Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Examples and Templates (Downloadable)

• Entry level
• Midlevel
• Senior level

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PDF

DOCX

Google Docs

PDF

DOCX

Google Docs

Your certified nursing assistant (CNA) resume should prove to hiring managers that you can provide compassionate care to patients and be their advocate. It must show they can count on you to collaborate with other health care professionals and support patients with their day-to-day needs. This guide will provide you with strategies to create an effective resume featuring the best of your CNA career.

Key takeaways:

• Highlight any specializations: Your resume’s first paragraph should quickly mention any skills or areas of expertise in things such as home health, rehabilitation, or long-term care (LTC) facilities. Describe what makes you stand out.
• Quantify achievements: Using numbers helps hiring managers envision your impact in past CNA positions. Instead of only listing job duties, use percentages and other metrics to describe accomplishments like satisfaction scores and efficiency improvements.
• Include keywords for ATS: Incorporate keywords and phrases from the job description throughout your resume in a natural way. This helps your document perform well within Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and stand out from other well-qualified CNAs.

How To Write a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Example

To demonstrate that you’re the right CNA for the job, your resume must emphasize the most compelling highlights of your career. Start by ensuring your template includes the following sections:

• Contact information
• Profile
• Key skills
• Professional experience
• Education and certifications

1. Share your contact information

Provide potential employers with your most recent contact information so they can reach out to schedule an interview. At the top of your resume, include your full name, phone number, email address, and location. You can also insert a link to your LinkedIn profile page if you have one.

2. Write a brief summary of your certified nursing assistant qualifications

If you only had one paragraph to tell hiring managers what you offer, what would you say? This is how you need to think about your resume profile. It should summarize your relevant CNA experience, skills, and qualifications in a few sentences. Also, mention any extensive experience you have in a specialty or department, especially if it’s relevant to the new job.

Consider what makes you unique as a CNA. Maybe you’re great at calming anxious patients, or have a knack for working with children. Highlight your personal strengths and remember to be intentional with the information you include. Understand what the health care organization is looking for to have the biggest impact.

3. Create a powerful list of your certified nursing assistant experience

Your professional experience section is like the highlight reel of your CNA career. Include your last two to three positions and outline what you accomplished in each role. From helping with activities of daily living (ADLs) to speaking up on behalf of your patients, describe key responsibilities in a way that shows the scope and scale of your work.

You’ve cultivated a wide range of technical skills within your training and experience. However, the way in which you care for patients is just as important. Emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience, and relational support are equally vital to your work. So, describe moments when you used these skills to educate patients and de-escalate tense situations.

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

To quantify your CNA experience, use numbers when you can to add depth and tangible evidence to your job descriptions. This strategy allows you to go beyond simply telling what you did and demonstrate the real, tangible proof of your CNA skills. Provide metrics that show how many patients you cared for and how much you improved patient satisfaction scores.

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

Study every job description you apply for and identify keywords, skills, and qualifications you match up with. Then, incorporate those specific terms and phrases throughout your resume. This lets hiring managers know that you made an effort to understand their health care organization and what they’re looking for in a CNA.

For example, suppose a job mentions a need for a CNA who can “provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s patients,” and you have this experience. In that case, you would work similar phrasing into your resume and mention specific times you’ve handled patients with dementia. Also, focus on key skills you have that align with those listed in the job description.

What if you don’t have experience?

As a certified medical professional, you’ve undergone a fair amount of training to even be considered eligible for CNA positions. This alone has given you the experience to highlight on your resume. Class projects, volunteer time, and hands-on coursework are all valuable.

In your education section, list a few relevant courses or mention any recognition you received during school. If your CNA program required a clinical rotation, detail the skills and unique experiences gained within that real health care setting.

4. Add certified nursing assistant education and certifications

Prove to hiring managers that you meet minimum academic and certification requirements by listing your highest level of education followed by your CNA credentials. Provide all the corresponding details as well, such as school name, location, and date of graduation.

There are many certifications you can go on to earn as a CNA which help set you apart from other applicants. If you have a Basic Life Support (BLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), or Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) designation, mention that as well.

5. List key certified nursing assistant skills and proficiencies

As a CNA, you have many skills that help you care for the personal, medical, and emotional well-being of others. In your key skills section, list a mixture of hard and soft qualities to highlight your technical and interpersonal patient care expertise. This gives hiring managers a sense of your skill level and relevant qualifications.

Resume writer’s tip: Use strong action verbs

Action verbs cut through the clutter and help to illustrate your past work experience. When hiring managers scan your resume, these words jump off the page and instantly communicate your nursing contributions. Use action verbs to start each bullet point in your professional experience section. Utilize some of the verbs below to enhance your CNA resume:

How To Pick the Best Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Template

A straightforward, professional template is the best choice for a CNA resume. Hiring managers are most interested in your skills and past experiences. So, select a design that’s simple and easy to skim through. It should reflect the professionalism and serious nature of the health care industry, without any distracting graphics or over-the-top colors.

Certified Nursing Assistant Text-Only Resume Examples and Templates

Frequently Asked Questions: Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Examples and Advice

How do you align your resume with a certified nursing assistant job description?

Although employment for CNAs is projected to grow at an average rate, you’ll need a strong resume to compete for the best positions. Aligning your CNA resume with the needs of each employer will be key to landing an interview. Instead of sending out one generic resume to every opening, you customize it every time you apply for a role.

Imagine you’re applying for a CNA job in a hospital, but your background is in LTC. As you study the job description, identify how your skills translate. For example, if the hospital mentions “acute patient care,” highlight times you managed complex health conditions and provided immediate care interventions within the context of your LTC experience.

What is the best certified nursing assistant resume format?

If you’re a seasoned CNA, the reverse chronological format will serve you well. This resume style focuses on a robust professional experience section with many years of stable employment. Your extensive background is your strength.

Alternatively, the combination format is best for entry-level CNAs. With an emphasis on key skills and education, this resume draws attention to your new abilities. Hiring managers capture all they need to know immediately without the distraction of a work history lacking paid medical experience.

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Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.