Should I volunteer? Or take the job? Which would make me more marketable? (applying, interview)

[criminaljusticegrad]

I've volunteered before, but now I am wondering if I should do so again. I got laid off like a month and a half ago. However, I now have about 1.5 years experience in one aspect of my field (youth worker), but haven't even gotten an interview applying to eerily similar positions. The volunteering I was thinking of doing is only Full-time everyday, and is a long term (few months commitment). This contract has stipulation regarding up and stopping.

Now, at first I thought the volunteering would be great...but in the past two month (yeah I stated before I was out of work) I decided to test things. I created another resume (with a different name), changed education and work history but not so much it's totally different from what I've done, and added the volunteer experience (all duties) I don't yet have. Using a different email and phone number (my cell phone), while I was apply to the places I applied with my 'volunteer resume at the same time. I didn't get a call back for either one in the cases I sent out both. In total I sent about 58 of the dummies.

Now, I admit some of the jobs might not of even had time to get back to me, but it doesn't seem like the volunteering makes much difference. Instead of doing that I was thinking of trying mentoring,, and also some "hard networking", and keep applying.

With regards to keep applying...I did get an offer similar to what I was doing before because my previous boss referred. Who you know! Go figure. However, this position is like the other in that the hours are extremely limited...and this one pays much worse than the previous one. I mean, I wasn't raining in money before, but this is like barely above provincial minimum wage.

I am not sure which one is better? I want to be a probation or parole officer in the end.

Note~
1) For my field in my provinces city or nearby there are exactly 12 locations with the type of volunteer work I thought would be helpful and vaguely field related. I applied to volunteer at all of them (phoned for info, filled out the form, and went in person to bug them afterward). I was rejected by all but 1 of them (seriously wtf)...which is the one I could stat with next week.

[veuvegirl]

How are you expecting to get a job with a fake name?

[thebunny]

Wonder that too. Not even going to bother with this one as it seems all his efforts in finding a job are to make sure his alias has excellent experience.

[DrEarth]

Applying to 58 jobs with a fake name, etc, is a waste of time. You could have been applying to actual jobs.

[JanND]

Why volunteer for a position that you are applying to work at. You are shooting yourself in the foot IMO.
Volunteer a few hours in a place that has similar business, i.e. after schoo programs w/ troubled youth, mentoring a troubled youth....No way would I encourage you to volunteer full time and later expect to become a paid employee. What would make them want to pay you if they can have you for free??

[joe from dayton]

Did someone offer you a job? If so, yes, take it over volunteering. I am not sure what you are trying to accomplish with your experiment but probation and parole officers are expected to be ethical and are placed in positions of trust. I say that because whatever you are doing can be considered unethical and a strike against you.

[unplugme71]

Volunteering is great in general but will not help you get a job. Not unless you are looking to become an officer in the military. Even at that, they want you to have some type of 'coaching' roll.