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.
Are we all mother theresa who decided to join nursing?
Obviously not.
I know what you're saying and don't really disagree, it's just the way you said it, I guess.
OP, what will you do now, since you are probably not going to volunteer there?
As for who does volunteer work - I think volunteers are usually either young, like Candy Stripers, or older and retired but wanting something rewarding to do and not needing to work a paid job, or married well, that is, they can afford not to work a paid job and have the time to volunteer. Lots of volunteer do fundraising for a particular organization. The key is, I think, one's finances. If you are well off, you can afford to volunteer. Otherwise, yes, most people usually do it for "ulterior" reasons.
Mother Teresa was probably financed by her Order. Of course, she didn't require much money. From all I've heard about her, she was really into the work, just wanted to try to make life a little better for the sick, suffering people she encountered, and she lived very, very frugally.
OP, good luck. I hope you soon find a job. I think it's appropriate that you apologize and explain to the Volunteer Coordinator and I think you should not have been so forthright in speaking to her, or else you should have been totally forthcoming up front with her, letting her know that you hoped to gain a job via volunteering. Hard to do. She should not have blown up, although I do understand her upset. Hey, good luck.
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.
Agreed. What about all the pre-meds who volunteer to fluff up their applications to med school . . . are they frauds, too?? Geez, people, take a chill pill, have a glass of wine!
To the OP, are you disabled for private messages? I was going to give you some suggestions but not on this thread!!
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
One thing that bothers me is the attitude of some regarding volunteering, that any warm body will do and the volunteer coordinator should be grateful that someone has graced them with their presence. Even though you don't get paid, the volunteer program is still a job with responsibilities. If you have the attitude of "well, they should be grateful to ME" then don't even bother.
And maybe I just work at an exceptional hospital, but all the volunteers we have are people who truly do it because they want to help out. So yes, there are those people out there. Not everyone who volunteers is doing so because they have some selfish ulterior motive.
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!
Well... technically she was right. You AREN'T there to volunteer. Not that it's wrong that volunteering can help with finding a job, but she may have felt you didn't understand why you should be volunteering. Volunteering is not a pre-interview or an inside track. It's a commitment towards helping the facility. If you're a volunteer, you need to be willing to go to the dept that needs you most, not this one unit you personally feel like visiting. Does that make sense?
I've been on both sides of this issue. I run a (non-nursing) 501c3 nonprofit, and it's discouraging to hear someone wanting to volunteer only because they want access to the building, assets, or personnel. When it comes time to assign them to where someone is really needed, they suddenly are "too busy" to volunteer and they vanish. It may seem wrong but, if someone bugged me to volunteer only because they could get access to something we have, I just don't have time to orient them -- I know they'll wander off the moment they grab what they need. Volunteering needs to be a selfless gesture. From this point of view, I feel it's not quite honest to offer to be of service when all you want is an easy-in for a job.
But that being said, I also volunteer at my local hospital. I understand the frustration of having skills to offer, and feeling like my hands are tied. At my facility, if my nametag that day says "Volunteer", then I sent to where I am needed most which may not be where I want to be. Then I do what they tell me, even if my evening is nothing more than bringing water to the patients, after checking with each patient's nurse for NPO or I/O status... nothing relating to my nursing skills. I could be a big help to them, but they keep my hands tied. I'm sure they have their reasons.
All that being said, my suggestion is to re-evaluate your personal goals. Do you want to do community service? Or do you want a way to fast-track into a job? Is volunteering through this program really going to get you what you need? And if it is, are you going to be content if they put you in another building for awhile, because help is needed more elsewhere?
our stepdown unit recently hired a new grad RN who had "volunteered" as a CNA for about 6 months (she was a CNA before nursing school) . . . I don't know if she went through the volunteer office or she just talked directly to the unit manager . . . but, they knew she was an RN, also a CNA, who was working as a CNA without pay . . . when the opening occurred, the job was hers (of course, they posted the position, took applications,etc, etc . . . but she got the job!!)
Oh I didn't mean to upset anyone with my story. I just wanted to share the struggles i'm going through as a new grad.
Just to clarify, I did intend to finish the volunteer process regardless of the job prospect worked out or not.This was an organization I've been wanting to volunteer for since years ago. The first volunteer job I've ever had, I stayed with for 10 years in the NICU and that job brought me into the world of nursing. I was hoping this opportunity would be just as enlightening- a different and challenging field that i'm really interested in and hoping that the opportunity will present itself. Unfortunately, 10 years down the line after i got my license- i found out that the nicu i had great connections with does not hire new grad. Both the NICU and my senior preceptorship hospital told me it was a shame they don't hire new grads or they would love to have me there (or the future). twice i felt i hit the wall. I am volunteering 40 hours a week (to 3 places), i am dedicating myself, but i wanted to figure it out first. The biggest disappointment for me was knowing that the place I worked so hard at and put in so much effort to be let go..
I do understand my timing might have been off with the network. i apologize to those i've offended with the situation.
In my application I stated my goals- Learn about the organization, learn about a different field of nursing, gain connections. I have a RN license. Other coordinators at another campus I told my situation with said to me that she felt bad that new grads are having such a hard time getting jobs and she even tried her best to put on a unit that I can potentially grow with- and would even be delighted to see me back as a nurse in the future. This coordinator was at a completely different campus and took it a different way. I let her know how interested I am with the organization and it's a place i'm potentially looking to affiliate with in the future.
I apologize for those who I offended and I really thank those who supported me and know what type of hardships new grads are going though. :)
Thank you for clarifying your situation. I better understand your motive for wanting to make sure that the floor on which you were assigned was one that had potential to turn into a paying job eventually. Considering that you've gone this route before and have not gotten jobs because the floors didn't hire new grads, I understand completely why you had concerns and wanted those concerns addressed before you invested any time in starting the volunteer program.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, a person can alienate someone in a position of power. It might be a nursing instructor, a supervisor or manager, or, in your case, the volunteer coordinator. I don't think the fault is completely yours because she may have been rude and inappropriate in her interaction with you---especially if she yelled at you. I once managed to p*** o** an instructor because I was 20 minutes late to my first class with her; I had a 100-mile commute one way and ran into about 20 miles of road construction and detours that made me late. Not my fault and I was very humble and apologetic, but she took it out on me every single day for the rest of the semester.
In retrospect, fully understanding your situation, I might have done the same thing and I fully understand why you were so "hyper". In light of what happened to you in previous experiences, you were justified in being proactive to see if this could lead to a paying position. It might have helped had you told the interviewer that in the very beginning---or it might have micturated her off even more. It's hard to say because I don't walk in her shoes. I'd say that most likely she had been burned by someone in the past who had an attitude and spent more time networking than volunteering and that she was afraid you would turn out to be the same. Or she was just a jerk. It's hard to know.
I do think that whatever institution gets you will be fortunate in that you are enthusiastic and eager to work and I hope you find something soon. I am very sorry this is happening to you. :hug:
BTW, just a comment regarding some of the vitriol here: while some people have said that a person should only volunteer "from the goodness of his/her heart", in reality we know that EVERYONE has an agenda. That agenda might be to gain experience for med school or nursing school, to expand one's social circles, to dip one's toes into health care to see if it's a field that might be of interest, to fulfill a fantasy of being an "angel of mercy", or simply to fill up time. It's pointless to argue about the motivations of people who volunteer. Some people who volunteer "from the heart" are worthless while some who are doing it to gain professional experience and beef up a resume or get into school are excellent. Although a couple of people here are barbecuing the OP for her motives, I think it's a bit harsh to say that she was acting in a fraudulent or unethical manner. I don't see anything wrong with her approach other than the timing and, now that I understand the reasons for her pushing the matter right away, I definitely see her point.
Specializes in Cardiology (ITU), Acute Renal/Dialysis.
I'm a volunteer coordinator for a health care organization and while I probably wouldn't have been so honest with you as that coordinator was, I would be annoyed too. Basically you are only going to volunteer until you get a job there which means she is going to spend lots of time training you and spend money on you (my office you need background check and TB test) and then in a short amount of time you will be gone and she will have to go recruit someone else and start the process all over again. However this is not abnormal, I get lots of people who are only volunteering to get something completed, either service hours for a class, gain a specific skill or improve a resume, and then they are gone. I've come to accept that it's just the nature of a volunteer program. I agree with her though, actively soliciting for a job while on the tour is rude and implies that you really don't care about volunteering.
isnt that the point of volunteering? surely you realise that most volunteers want paidwork but need to make contacts first? why are you so surprised that this person witheventually want a paid job?
i too am completely disgusted by some of the very cruel reactions to this post. i am a new grad myself, i know your pain. when i try and speak with other nurses about this, i get mixed reactions. it saddens me to hear what people are saying to you when they should be nothing but supportive, at least that is what i thought this site was about?? but you know what they say..........nurses really do eat their young!
and by the way, you are not a fraud, you are not a criminal, you are not misrepresenting yourself! you are doing what you feel you need to do to finally begin what you spent so much time and hard work for. good luck, and please don't appologize to anyone for "offending them", in my opinion, they don't deserve it! :spbox:
people may rationalize behavioral responses to be something more politically correct in order to justify them. but if a starving man steals a loaf of bread to feed his starving family, he remains a thief. while he may have had ample humanitarian reasons to have done it, those reasons certainly doesn't change the lexicon in regards to his act. stealing is still an act of theft; thus that man is by definition, a thief.
applying for a position as a "volunteer" but in reality, actually trying to get a job is misrepresentation, no matter how you may try to sugar coat it. it is deceitful, self serving, and rather unprofessional imho. if i were the nurse manager in the position to hire, i would certainly think twice before bringing on board someone who obviously isn't above such behavior.
as for your comment that we should be nothing but supportive? sure, but only when there is professional above board behavior. expecting nurses at large to support a job seeking ruse solely because it happened to be perpetrated by a fellow nurse is ridiculous and an inappropriate expectation of professional solidarity; wrong is wrong, and most nurses easily know the difference between doing something honorably or not. it may be appropriate to remind everyone here of a passage from the nursing oath:
" i will do all in my power to make and maintain the highest standards and practices of my profession..."
somehow, i don't think applying for a position as a volunteer while surreptitiously trying to get a shoe in the door for a paying job would qualify as being in the spirit of maintaining the highest standards of a profession. it isn't about eating our young; rather most nurses simply don't like it when the conduct of a few makes our profession look bad.
Specializes in Cardiology (ITU), Acute Renal/Dialysis.
No, you did not get yelled at for volunteering, but rather you were yelled at for misrepresentation. Some might even label it as fraud. Your primary purpose for your contact was to look for a job, yet you initiated your relationship with the institution under the pretext of volunteering. Let me ask you; how long did you intend to "volunteer?"
What you have failed to see is that in your attempt to better your own personal chances for employment, you used the volunteer offices' time and resources in interviewing and orientation, when you really had no genuine intention to volunteer at all. While you may not seem to think so, the volunteer office in most institutions is staffed by very dedicated and caring individuals, who generously donate their personal time and perform invaluable support services such as patient libraries, flower or gift delivery, and even patient transport. Some of those volunteers can be a harried nurses' best friend.
I'm sorry, but what you did was not something benign. It was a pointedly selfish act dressed up in the guise of selflessness; perhaps that was the most galling part of it.
i'm confused i always thought doing vol work was a way to gain experience/makecontacts in order to eventually get a job - no? it seems that although this is accepted that you have to pretend to be doing vol work out of the goodness of your heart & keep on pretending untilyou make enough contacts & gain enough experience to get a job, then its ok. oh so we all have to PRETEND aka LIE about what were really doing as to not upset/offend those poor soulswho cant deal in truth! please is this a joke?
and that i'm "crossing the line, because i'm chatting with then nurses already". ***
it seems that although this is accepted that you have to pretend to be doing vol work out of the goodness of your heart & keep on pretending untilyou make enough contacts & gain enough experience to get a job, then its ok. 
oh so we all have to PRETEND aka LIE about what were really doing as to not upset/offend those poor soulswho cant deal in truth! 
please is this a joke?
klone, MSN, RN
14,857 Posts
Seriously?
You need to learn a new song. This whole "She's just jealous" thing is getting REALLY old.