How hard is it to get your first CNA job?

[Shannon82]

I'm getting ready to start my CNA training class. One question I have is, how hard is it going to be to get my first CNA job, having no prior experience?

I know everyone has to start somwhere but most of the job listings I've seen require at least one year experience as a CNA. It seems like a Catch 22, everyone wants experience but you can't get experience without having a job to give it to you.

[Acosmo27]

Hey, well coming from somebody who just got a job as a NA (uncertified CNA)... I will tell you it was pretty tough. At the same time though, it just depends where you want to work. Is it a place in high demand (often childrens or OB hospitals)?

I decided to work as an NA where I ultimately want to work as a nurse extern and staff RN. Im hoping that working as a NA at this hospital will give me a better in for when I apply for an externship.

I will tell you that it was hard getting a job for me. At least, at the hospital I wanted. I knew a friend who worked there though and it helped alot (getting mangers numbers for me etc..)... If I didnt know anybody who worked there, I would have never gotten a job at this hospital. They never post jobs for some reason... kinda annoying.

But anyways, best of luck to you. If you stay persistent you are bound to get a job somewhere. Hang in there.:redbeathe

[cmonkey]

I didn't receive a single call on any of the nine or ten applications I put in. Turns out that's okay because I found out I was pregnant a couple of days later. But still. That's never, ever happened to me with any other type of job.

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

Where are you planning on applying? My first CNA job was in a LTC, I had wanted to work in a hospital, but they all required 1 year experience. So I went to the LTC facility just down the road, I walked in and filled out an application, the receptionist asked if I was already certified and I said yes, she called one of the owners and said she is currently certified. He came and interviewed and hired me on the spot, I started 3 days later. Worked there for 11 months, before I got a jog in a hospital ER. The entire time I worked in LTC, I would cruise the websites of the hospitals that I wanted to work for and kept applying for open CNA positions. I have met just a couple CNA's at the hospital who were hired without any experience, but they also spoke a second language fluently.

[CHATSDALE]

where are you going for cna classes?

some ltc give classes for cna, they will pay you while you are going to school and pay for a first certification

even if you don't want to work ltc after certification it is a foot in the door

[Simba&NalasMom, LPN]

I would imagine in most areas new grad NAs probably don't have much trouble finding that first job if they are not too picky about where they work and what shift. You most likely will not be hired on at a hospital as a new grad; like another poster pointed out, they want a year experience. However, my best friend got her CNA, worked LTC for around 3 months, and then got hired at a hospital. She was very persistant and just kept applying over and over. Just suck it up for awhile in LTC until you get the experience; we all have to start somewhere! Good luck.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Seriously? If we get an applicant for a CNA spot who has a pulse and passes the criminal background check, he's IN.

[littlebitark]

I had no problems - in my area we get to pick which place we want hosiptal or LTC- There are tons of jobs we CNA's are in high demands-