How did you get your nursing home job?

caliotter3 · Jun 11, 2012

When you fill out an application be sure to look on the app for a sentence that states how long the app is kept on file, like 30 or 60 days or ask when you turn it in. Go back and reapply after that time period. I would also follow up at least once. One time I reapplied to a facility and was hired. The DON who interviewed me said she never saw my first application. That told me that, for some reason, someone in the office did something to my first application. You never know what will happen if you take the time to go back and visit again.

Band · Jun 11, 2012

I am definitely going to keep applying one of them said 6 months.. yikes I think theyre getting tons of applications, I live in the northeast by the way. I really want to get experience before graduating because it's tough finding a job as an RN here. I am expanding possible commute distance, putting the skills from clinicals, do you think it's going to take a while?

I will follow up, thank you caliotter3

rntobein2012 · Jun 11, 2012

I started at a temporary placement agency that specializes in the medical field. I knew I ultimately wanted to be at a hospital, but I ran into the same problem as you, they weren't hiring. So, I worked for the temporary company until a position opened up at the hospital I wanted to work at. It wasn't ideal by any means because you go in blind & some employees can be not so nice, but some can be very helpful & you can get some experience while getting paid!

IEDave, ASN, CNA, LVN · Jun 11, 2012

Was it a walk-in or through online job application?
It's been a month since I got certified I am not getting any calls back, the places I walk into say they're not hiring, but they're taking applications and I did just that and filled as much online application as I can right now. I have no experience except a few months volunteering at a hospital years ago. I am not working right now and I go back to nursing school next September. I wanted to work this summer full time and then maybe go to part time when school starts again but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen any advice?
Thank you

In my case - I was interviewed for positions both by walk-in applications and online. And, while I received one job offer 4 days after I finished class, the place I ultimately went to work for contacted me 6 weeks after I'd applied.

Keep in mind that with CNA's there's a lot of "churn" (e.g. - positions become available all the time) so reapplying periodically is a good idea; keep a fresh application in front of your top choices for potential employers.

Personally, it sounds like you'd probably be a good fit for a per diem or "on call" type position - if you're not applying for per diem, you might want to give that a try. Other than that, it's really just a numbers game - apply enough places and ultimately someone's going to hire you. Best of luck to you! :w00t:

----- Dave

Kitsey · Jun 12, 2012

Our instructor gave us applications to the local nursing home on our last day of class. After I passed my test and got my card, I took my application down there and waited over an hour to hand it to the DON personally. Got called a week later for an interview, hired 30 minutes after I left the interview.

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2012

I had a hard time getting a job at a nursing home after I completed my CNA class. I accepted a job at an assisted living facility, and worked there for 6 months and reapplied to nursing homes. I then landed a job at one.

Skayda · Jun 12, 2012

Was it a walk-in or through online job application?
It's been a month since I got certified I am not getting any calls back, the places I walk into say they're not hiring, but they're taking applications and I did just that and filled as much online application as I can right now. I have no experience except a few months volunteering at a hospital years ago. I am not working right now and I go back to nursing school next September. I wanted to work this summer full time and then maybe go to part time when school starts again but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen any advice?
Thank you

I found my current Adult Family Home job through an ad on Craigslist I used a resume-building app on my I touch and emailed it off to them and got a callback and interview the same day. I was offered the job during the interview. I also sent off my resume to a few other places and got interviews at six other places and had to pick between three of them that offered me jobs. I got no responses at all before I put together a resume no matter how many apps I filled out! Good luck with you! By the way that program is called "Eternity Resume Builder" and its free through Apple but I think there may be an Android and/or Windows version to and there's also a template through Windows Microsoft Word software program for resume building too.

kylestimenow · Jun 12, 2012

I just walked into as many nursing homes as possible and applied. I kept calling and calling them, asking about my application, if they had reviewed it, if there were any openings. I'd call every week to check up on them until I got a job. It didn't take long! I'd even go in and ask if I was in town. Just stay persistent! You'll find something!

mstearns09 · Jun 12, 2012

A wise person in my life once told me that it isn't what you know, it's who you know.

In my case, it was a combination of what I know and who I knew. I work at the same facility where I did my clinicals. The ADON was our clinicals instructor and she knew first-hand how well (or not well in the beginning!) I could handle residents. I put my application in with them on the last day of clinicals. I didn't hear anything from them for almost a month and they happened to call the day after I'd agreed to a less than desirable home health aide position.

Both the DON and ADON said they knew how well I'd worked with residents during clinicals and were impressed with my skills and thought I'd be a good addition to their staff.