Take advantage of the explosion in demand for CNA, nurse aides and certified nursing assistants. These positions are offering great wages and excellent benefits. The U.S. Department of Labor expects the demand for CNA professionals to double in the next 5 years. You owe it to yourself and your family to take on the challenge, educate yourself and be able to compete in the new economy.

Now that you have your certified nursing assistant license it's time to get to work.

But where?

Think about this before you apply for a job. Are you a high-energy person? You don't like sitting around. You like lots of activity with never a dull moment. You should consider working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in a hospital or next choice, nursing home. These facilities are ALWAYS busy, you will NEVER be bored.

If you like things to go along at an even pace, not rushing or hurrying (busy but not running full out) you should consider working as a nurse aide in an assisted  living facility. In these facilities the patients need much less care then in a hospital or nursing home.

Finally, if you like things that move slow and don't mind times when there is nothing to do, you might consider homecare. When you are doing homecare you only have 1 or 2 patients and there will be times when they don't need anything and you can sit down. For a high-energy nurse assistant, this could drive them crazy, for a calm (or easily stressed) person, homecare could be perfect.

Really think about the type of work environment you like BEFORE you apply for that job.

LET'S GET TO WORK

As the baby boomers continue to age the need for nursing assistants, nurse aides and CNAs will only increase. If you are having trouble getting a job it may be that you have poor interviewing skills. A certified nursing assistant job is an entry-level position. This means that you could have a lot of competition for that position. You need to stand out to the interviewer. Ask yourself why you should get the job instead of all the other NA's that are applying. What do you bring to the job that may be different or special? Some ideas: any volunteer work with the elderly, handicapped, or special needs children. A candy striper at a hospital, a camp counselor, did you help your parents or grandparents when they were ill or in the hospital? Just because you did not get paid does not mean that any of the experiences above are not valuable and SHOULD be included on a job application.

Practice your interviewing skills. Your certified nursing assistant textbook may have a chapter on how to get a job. Some of the tips they offer for interviewing are very helpful.

Here are some tips for making a good impression on the interviewer and getting that job:

1. Show up for the interview BEFORE the scheduled time.
2. Look professions, wear a pant suit or a skirt and blouse (NO JEANS OR TEE-SHIRTS OR SCRUBS)
3. Take off all of your jewelry (wedding ring is OK) and if you like wear a SIMPLE pair of stud earrings. Many of the people interviewing you are conservative, a lot of jewelry and heavy make-up will turn them off.
4. Cover up any tattoo's if possible
5. Ware light make-up and tie any long hair back in a pony tail or bun
6. Smile and look the interviewer in the eyes when talking to them
7. Have a good firm handshake (not crushing but not limp)
8. Present yourself as excited to work there and ready to start working TODAY!
9. When asked if you have any questions DO NOT start asking: when are my smoking breaks, how long do I have for lunch, when do I get vacations and how much sick leave do I have. These ARE questions that you will want to know the answers too BUT if that is all you are focused on the interviewer will think you are only interested in your time away from the job and not the job.

Ask something like: As a CNA how many patients will I be able to help or what floor will I be working on. These kind of questions make it sound like you already have the job and have started caring for patients.

These are just a few tips for the interviewing process. You can learn more from many places in your community or on the Internet. If you are not prepared for your interview it will show and will decrease your chances of getting that certified nursing assistant position. If you believe that you should be able to go into an interview and they should just "except me for who I am" or "I should be able to just be myself and if they don't like it then the heck with them" then don't expect to get any job offers. Employers are looking for nurse aides who know HOW to get along with others, how to be flexible, co-operative and understand that everything will not ALWAYS go your way.

Lastly, the job of a certified nursing assistant (CNA) is not about you it is ALL about the patient. If you are not ready to give yourself to others then it would be better to look for work with little or no patient care. For the most part, you are ALL that patient has to look after them. They are counting on you to be the first to help them with their needs and to notice if ANYTHING is wrong and report it to the charge nurse. Your job is THE most important job to your patients. May God bless you for it each and every day. Thank you for being a CNA