion of your volunteer time for jobs that make verifiable skill investments in your personal "employment bank."

Nowhere is it written that you can't aim to do good, while at the same time, do something good for whatever your future may hold. Here's how.

Compare the skills you'll develop in a volunteer position with those generally and broadly required in a future paid job.

Suppose, for example, you're interested in the green movement, beyond paper recycling and light bulbs. Maybe you'd like to become a green product designer, an energy rating auditor or an environmental manager. Perhaps you'd be happy to work as an administrative assistant to an urban arborist or environmental lawyer.

Despite specific skill and knowledge variances for various Earth-friendly jobs, your resume will better support your potential future in the green zone if you volunteer for an environmental cause rather at an animal shelter or a hospital.

In continuing with the green example, pay attention to relevant informational Web sites and job boards to get a feel for what's possible, such as: sustainablebusiness.com, ecojobs.com, greenbiz.com and treehugger.com.

No argument with your husband and friend: Some prospective employers certainly will discount your volunteer work - especially if you don't sell the skills acquired or polished through that work. On the other hand, countless readers have described to me how their volunteer work led them to paid jobs. Here's an appropriate one-word response if you meet rejection of skills you gained through unpaid work: "Next!"

DEAR JOYCE: My company's revenues depend on the health of the economy. I've been asked to take a 15% pay cut. Would I be smart or dumb to take the pay hit? - J.S.

I'd be inclined to negotiate for a smaller cut, clarify that it is temporary and silently start hunting for a new position. In any case, I'd dust off my resume pronto.

DEAR JOYCE: Concerning your recent column about recession-resistant jobs, here are several you missed: debt collectors, repossession agents, rental agents and lawyers specializing in foreclosures. - K.B.

Thanks. And let's not forget investors who do well in bad times by shorting the market.

DEAR JOYCE: About jobs that survive recessions: Don't overlook funeral directors - they're always the last ones to let you down. - B.R.E.

Ouch.

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