Should I take it or keep looking?

[Theresa92]

Hello all! I just finished a state approved CNA 1 class and will be testing soon. I live in a somewhat rural area of North Carolina that has plenty of senior care centers around. On the last day of the CNA class, the director of nursing and the hiring manager from a relatively new nursing home/assisted living/rehab complex came to speak and hand out applications. They said that they have quite a few spots open and that they would even interview us BEFORE we take the state test and hire us if we passed the interview and test. Both the DON and the hiring manager were very professional and friendly, and I really got the sense that they have a positive working environment over there.

I did some research on this elderly care facility and turns out that it has very high reviews (from both families and staff members) on several non-biased sites. The only problem is that the base pay hourly rate for a starting CNA 1 is $9/hour. I was a bit disappointed because I made more money working as a dog bather in a grooming salon. I also was disappointed because some friends who got their CNA 1 certifications months ago are making 11/12 an hour. Before I started CNA 1 training, I spoke to CNAs and did research and it was to my understanding that 10 or 11/hour was the standard in my part of the country.

If I had a choice, I would rather work for less money in a company that had a positive work environment, than potentially make more money working in a toxic environment.

So my question is, should I "jump" on this opportunity and fill out an application so that I can be guaranteed a job at a reputable place (if I pass state tests and if they like me), or should I shop around for centers that pay a bit more than 9/hour? I am planning on applying to strictly elderly care centers (assisted living, skilled nursing, etc. NO hospitals). Aside from the CNA certification, I have two bachelors degrees, one of which is psychology and the other is business management. I also have a lot of

volunteer experience. Should I use my degrees and volunteer experience to negotiate a higher salary of 9.50?

anyway, I know this was a long post and so I thank you for reading! I appreciate any help!

[hookyarnandblanket]

If you're willing to work at a reputable company, you have your answer. CNA positions are not known for being a position for which you can negotiate your pay unless a union is involved and being newly certified or soon to be certified, you don't have much in your corner to use in negotiations, even despite having 2 Bachelors degrees. I, too, have a Bachelors degree, and several hours of credit towards my Masters, but they did not get me a higher wage despite the fact I had years of experience in the public education sector and extensive experience working with kids with special needs.

Do you know if they offer shift and/or weekend differentials? That is one way of getting what you want but ultimately, it is up to the employer to decide what they will pay you if you are hired. The $11-$12 range is likely the average wage and not starting wage. Some facilities offer sign-on bonuses and incentive pay in order to draw people in to apply, as well as offering a raise if you successfully complete your 90-day probationary period.

[Theresa92]

If you're willing to work at a reputable company, you have your answer. CNA positions are not known for being a position for which you can negotiate your pay unless a union is involved and being newly certified or soon to be certified, you don't have much in your corner to use in negotiations, even despite having 2 Bachelors degrees. I, too, have a Bachelors degree, and several hours of credit towards my Masters, but they did not get me a higher wage despite the fact I had years of experience in the public education sector and extensive experience working with kids with special needs.

Do you know if they offer shift and/or weekend differentials? That is one way of getting what you want but ultimately, it is up to the employer to decide what they will pay you if you are hired. The $11-$12 range is likely the average wage and not starting wage. Some facilities offer sign-on bonuses and incentive pay in order to draw people in to apply, as well as offering a raise if you successfully complete your 90-day probationary period.

Thanks. Actually, yes, they do offer differentials for evenings, nights, and weekends. They also offer a Baylor plan which includes a differential. So I guess I'm the end, I do have options.

Thank you for your help!