Do you list your college degree?

[mrs.b]

Young people do need to be earning a living, true. I was not suggesting volunteer work instead of paid work, I was suggesting it in addition. While the job market is slowly improving, it is nowhere near where it needs to be for college graduates lacking work experience to easily get a job in the field they trained without that existing work experience. It requires an edge to be one of the few that finds a job (46.4%) and is not underemployed (roughly half of that 46.4%) in lower-paying or lower-qualification jobs than what they trained. Accounting is one of the fields that has somewhat better prospects, but a bullet point on the resume that says a candidate spends a bit of free time bettering the community is more likely to hit the "to be interviewed" pile than one that lists a second job bussing tables at a diner, or lacks that additional bullet point at all. There are still a lot of unemployed and underemployed older workers with ample work experience as well as education, and when up against that, any applicable experience a younger applicant can get is a benefit to their chances of getting some face time with the selection decision-maker.

Youth does have a bit of a boon, but many people have debated here countless times how much 'formal education but no work experience' does not match or surpass 'formal education as well as applicable work history of 4+ years,' and that latter group are the ones that were laid off during the employment crisis, many of which are now edging out recent grads for positions as the job market does soften and some positions do open back up. Non-profits are often welcoming of help. They may not be willing to let a volunteer do all their detailed accounting and tax work, but it is an appropriate resume notation no matter the position (it says "I am not one of those early-20-somethings that spend their weekends getting drunk to the exclusion of all else, I am of some benefit to my community"), and a fantastic way to network. Prior to this past year, I used to volunteer somewhat regularly, and at 36, I do not think I quite fit the elderly label and can promise I am not independently wealthy and just wasting time until I inherit a fortune. Most of those I worked alongside were similar in age and situation to me, more than a few of which owned their own businesses. In-kind contributions are the bread and butter of a lot of charities, particularly these days when businesses have a hard time justifying cash donations, and businesses that are willing to do that are often just as interested in hiring candidates of similar mindsets.