10 Best Job Hunting Tips for Aspiring CNAs

The healthcare industry is the most competitive and prosperous industry when it comes to searching for & securing a job as CNA. You have probably heard many from many aspiring certified nursing assistants; it is easy to find the work due to the high demand for CNAs. But searching for a job environment that suits you the most is much different and sometimes challenging.

Don’t immediately accept the first position you are offered. Take your time while searching for a job. Do plenty of searches. In a long chase, the extra effort will pay off when you find a terrific job. Thoroughly research the employer, working conditions, and environment to know if this job is compatible with you. Additional credentials, practical training (during CNA classes), and an excellent resume and cover letter will give you an edge over other candidates.

Are you looking for a CNA job? If you do, here’re some valuable tips that will assist in placing you on the right path.

10 Best Job Hunting Tips

Here are some best tips to help you find your dream job.

Devise an Effective Job Search Strategy

When you start looking for a job, you may be confused about where to start. The first thing you should do before searching for a certified nursing assistant job is devising an effective job search strategy. There are different resources for certified nursing assistants who are searching for a job. Nevertheless, the resources list is prolonged; some of the foremost resources are as follows:

• School’s career office
• Local hospitals & nursing homes
• Local employment office
• LinkedIn & other social media
• local library Bulletin board
• Online Job Search Portals
• Job fairs
• Specified sections of regional newspapers

Go through all of the available resources to find the best suitable job.

Try Networking

Your networking skills can also help you to find a new job. Ask your family member, friends, former colleagues, and students from CNA school for job recommendations. It’s the most common way how most CNAs find exciting opportunities and this will also help you with future career goals. So it is worthwhile to give it a try.

Research the Employer

The next step you should do is thoroughly search your employer. Evaluate the health care facility or employer, its working hours & environment of the facility you are applying to. Ask yourself, “can you imagine yourself working for this employer/company/healthcare facility?” while reviewing the employer and applying for a job. Besides hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities, CNAs can work as traveling CNAs or in-home health aides. If you feel comfortable with the employer, then evaluate why that is.

During the interview, you can utilize these reasons to your benefit. Your hiring managers may ask you why you want to join our facility. If you point out all the reasons why you have made up your mind to apply for the company, it’ll convey to your employer that you genuinely want to work with them,

Practice Selling Yourself

An important must-do thing that you should do prior to looking for a nursing aid job is practice selling yourself. It means you should practice answering questions that a manager or employer may ask during the job interview. They may ask you basic medical terminology.Answering can break or make your chances, so it’s compulsory to practice answering the common questions asked during the interview. It will boost your confidence and increase your chances of getting the job.

Remember, the more you practice, the better the results will be.

• Why do you want to join our facility?
• What do you like most about our company?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your future goals?
• As a CNA, what have you accomplished?

Practical Experience

Indeed nursing aids are in increased demand; some healthcare facilities still choose to hire CNAs with valuable experience. As a CNA, one of the easiest ways to gain valuable experience is to take part in an externship or internship.

Many universities and colleges can help you to find an appropriate externship or internship. But some schools don’t offer this service; you should ask local hospitals or nursing homes if they provide it. Working voluntarily in healthcare is an excellent way to get practical experience.

Consider Earning Additional Credentials

Earning additional CNA credentials is also a terrific way to stand taller among other candidates. Consider earning more specialty credentials and go a few steps beyond your structured certified nursing assistant training program. For CNAs, there are many types of certificates available. Some popular ones include:

• Restorative nursing
• Phlebotomy training
• End-of-life care
• Hospice care
• Dementia & Alzheimer’s care
• Nurse aide medication administration

Write A Superb Resume

Some employees don’t ask for resumes & want candidates to fill out applications. Most hiring managers want candidates to show their resumes. Hand in resume in any case. So it’s better to make it superb. A concise outline of your qualification, including credentials, experience, and education as a CNA, is termed a resume. Don’t ignore to add your cell phone number & email.

Giving a resume to your hiring manager or employer looks more professional and gives you an advantage over other candidates. Make sure your summary is brief and factual.

Write an Excellent Cover Letter

Adding a cover letter (with a few quick sentences describing why you desire this post) with your application & resume is also good. It will give your employer a better idea of how you would be beneficial to their company.

Also, add specific employer information in your letter to convey that you have completed your homework.

Collect & Use Recommendation Letters

There are lots of certified nursing assistant jobs as well as lots of new CNAs too. Including recommendation letters with your cover letter, resume and application will make you distinctive from the crowd. Ideally, recommendation letters should come from teachers or former employers. Furthermore, personal references also work.

Follow Up Employer After Interview

Regardless of how your interview went, you must follow up with your employer. Usually, it is done through email. You can also use the regular letter to do this. Thank your employer for giving you an interview opportunity. Also, ask your employer whether or not they require any additional information about you.

Only a few people follow up with their employer, so this will make you prominent among other applicants.

CNA Resume & Cover Letters Writing Tips

While making CNA resumes & cover letters, there are certain things that most CNAs miss. Remember the following writing tips to make an excellent job application.

Include Your Accomplishments

When writing your resume, always mention your related accomplishments. Cite your achievements during your CNA training program or from your previous job. It would be best to mention the challenges you encountered during your training or last employment and how successfully you cracked each one via your skills.

Flaunt Your Soft Skills

Since it is a very tough competition, another excellent way to capture your employer’s eyes is by featuring your winning strengths. Indeed, interviewers see your technical proficiency, but your soft skills also make a good impact on them.

Most employers value these soft skills as your job as a nursing assistant needs frequent interpersonal communication, particularly with patients & their families.  

Don’t Use Unclear Action Words

Be more precise while describing your winning feats. Use action words & sprinkle many resume keywords into your CNA jobs hunt tool. It will assist you in passing the strict applicant tracking system & the heightened standards of most employers.

Good Luck with The Job Hunting!

After passing the CNA exam and obtaining your CNA license, your priority will be to enter your career. But don’t rush things. Go with a methodological approach when searching for a CNA job. Creating a resume, and cover letter, earning credentials, and obtaining practical experience will help you find an ideal position the first time.