Just to play devil’s advocate, I’m wondering how you can look at a resume and instantly know whether or not the student/recent grad was paid for the work they have listed. If done properly, all the experience should flow together and not necessarily call attention to whether or not the work was paid.

And, just to add to that, I think it’s quite a shame that, in an industry known for its unpaid internships (I’ve had a few myself), a hiring manger would “punish” the candidate for having great experience for which they happened to not receive compensation. Seems a bit backwards to me, but perhaps I’m reading your response wrong and that’s how it *used to* be–maybe in a time where most internships were paid? I’m sorry to say that’s definitely not the case now–there are far more unpaid internships than there are paid ones–but when I look at a student/grad’s resume, I do not distinguish between paid and unpaid experience, so long as the experience is (1) relevant and (2) meaningful.

In fact, I might go as far to argue that the individuals with unpaid experiences are actually harder working and have greater motivation than those who don’t. They are the ones willing to do whatever it takes to gain the experience they need to launch their careers, even if it means working a second job that’s *not* on their resume to support themselves.

Anyway, sorry about the rant! We’re absolutely on the same page regarding resume advice but for this one issue. It can certainly be looked at from both sides.

Heather

Thanks so much for your comments. You always provide helpful advice for students on Twitter, too.

I’d definitely agree that related work experience is crucial to put on a resume. And related volunteer experience is critical, too.

I’d like to approach the non-related experience from a different angle. I spent about a decade working in HR in Fortune 500 companies. If a recent college grad submitted a resume with *no* paid work experience on it, it was unlikely that the grad would be called in for an interview. I would much rather see that a grad had a strong work ethic and the motivation to be at least partially self-supporting than to not know that information about the grad. Also, the grad could stress the skills learned/applied in the job rather than list the duties for the job.

That said, students need to read your second-to-last last sentence carefully and take it to heart: “If you want to be a contender in this economy, you need to come to the table with relevant experience.”

Barbara

While I think most of your post is spot-on, I strongly urge students and recent graduates to include only relevant, directly related experience on their resumes and in their cover letters.

If, for example, you worked at Victoria’s Secret all throughout college and are now seeking an entry-level PR position at my agency, please do not include that on your application materials. They will end up in the trash. I love giving this example because I can’t tell you how many girls who’ve applied for positions I advertised have worked there and that’s all that was on their resumes.

If you want to be a contender in this economy, you need to come to the table with relevant experience. And, each resume/cover letter should be tailored to the position/company.

Heather

Make sure everyone you asked for feedback gets a thank you note for their help and a copy of your final resume. In the note ask them to let you know of anyone who might be looking for someone like you or to keep a copy of your resume and to please forward it to anyone they know who might someday be looking, even if they aren’t currently. As a side, I help a lot of students with their resumes and am always amazed how many never send me a final copy.

Finally, make sure your resume is online. Let me say that again – MAKE SURE YOUR RESUME IS ONLINE!!! Sorry for yelling but I think in today’s day, having an online resume is vital! Besides, you will hate those moments when you talk about how techy you are and how engaged in social media you are and when asked for your resume url you don’t have one… sigh… mixed messages stink. Not sure where to post it? Give http://www.visualcv.com a try. You can also post your portfolio there!