Nursing Job Market

[Nasim95]

Hello Everyone!

I just completed my CNA training in the hopes of gaining some experience in the medical field prior to getting my BSN. I have been told that being a CNA helps tremendously in nursing school but I know very little about whether it helps when trying to find a job as an RN. As many of you know, the job market for new grads is said to be very competitive and so I was wondering if working as a CNA can give me an advantage when it comes to applying for jobs in hospitals in the future. Are employers more likely to hire a new grad with CNA experience rather than a new grad without? I would love to hear any personal experiences in regards to this topic!

Thank you all :)

[RunBabyRN]

I have extensive prior healthcare experience, and it barely seems to help as a new grad trying to find work. I don't have a hospital job, but I'm applying like a mad woman. I have a few random things here and there, but certainly nothing in my desired field, and definitely no acute care experience, which is all hospitals care about.

The best thing you could possibly do for yourself as a CNA is NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK. You'll need connections when you graduate and get your RN. The way to get a job these days is through connections.