So i'm a new grad and I've been trying to find ways to find a job in this tough market. I've been very interested in this particular hospital for a long time so I thought why not volunteer there. I've been trying to "get my foot in the door" somehow by volunteering and possibly try to network from there, and eventually see if this organization is for me. do you agree with me?
So today I did my tour around the hospital. I ended at chatting with charge nurses, CNAs, asking them how they like it here. Letting them know I might volunteer on their unit, and if they normally see new grads around here being hired. So I got a lot of good info on which unit was hiring and which isn't, how the employees are being treated, getting a general feel on the unit. I thought it was important to find out and work on a unit that does hire- before I commit myself to hundred+ hours of service.
I was excited to find out that one of the unit is a potential new grad friendly unit and it was the field I was aiming for, so I told the volunteer coordinator I wanted that specific unit. she was so curious as to why I wanted that particular floor. I already let her know that I was there because I'm interested in knowing more about the organization and see if its a great fit for a future career. She asked if I am a licensed and I told her yes. She blew up at me instantly and told me I shouldn't be there to solicit jobs?...?! She said I made her feel super uncomfortable i'm being so aggressive and i'm not being there to volunteer, rather than to find a job. arg!
if any of you new grads out there know how hard it is to find a job, and getting a connection within the hospital or "foot in the door" is probably the best way to go. I've had so many people telling me that the way they got the job is being aggressive and just showing up on the unit with a resume. That would be soliciting, but i'm probably not going to do that. I"m not quite sure if I agreed to her but I ended up "apologizing", and she even said " i would kick you out if I know you're here to look for a job". (my god) and that i'm "crossing the line, because i'm chatting with then nurses already". ***
Shouldn't the volunteer lady be even more willing to find you a placement that is fitting and understand that people come here to also volunteer to see if its a fitting organization for future job potential? I guess she was ****** off that I wasn't doing this for the greatness of my heart and to give back to the community. If i'm here because i'm interested in a possibly career with that organization... Isn't that legit enough?!
I'm trying my best to survive as a new grad (as if thats not hard enough), people like her really discourage me in taking the initiative to network.
I don't get why everyone is thinking this is a bad thing? So the OP was upfront about wanting to volunteer to get their foot in the door. The coordinator and everyone on here agreeing with her are way off base. If there was fraud, then the OP would not have said their intentions of volunteering. Even then that's a label that is a little unwarranted. The thing is, whatever the intentions are of the volunteer, guess what was happening before the volunteer starts? Someone wasn't volunteering. So what does it matter why they are there? So long as they are there to help, they are helping. If they can manage to network and get a job, then awesome. The hospital should be happy about that.
To the OP, don't listen to those on here who agreed with what this lady did. The way she reacted was extremely unprofessional and uncalled for. If anyone should have been apologizing, it should have been her.
I'm in a similar situation to the OP. I'm a new nursing grad, with no work experience, who recently passed the NCLEX. I've considered doing the volunteering thing too as a way to get my foot in the door and network, so I'm a little surprised by all the negative responses here.
I guess the question I would ask all the people who have criticized the OP is this: How should she network? How does she get her foot in the door, without "misrepresenting" herself or committing "fraud" by volunteering when she's actually looking for a job? I've tried calling the HR office for every hospital in my area - they're not friendly and not eager to talk. So what is a new nurse to do?
I guess I would hope that some of the people here who are criticizing the OP so much would offer some constructive advice instead. I could sure use it.
I'm in between. Volunteering to get you foot in the door, especially if you're out of options makes sense. However, being so blatantly obvious and rather tactless about it was not really to way to go about it.
I don't get why everyone is thinking this is a bad thing? So the OP was upfront about wanting to volunteer to get their foot in the door. The coordinator and everyone on here agreeing with her are way off base. If there was fraud, then the OP would not have said their intentions of volunteering. Even then that's a label that is a little unwarranted. The thing is, whatever the intentions are of the volunteer, guess what was happening before the volunteer starts? Someone wasn't volunteering. So what does it matter why they are there? So long as they are there to help, they are helping. If they can manage to network and get a job, then awesome. The hospital should be happy about that.
To the OP, don't listen to those on here who agreed with what this lady did. The way she reacted was extremely unprofessional and uncalled for. If anyone should have been apologizing, it should have been her.
Well, I happen to think you're way off base. You are also missing half of the point, or just plain not reading half of the replies that are dissenting.
You said, "as long as they are there to help, they are helping...The hospital should be happy about that." What about the scenario described involved any "helping out" being done. I heard a lot of self-serving activity, no helping.
NO ONE is saying that it is not ok to volunteer to get your foot in the door or to network. It's a great way to network, in fact. I don't think anyone would disagree. The problem is that there is a TIME and a PLACE. While you are getting your tour and learning your position AS A VOLUNTEER is most certainly NOT the time to be chatting up every nurse you can to find out what unit is hiring new grads, how units treat their employees (not volunteers, mind you, employees), etc. C'mon, seriously, you really think that is ok?
I seriously question the integrity of some of the posters on here some days.
... and it's not like hospitals don't hire based on nepotism All the more valid reason for the OP to give it a shot. Hey, they are getting hi end free help here. They are getting an absolutely FREE chance to check out someone who they might or might not consider for future employ.
I'm in a similar situation to the OP. I'm a new nursing grad, with no work experience, who recently passed the NCLEX. I've considered doing the volunteering thing too as a way to get my foot in the door and network, so I'm a little surprised by all the negative responses here.
I guess the question I would ask all the people who have criticized the OP is this: How should she network? How does she get her foot in the door, without "misrepresenting" herself or committing "fraud" by volunteering when she's actually looking for a job? I've tried calling the HR office for every hospital in my area - they're not friendly and not eager to talk. So what is a new nurse to do?
I guess I would hope that some of the people here who are criticizing the OP so much would offer some constructive advice instead. I could sure use it.
It's been said several times. Volunteering is fine. Accept a position to volunteer. Once you're there, settled in the position, etc, you can ask some questions. But honestly, don't be surprised if it doesn't instantly get you a job (or, really, ever get you a job). If there aren't positions open, there aren't positions open, and having a new grad serving as a volunteer in a facility isn't going to create a position. Where I work, we have CNA's and HUC's that graduated nursing school that have had to leave because there were no RN jobs available. If the jobs don't exist, they just don't. Being a volunteer may make your name more recognizable in the future than someone coming in off the street, but it will not make a position appear out of thin air. It also will not make you more eligible for a position over someone already employed there, and most places hire internally first. Not trying to be harsh, but that is just the climate today.
I'm surprised and confused by the responses. On the one hand, she is wrong for being so "tactless" and "up-front". On the other, she is also wrong for committing "fraud" or "misrepresenting" herself. It can't be both can it? I started volunteering at a hospital as I was applying to nursing school, both to get experience and to put it on my resume. I worked my butt off to make a good impression and when I get my license I wouldn't hesitate to use connections I made there to help me get my foot in the door. I'm not sure it's all that different.
I think the tone of the OP was a little bit whiny which is maybe why people are getting so worked up. If anything, she should take this as a lesson about the realities of nursing and how cut throat people can be. Rather than taking this personally and giving up, she should continue to volunteer, network, and do what she can to make herself a competitive applicant.
Well, I happen to think you're way off base. You are also missing half of the point, or just plain not reading half of the replies that are dissenting.
You said, "as long as they are there to help, they are helping...The hospital should be happy about that." What about the scenario described involved any "helping out" being done. I heard a lot of self-serving activity, no helping.
NO ONE is saying that it is not ok to volunteer to get your foot in the door or to network. It's a great way to network, in fact. I don't think anyone would disagree. The problem is that there is a TIME and a PLACE. While you are getting your tour and learning your position AS A VOLUNTEER is most certainly NOT the time to be chatting up every nurse you can to find out what unit is hiring new grads, how units treat their employees (not volunteers, mind you, employees), etc. C'mon, seriously, you really think that is ok?
I seriously question the integrity of some of the posters on here some days.
OK, before you jump down my throat and come at me with some sort of attitude, I think you should re-read the post. The OP said they were talking to them during the tour to get good information about what floors are hiring and what floors people like and don't like. This way the OP would know what would be the best fit for them to work in.
By volunteering, you are offering your help for free. You should obviously want to do that in an area that you would want to be in. If the OP used the tour as just an excuse to get in and network with no intentions of volunteering, then that would be a different story. But merely finding out where would be the best place to volunteer is not all that bad. Did the OP maybe spend too much time asking to many questions that were not necessary? I don't know, its possible, but I wasn't there and neither were you. But I'm pretty sure the OP's intentions were to ACTUALLY volunteer.
So, yes, the way this lady acted was entirely unprofessional and uncalled for. I'm willing to bet it might be attitudes like hers and others that I've read on here that are the reason for volunteers not sticking around.
OK, before you jump down my throat and come at me with some sort of attitude, I think you should re-read the post. The OP said they were talking to them during the tour to get good information about what floors are hiring and what floors people like and don't like. This way the OP would know what would be the best fit for them to work in.
By volunteering, you are offering your help for free. You should obviously want to do that in an area that you would want to be in. If the OP used the tour as just an excuse to get in and network with no intentions of volunteering, then that would be a different story. But merely finding out where would be the best place to volunteer is not all that bad. Did the OP maybe spend too much time asking to many questions that were not necessary? I don't know, its possible, but I wasn't there and neither were you. But I'm pretty sure the OP's intentions were to ACTUALLY volunteer.
So, yes, the way this lady acted was entirely unprofessional and uncalled for. I'm willing to bet it might be attitudes like hers and others that I've read on here that are the reason for volunteers not sticking around.
I've read the post several times, and stand behind my opinion. The situation at hand was not at all an appropriate time to be asking about the hiring of new grads. Period. She was there in the capacity of a volunteer. It's very cut and dried. It doesn't matter if I was "there," I can take what the OP says and draw that conclusion. More than likely, it's even worse than what's admitted to, most scenarios are.
Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.
I don't think the volunteer coordinator was jealous, but I do think she felt used, which you were doing. I have been in your position and looked into volunteering for the same reasons you did. But when I asked my nurse friends if they could name a single volunteer in their hospital none could except for "the creepy one." They didn't know his name either but at least knew him from sight and obviously that wasn't a positive thing.
I think you could have used more tact and better judgment on your timing. Remember the coordinators job is to find volunteers, and if you're only there for a job you're not going to fill that position for very long which really does mean more work for her in the end. Overall I think the scorn for new grads has permeated not just the hiring process and this site but that coordinator. Likely you aren't the first person to try that tactic and she probably took her frustrations out on you. Good luck with your search and better luck next time!
I've read the post several times, and stand behind my opinion. The situation at hand was not at all an appropriate time to be asking about the hiring of new grads. Period. She was there in the capacity of a volunteer. It's very cut and dried. It doesn't matter if I was "there," I can take what the OP says and draw that conclusion. More than likely, it's even worse than what's admitted to, most scenarios are.
OK, well you are entitled to your opinion. You don't have to try and belittle others who disagree with you.
The fact remains, you are making assumptions about a situation in which you were not present. I think we all have heard the old adage about making assumptions.
Either way, the attitude of this coordinator was completely unprofessional and I would hate to have someone that would talk to someone like that, in such a position as she is, in a business of mine.
I'm on the fence about this. On the one hand I very much admire your drive. On the other hand, I think you might have used a little more finesse in how you handled things. Maybe the volunteer coordinator overreacted, but I can see her issue. You basically stated to her that you were interested in volunteering on that unit so that you could get a foot in the door toward being hired there. It is one thing for a nursing student to request a certain unit because she wants to explore that area of nursing and quite another for a licensed nurse to request it because she's trying to finagle an interview. I'm not saying it wasn't a good plan, just that you could have finessed it better.
Maybe try again at another hospital? Next time wait until you are actually a volunteer before you start pumping nurses for info, and don't tell the volunteer coordinator that the main reason you want to volunteer in a certain unit is because you want to get a job there. A better response might be--"I've always had a great interest in critical care/emergency medicine/oncology and want to experience that kind of unit first hand blah blah blah."
and that i'm "crossing the line, because i'm chatting with then nurses already". ***
All the more valid reason for the OP to give it a shot. Hey, they are getting hi end free help here. They are getting an absolutely FREE chance to check out someone who they might or might not consider for future employ. 
, absolutely ridiculous.
airborneinf82, BSN
184 Posts
I don't get why everyone is thinking this is a bad thing? So the OP was upfront about wanting to volunteer to get their foot in the door. The coordinator and everyone on here agreeing with her are way off base. If there was fraud, then the OP would not have said their intentions of volunteering. Even then that's a label that is a little unwarranted. The thing is, whatever the intentions are of the volunteer, guess what was happening before the volunteer starts? Someone wasn't volunteering. So what does it matter why they are there? So long as they are there to help, they are helping. If they can manage to network and get a job, then awesome. The hospital should be happy about that.
To the OP, don't listen to those on here who agreed with what this lady did. The way she reacted was extremely unprofessional and uncalled for. If anyone should have been apologizing, it should have been her.