How hard is it to get a job w no experience?

esand · Oct 8, 2012

I've had quite a few friends find a job right out of graduation. Don't give up hope, just keep applying.

Graduation2016 · Oct 8, 2012

I was lucky enough to get a job as a Mother/Baby tech right out of CNA training and with no medical experience whatsoever! There is hope. I had applied for several CNA positions but the only interview I was called in for was the MB one. A week after the interview I was hired. Good luck!

gracecase · Oct 8, 2012

Never fear. I finished CNA training in July and applied to a major hospital in July, August, and September and finally got a PCT full time ortho job. Good luck! Keep trying. The right manager will come along that wants fresh CNA's, not ones that have been ruined by working in a nursing home.

mstearns09 · Oct 10, 2012

I had a job within 3 weeks of finishing my CNA class. The facility where I did my clinicals hired me, though I'd already accepted a home health job elsewhere.

mindyfromcali · Oct 10, 2012

Never fear. I finished CNA training in July and applied to a major hospital in July, August, and September and finally got a PCT full time ortho job. Good luck! Keep trying. The right manager will come along that wants fresh CNA's, not ones that have been ruined by working in a nursing home.

Being a CNA in a nursing home does not "ruin" them.

Lacymom · Oct 11, 2012

Just got certified in August. I have been home for the last 13+ yrs. and currently am going to s hool for nursing pre reqs part time . Basically other than two week clinicals have no work experience. How long can I expect to look? I had a job interview one. Might get called back for interview 2. Wondering if I will ever get a chance.

Thank you all for responding. I will keep trying. I have had two interviews and waiting on one to call to see if they have a position, want to hire me. The other one I need to call back for a second interview if they hadn't hired someone yet.

funtimes · Oct 11, 2012

Never fear. I finished CNA training in July and applied to a major hospital in July, August, and September and finally got a PCT full time ortho job. Good luck! Keep trying. The right manager will come along that wants fresh CNA's, not ones that have been ruined by working in a nursing home.

How exactly does a nursing home ruin a CNA? A nursing home is where you learn to be a CNA.Obviously there are poor nursing home CNAs, but those arent the ones who get hired. Most RNs will tell you they greatly prefer a CNA who worked in a Nursing home and had a good record over an unproven aide, because those are the ones they dont have to constantly double check to make sure ADLs get done, their patients were repo'd and cleaned up on time, and the ones who can handle a tough work load and multi task without the shift turning into a train wreck.

Maybe an ortho unit might be less challenging, but try med/surg, ICU or a PCU with no experience and it wont be so easy.

mindyfromcali · Oct 11, 2012

How exactly does a nursing home ruin a CNA? A nursing home is where you learn to be a CNA.Obviously there are poor nursing home CNAs, but those arent the ones who get hired. Most RNs will tell you they greatly prefer a CNA who worked in a Nursing home and had a good record over an unproven aide, because those are the ones they dont have to constantly double check to make sure ADLs get done, their patients were repo'd and cleaned up on time, and the ones who can handle a tough work load and multi task without the shift turning into a train wreck.
Maybe an ortho unit might be less challenging, but try med/surg, ICU or a PCU with no experience and it wont be so easy.

I could not agree more. I have worked both acute and SNF, and could tell you that both have their challenges. It irks me that people make blanket statements and assumptions that obviously have no basis in experience. The nurses in the hospital would tell me that they learned a lot from me as a CNA who had experience in LTC. We learned from each other.