<p>I'm going to be a freshman in college next year, and I'm planning on doing a full-time volunteer program after I graduate (Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Americorps, Peace Corps, something like that). I was wondering if these programs require you to have prior work experience.</p>
<p>I'm 18 and have absolutely no work experience whatsoever. It also looks like I won't absolutely need to work in college, either. (Knock on wood.) If full-time volunteer programs generally require some actual work experience - working for an employer for pay - I don't have a problem with getting a job, but I'd much rather volunteer instead. I would be putting in the same amount of hours that I would be if I got a job, so in my eyes I would be getting the same amount of experience, but I'm not sure if others look at it that way.</p>
<p>Would volunteering INSTEAD of working during college (which means I would still have no "actual" work experience) be harmful, helpful, or neutral?</p>
<p>Note: I'm just wondering about how full-time volunteer agencies would view this - I want to make doing this type of thing my life (not just Americorps - I realize there's a limit in how long you can serve with them, but doing volunteer/mission work in general), so I'm not worried about how "regular" employers would view it.</p>