how many hours did you volunteer before you got a paid job?

[mahdi12572]

So I'm getting my EMT-B certification this summer and I'll be volunteering for an ambulance company to get the experience needed, but how many hours will I need before I'm suitable to get a paid job?

I'm 18 worked as a manager for Dunkin Donuts for two years straight and I'm heading to college as a freshman in the spring 2013 so I have time to work full time. I'm graduating from high school this June. And soo....I need the money to pay for my classes and I'm going for my premed. I'm willing to work long term for the next 4 yrs if I do get a paid-job.

 

[abckidsmom]

I volunteered 12-24 hours a week throughout high school and got the first job I applied for when I turned 18. There is no guideline at all, just work at getting independently competent with your role and you'll be more attractive to employers.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Never volunteered at an ambulance company. I volunteered at a fire department 4-36 hours a week for 5 years.

 

[Marty Mcfly]

I work fulltime, but the pay is sooo bad it feels like im volunteering. Maybe I should go deliver pizzas at dominos.

 

[Mlee81]

I work fulltime, but the pay is sooo bad it feels like im volunteering. Maybe I should go deliver pizzas at dominos.

pretty funny, but not so funny because I'm sure it's true. Pretty sad society seems to put more value on Pizza delivery than their own lives. Eat themselves into a wheelchair for life depending on someone else to take care of them.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh the American Dream.

 

[JPINFV]

Never volunteered at an ambulance company, but did volunteer at a hospital prior to that.

 

[Marty Mcfly]

I made more money washing dishes at applebees.

 

[Zeroo]

I have volunteered at 0 places for 0 hours. I am pretty sure I got lucky because I speak spanish fluently in an area that is dominated by spanish speakers.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

0.0

 

[gingasassin]

0. Each paid company has its own guidelines and expectations of what they want from their employees. Usually, they will take people with little or no experience and train them.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

 

[Craig Alan Evans]

8 years, as often as I could. Hours? Your funny.

 

[SoCal911]

Volunteer as an audio engineer back before I changed careers for non-profits for 2-3 years about 20 hours a week.. but I didn't even put that on my resume

 

[Medic Tim]

In HS I volunteered with St. john Ambulance cadets. Not sure how much that helped on the resume. I have applied for 3 EMS jobs, was hired for 2 of them and turned down 1.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Stop complaining about the pay. We all know it isn't great. If you really don't like it that much then why don't you quit and find a new profession?
/rant

I did 100 hours of volunteer work throughout my 4 years in HS but that was required for graduation. Other than that I didn't do anything worth mentioning on an application, a couple hours here a couple hours there.

Volunteer experience isn't required by most EMS agencies. Some don't even accept volunteer EMS experience as job-related experience.

 

[Steveb]

I work fulltime, but the pay is sooo bad it feels like im volunteering. Maybe I should go deliver pizzas at dominos.

I swear evry emt I talk to says the same.

 

[mycrofft]

Never vollied until after I had my RN and had kids. Sort of unique timing and situation though.

 

[firecoins]

Zero hours. I had m first paying job ripping tickets at the movies.

 

[Tigger]

Zero hours. In fact the POC/Vollie ambulance refused to let me on because I am not around when I am at school. The private company did not care. Prior to that I spent two years working for a lawn and garden store working the register and driving a truck so I had some decent work experience. I also worked as a student trainer and EMT for my school's hockey program but that is also paid.

 

[DrParasite]

4000, give or take. Started in 1998, did it until 2007, started again this year.

Being a volunteer got me my current FT job (networking is awesome, my former volunteer Rescue Squad chief has 25 years in at my current per diem employer), my current PT job, and helped me make some lifelong friends.

Everyone starts somewhere, I'd rather volunteer on an ambulance where I can learn stuff and have fun instead of working for a :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty private company doing IFTs and not learning anything. To each his or her own.