Experience preferred?

It isn't discouraging. All you need is faith and hopefully you'll get a decent job. I'm a CNA, I challenged the test and my first job is with an assisted living facility.

I will be in the same boat as you, in a couple of months. I will be taking the CNA class in June when my spring semester classes are finished. I have been looking in my area at job postings and see the same "experience preferred." I am planning on applying to those positions even though experience is preferred, I may get lucky and get the job and if not I try and look at it as more experience in the whole process for the next job posting I apply for. Right now I found two CNA job postings at a hospital somewhat close to where I live in departments I would love to work in but I am not yet a CNA ?Keep us updated on how it goes.

I'll be in your shoes soon as well (maybe in several months). I actually much rather see "experience preferred" than "Minimum 1 year experience required." Preference isn't set in stone but minimum requirement mostly is firm. Good luck!

I think it depends on the job market you're in. It doesn't hurt to just apply. When I got my CNA almost four years ago, I first took a job in home health for a couple of months. That got really lonely for me. I started applying to all kinds of skilled nursing facilities. They all said six months experience preferred at that time, but I still got hired at a decent one. Just try, and make sure you follow up with a phone call after a few days. That's how I got my interview.

Just apply anyway! I got a great hospital job with only a veterinary background. I applied everywhere and was surprised by the amount of places that were interested in me. In the end, I had my pick of 2 hospitals who both initially said they wanted experience. Apply, apply, apply!!