Job search before or after certification?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi everyone! I'm getting ready to finish my CNA class, next week being my last week. I anticipate another couple of weeks before I can test, so I'm thinking, minimum of three weeks to certification. I'm not really sure how difficult it is to get a testing date, so it could be longer. Anyways, I'm curious if I should go ahead and start applying for jobs now, or if I should wait until after I am certified. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

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Around here, they won't accept an application until you have the certification. You can do other parts of the process, though... contact your references, update your resume (or at least get all the necessary dates and addresses from previous jobs), research the employers you are interested in, ect.

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Specializes in Nursing Assistant.

As for myself, I decided it was best to wait until I had my certification. That way when you apply, you are ready to be hired. I made sure I had all my ducks in a row; fingerprint clearance card, CPR & First Aid card and my license. I found that all the job ads required you to have all of those. Otherwise they may just tell you that once you get certified, come back and apply. I used my down time to work on my resume and research facilities and get a list of where I would apply so once I became certified, I was good to go. Good luck to you! :)

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Specializes in public health.

Most places won't even look at your application if you are not certified. I applied to jobs before I got my certification and nobody bothered to respond to me. Anyway, so I took a BLS/CPR class while waiting for my certification in mail. It's required by most hospitals and it can't hurt even if you are not going to work in a hospital. So my suggestion is apply to jobs right now and taking additional training while waiting.

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Specializes in PACU, LTC, Med-Surg, Telemetry, Psych.

I can confirm what the other posters have noted. Most will file 13 your application without the certification - especially if they have to be Joint Commission approved (that means most better nursing homes, better agencies, almost all hospitals and behavioral health units).

However, some private sitter agents do still take uncertified folks and there are a very few nursing homes that do. But, you will have much more to choose from after certification. Even then, with no experience, you are probably looking at LTC or some of the lower level Home Health places for at least the first several months to a year depending on your area's market.

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Wow, I had no idea it would take such a long time to be certified. I was told it could take up to a month, or longer. So much for my plans to hit the ground running. Thanks for the feedback!

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I finished my class in July and couldn't take the state test until September. I did get a job in August before I was certified.

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It takes forever to get a test date. I waited a month before i heard anything.

It really depends on the state too. Here you can legally work 3-6 months without it, but if the place requires it you wind up screwed.

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