Is volunteering at the hospital the best way to get me a job upon graduation?

[Skylarslaughter]

I'm reading more and more about nurses unable to find jobs as new grads and it's scary!!!!

I'm planning to start the ADN program at my community college and bridge to the BSN right after. But I don't want to sit around without a job after that...I'm thinking about trying to become a regular volunteer for one the my local hospitals in order to get scope of what nursing is like and all. Every job listing I see in my town requires nurses to have experience or requires the BSN...or both. If I am a regular volunteer at a hospital for about 3 years [the time I graduate] will that make it easier for me to get a job at the hospital? And if so, what is the best way to prepare for the interview ino rder to become a volunteer...also what should I be prepared for...what sort of things do volunteers do?

[OldNurseEducator]

But wouldn't you agree that volunteering would give me a better chance at getting a CNA or other low ranking hospital job than applicants who aren't volunteers?

I suppose. Anyway, good luck!!

[psulli2010]

I have a degree in something other than nursing, so I started volunteering at my local hospital to get some experience and to see if nursing was something i really wanted to do. I am literally starting from the ground up so I needed some sort of experience. I started volunteering at the hospital whilst taking a CNA course, and applied to some CNA/PCA jobs at the same hospital and HR contacted me right away! They even want to try to accommodate me while i'm in nursing school. So what Im trying to say is....it doesn't hurt to volunteer; especially If you have no experience in health care!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

OP, do what ever floats your boat. None of it will make you more or less likely to be hired than the next in any quantifiable measure. Things are different in most areas in this day and age. It's not your ability, it's who you know, and who you know has gotta be "in" in a big way with the powers that be. Volunteering is not this, teching, is not this.

Be sure you understand, that nothing you do will assure you a job upon graduating. Once you are understanding of this, you can determine what you have an interest in doing. I'd be more advising to do something where you have an income....

[CNA2bRN13]

I second the networking. A reference from an employee can help out alot. I'm in the same boat, but unfortunately, I can't even get a positition as a volunteer! I guess everyone around here got the same idea about volunteering to help with experience. I'm still waiting to hear back on an internship I applied for. Internsips are better experience than regular volunteering, I think. It's not guaranteed that you'll get a job, but it couldn't hurt. Getting CNA certification would make it easier in the jobhunt.

[Chiboy162]

I believe the volunteering is a great way to help others and network for your future job.

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

I would definitely think so, afterall you would be in the loop of things. You would have to have a good repore with nurses working in different depts too.

Also, if you were interested in working for a doctor, getting to know them and asking about possible job openings in their private practices would be good also. I worked in a lab as a lab assistant before I got friendly with other nurses, I wasnt even a nurse yet!!!! If they like you and you are a good worker you should have no problem having them come up to you with information about a possible job opening.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I volunteered in an ER during nursing school. It didn't help me get a CNA job or a nursing job.

[JenniferSews]

I looked at EVERY option for possibly getting a job after graduation. I would have done anything, ANYTHING. But during my clinicals I asked the floor nurses over and over if they knew who the volunteers were and if they knew anything about them. Not a single nurse or CNA could identify a volunteer. In the busy day of the nursing staff a volunteer they see once or twice a month left no impression. The volunteer was there at best chatting with the patient. They looked like a visitor and most of the time the nurse didn't even know they were there unless they were "the creep guy."

Getting a job, any job, in the hospital is better. Then you have accountability and responsibility. People know your work ethic and your intelligence.

[Skylarslaughter]

Well I do plan on getting a job....the problem is getting the job that's the whole reason I am asking about volunteering. Right now I am not old enough for CNA certification, and my summer college classes have not started yet so I would have plenty of free time to volunteer far more often than twice a month.

One thing I am worried about is that when I turn 18 in December, I might be too flooded with college work to even study and take the CNA exam...I'm using this year to take my prerquisites so I won't be in nursing school till atleast next year.

I think the only chance I really have at landing ANY job in the hospital is volunteering. I mean, are there any other options for someone who isn't legally old enough to get their CNA exam? And then there's a BIG possibility once I spend my time and money on a CNA training course while trying to balance 17 credits a semester of college....that I won't be able to get a CNA job with this economy.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER OPTIONS?