Is this a good student resume?

Can I put my student group work under job experience on my resume?

• I'm a college grad writing up her first real resume and I'm a bit torn about where to put my student group work. I’ve been told by about an equal amount of mildly uninterested professors (including one who’s sole job is to teach a class on writing resumes and she was the least useful) to put it under experience, and those who disagree say to put it under education. Thanks a ton, profs. Here's the deal: I was part of a student group for 3 years, 2 1/2 years of which I was on the leadership board, 1 year of which I was president. It was a chapter of nationwide NGO advocacy group that dealt with humanitarian situations worldwide. Now, I would love to put it under job experience because I did not have a job/internship during those 3 years (a personal decision that I know not everyone would make, but between school, this group that I cared about and a painful back injury, I had very little time and did what I thought was best for me. I still would make that same decision). I also learned a lot during that experience that directly applies to my future career choices, and gave me skills that most people learn from having a paying job. Indeed I didn’t approach it as an extracurricular activity but rather as work – hard, fulfilling unpaid work. At the same time I don’t want my resume to be tossed aside because I listed it incorrectly. Now I know I’ll have to fight for an interview anyway due to my lack of a beefy resume, but I’d at least like to take what little I have an make it sing. I appreciate your help and suggestions! Sidenote: I cannot go to the career center on campus as I have since moved home, about 2,000 miles away. I also have other skills and another job experience (3 years at Banana Republic, so not the most amazing) to list prior to the most recent 3 years. I just want to know how to address this one thing.

• Answer:

  Doesn't really count as classic work experience, but I would perhaps put it in its own sub category so it stands out...possibly list as volunteer work, or similar. You can highlight it again in your cover letters.