Volunteer experience useless in job hunting?

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hi there,

Has volunteer experience/clinical rotations during your schooling has a decent impact on your finding a job RN position?

Like, I have heard that even though a person may volunteer for years at say, a hospital or clinic, and later returns to apply for a job at the exact same place, despite their knowledge and experience of the hospital's system, their experience there is not very much considered for the job application since it was only "Volunteer" work and not actual employment? So therefore, it's useless even if you have volunteered there for a long time?

Please share your opinions on how volunteer work has helped you in your Job Search!

Thank you!

PCnurse88

182 Posts

Specializes in medsurg, progressive care.

In my experience, it's been the people you meet / places you volunteer rather than the work you did. For example, at my current job: my manager is originally from the same area where I went to college (out of state) and had worked at several of the hospitals where I did clinicals at during school, so during my interview we were about to bond over that. It gave us something to talk about. I also currently volunteer at a hospital, and the 3 nurses who work in the unit I volunteer on (outpatient, so only staffed from 7-4) have already spoken to their manager about hiring me and are more than willing to speak to other managers that they know. It's less about having experience as a student/volunteer and more about networking, in my opinion.

Summers3

201 Posts

Ahh, thank you very much giving your input, rinskins!

I have networked during my volunteering experience but it's more with staff in non-RN roles unfortunately. I hope overall my experience will help somewhat.

Thanks again for your advice! :)

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