Whether you’re a new or experienced CNA, you need a winning resume that will show potential employers your…
- Capabilities
- Professionalism
- Career goals
Doing so is what sets you apart from other candidates in the competitive job market.
On this page, you’ll learn how to write a winning resume that employers will immediately take notice of.
Table of Contents
Writing Your Resume
A resume’s purpose is to highlight your qualifications as a capable, compassionate CNA.
So in writing it, you should take the time to plan and organize the information you want to share.
- Basic personal and professional background with the corresponding dates
- Strengths and achievements
- Career goals
If you can, write your resume on one page to make it easier for HR to read through.
Also, make sure to keep it simple and clean.
Steps to Writing a Winning CNA Resume
Step 1: Provide Contact Information
Before anything else, you should write on your resume your contact information:
- Full name
- Contact number/s
- Home address
- Email address
Do note that your email should look professional.
Step 2: State Your Professional Objective
Your professional objective states your career intent as a CNA.
It gives potential employers insight into your qualifications as a possible employee.
When writing it, keep it within three short sentences.
Example:
- New CNAs
Compassionate person looking to support and care for patients and become a dependable member of the healthcare team.
- Experienced CNAs
Patient-centric nursing assistant with five years of experience in hospice care, giving comfort and companionship to patients and family members.
Step 3: Highlight CNA Skills and Qualifications
If you want to be considered, you have to show potential employers what you can do.
Here are some of the skills you can add to your resume.
- Nursing assistant skills
- Patient care and safety
- CPR and first-aid certified
- Vital signs measurement
- Patient observation and monitoring
- HIPAA and patient privacy
- Medical terminology
- Personal skills
- Compassionate
- Supportive
- Organizational skills
- Communication skills
- Clerical/administrative skills
- Time management
- Team player
Please do be mindful to not put any skill you’re not good at.
Step 4: Provide Your Educational Background
List every school or course you attended from the most recent to the least.
You may add other non-CNA-related training programs you did if you think it helps highlight your qualifications.
In writing this section, you can apply this format:
CNA training facility
Address, Date of completion
Certification, Year
Training information
Example:
Bay Area CNA School
Livermore, CA, May 2021
Certified Nurse Assistant, 2021
Completed 150 training hours – 50 hours of classroom instruction, 100 hours of supervised clinical training
If you’ve yet to be certified, you can write “Certification in progress” on line 3.
In the Experiences section, it’s considered best practice to describe the work you did at the healthcare facility/ies.
Doing so helps potential employers consider if you match the qualifications they’re looking for.
Examples:
- Assisted residents with activities of daily living including bathing, feeding, and vital signs
- Ensured the accuracy of the information on patient records and updated the healthcare team on patients’ status
- Preserved patient dignity and minimize discomfort while carrying out duties
- Commended for effective team collaboration, patient relations, and consistent delivery of empathetic care
Step 6: Add References
You need at least two individuals to vouch for your character, qualifications, and experiences.
It’s best to add people who have seen your work ethics, such as:
- Fellow nursing assistant trainees
- CNA training program instructor
- Supervising nurse
- Coworkers
If you have worked in a non-CNA-related field before, you can add your manager or coworkers as references too.
Do remember to ask their permission before you add their name and contact information on your resume.
