Certified Nursing Assistant CNA Resume Examples and Tips
A CNA resume needs to meet certain criteria to get you hired. Here are tips you should follow to make your own certified nurse assistant resume stand out.
A CNA resume needs to meet certain criteria to get you hired. Here are tips you should follow to make your own certified nurse assistant resume stand out.
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Follow our CNA resume examples to create the best resume for your CNA job. You can easily edit it and include your information using the ResumeHelp Resume Builder, which gives you step-by-step resume writing guidance.
A CNA, which stands for certified nursing assistant, is considered entry-level nursing staff, and is usually the most entry-level health care worker in a facility or hospital. When you work as a CNA, you’re providing basic care and helping with certain non-medical aspects of a person’s well-being. To best display these qualifications and convince hiring managers to hire you, it’s important to follow expert CNA resume examples.
On this page, we’ll give you all the expert advice you need to create a professional resume for a CNA job, including:
The educational requirements to become a CNA will vary by state but it’s imperative to have completed the appropriate training program to work as a certified nursing assistant. The recruiter or hiring manager will first make sure that you are a licensed CNA.
Hiring managers want to ensure that you have the skills necessary to do the CNA job well. As a certified nursing assistant, you will work directly with patients and help the charge nurse with complex tasks for patient care.
Not two CNA jobs are the same. Read the job description well to determine the requirements and major responsibilities of the job, then, tailor your CNA resume accordingly. The employer might be looking for a nursing aide to work at a nursing home or they might be searching for a CNA that has work experience in clinical facilities. So review the job posting and make sure you have the best qualifications for the job.
A major part of tailoring your CNA resume to the job is including keywords and key phrases from the job description in your resume. Choose several skills and listed responsibilities that apply to your expertise and include them across your resume.
Most employers use an applicant tracking system (ATS) software to filter through resumes and only receive the resume of the most qualified job seekers. Make sure your resume is ATS-friendly by writing keywords and using a resume template, such as the one featured in our CNA resume sample, that is easy to read.
Before you sit down to write your CNA resume, it’s important to understand the three resume formats:
Some other resume formatting tips to keep in mind:
The first section is your header containing your contact information. A header helps introduce you to a CNA job. It includes your full name, phone number, email address and any job networking links such as LinkedIn. Make sure that the information you include is updated and professional.
Your CNA resume can begin with either a resume summary or a resume objective. Which is best for you will depend on your years of experience and what you hope to accomplish with your resume.
A resume summary summarizes your top qualifications relevant to the job description in two to three sentences. It’s best for certified nursing assistants with more than three years of work experience. For example:
Diligent certified nursing assistant with more than four years of experience working in nursing homes. Able to provide the best patient care, educate family members and bathe patients. Skilled in stocking supplies, documenting food and liquid intake, and medication administration.
A resume objective also summarizes your key skills and qualifications in two to three sentences but it also states your goals for employment. An objective statement is better for candidates with less than two years of experience or people changing careers.
CNA with two years of experience seeking nursing assistant job in a rehabilitation center. Strong physical strength to turn and move patients, knowledgeable in medical terminology and documentation of electronic medical records. Excellent communicator and collaborator.
There are many hard skills and soft skills that you can include as part of a nursing assistant job. Here are some of the resume skills to consider in the following bullet points:
Hard skills
Soft skills
Your work history section should be written in reverse-chronological order. Your current or latest CNA job should go at the top and each position should include three to five bullet points detailing work accomplishments or major responsibilities. In addition:
Take a look at this example of a CNA resume work experience section:
CNA / May 2018 – Nov. 2022
Oak Home, Nashville, TN
You need to take a state-approved program to become an entry-level CNA. This usually takes around 8-12 weeks and teaches you all the basic skills you need to know. You might also need to pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) examination, an exam that’s divided into two parts, a written and oral exam, to become a licensed CNA.
CNA programs are offered at local community colleges, high schools, vocational or technical schools or local hospitals.
If you finished this program at your high school, then include your high school’s name and the fact that you have obtained your high school diploma. If you have a bachelor’s degree in addition to the training, just include your college degree. Don’t list your GPA, unless it’s requested or you’re a new graduate with honors.
If you have additional certifications or training that is relevant to the CNA job, create other sections for your resume. Some certifications you could consider include:
Your CNA job application won’t be complete without a professional cover letter. Use our resources to craft a compelling cover letter that impresses employers.
You’ve seen our professional CNA resume examples and read our expert resume writing tips, so let’s quickly recap everything:
Both soft skills and hard skills are important on a CNA resume. If you want to stand out, you need to make sure that you’re including both of these skills. Include skills that you learned in your training section and skills that you’ve learned in general. Be sure your skills match what the job posting is listing as requirements.
Yes, internships typically get listed in your work history section, especially if you are lacking work experience. If you completed any apprenticeships or internships, those are considered relevant experience and will help a hiring manager determine your qualifications.
You can also include volunteer work or extracurricular activities that are relevant to the CNA position.
You should only list up to 10 years of experience at the most. If you have an extensive career history, you can include all of your experience on your LinkedIn profile and place the profile link in your resume header with contact information. This way, any hiring manager that wants to learn more about you can scroll through your LinkedIn profile.
CNAs play a big role in the nursing staff. They help their unit, be it at a hospital or a nursing home, run smoothly by:
The responsibilities listed above are just a few of the major tasks CNAs do. Without their help, patient care and units wouldn’t run as smoothly as they do.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average wage for certified nursing assistants was $30,310 in May 2021. Pay varies depending on the care facility and state where you work. For example, CNAs working in the government, such as VA hospitals, may get paid an average of $37,310 a year while a CNA in home healthcare services might make $29,280 a year.
The states with the highest pay for CNAs are:
CNA jobs are considered entry-level positions, so you don’t need to have prior work experience to land a job. What you do need is a valid CNA license and to have completed an accredited certified nursing assistant program. Some of the top CNA programs are:
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