Resume and cover letter too much?

shiuanshiuan · Aug 23, 2011

I think it's always best to apply with a cover letter and resume specific for the place you are applying for. Also, speaking with the DON may still be important since if she/he likes you, they will usually recommend to HR which they prefer and HR usually does the paperwork. I also feel that you should take off the unrelated jobs such as if they are retail or waitstaff occupations. Try to highlight the skills and/or items you performed during your clinicals in that you've learned at your teaching sites during the time you were getting your CNA. I'm a nursing student and have been applying like crazy for nurse aide positions or even ward clerk/unit secretary to gain more experience in a health-related field. I currently work part-time as a resident care aide in an assisted living facility which is pretty much nurse aide duties. Try looking online in classifieds or even look on Craigslist? Just be careful to where you send your information to if it is from Craigslist. Or call around different facilities around your area and see if they are hiring. And always call after you have sent in your application to confirm they have received it. Also, I don't think it hurts to call a week later to follow up with an application you have turned in. Goodluck!

keori17 · Aug 23, 2011

I don't think a resume nor a cover letter is too much. I always attach my resume and cover letter to the back of the application. I have my CNA ever since January, but I didn't land a job until a now. I think it was because I revised my resume. I submitted some of my applications online and some in person. I also put on the application that I was available any days and time. I have no experience as a CNA but when I revised my resume, I made sure to list out all the important skills that I learned in my clinical. I only put two unrelated work histories in my resume but of the two, I made sure to highlight my customer service experiences and important skills that I can bring to the job.

Maybe I was just lucky and submitted an application at the right time or something, but I started receiving calls from 5 different nursing homes....one call from a nursing home the day after I submitted my application online...and one on-the-spot interview when I dropped by and filled out an application. One even state that I have a great application even though it was obvious I have no experience as a CNA. Maybe you should look over your resume and revise it? Have you look into a nursing home job?

I think you are going by this the right way. Apply to as many positions as you can, even if it is to the same facility. I don't know how many times I applied to the facility, but finally, they called me and offered me a job. So, don't give up and keep trying. Good luck.

:)

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Aug 23, 2011

I got a job after 2 days, and I didn't attach a resume or cover letter. Is it really necessary when all that information is on the application anyway? CNA jobs are low-level positions and in my opinion, that stuff makes it seem like you're trying too hard. I think it's more important to indicate on the application that you are available for more than one shift, both full time and part time. If you only check off that you want a full time, first shift job, and they're looking for evening shifts 3 nights a week, they're not going to bother with you. I didn't particularly *want* second shift, but that's what I ended up getting, because I said that I was willing to work it. After a while I was able to transfer to days.

I also disagree that anyone without CNA experience should leave out other job experience in favor if highlighting what they did in clinical. No no no! That's so tacky! For one thing, plenty of other jobs can be assets. Before getting certified, I took care of a couple people in their homes doing personal care. During my interviews the DONs were more interested in my retail experience than that. Being able to work with people in a fast-paced environment and having good customer service skills were more desirable to them than my experience puttering around somebody's house fluffing their pillows and wiping booty. And I think pretending your clinicals are "experience" is hokey. Every single CNA has to go through clinicals so doing it does not make you stand out. The DON is not going to care that you did 3 whole bed baths or that you got really comfortable with oral care. That's like a lawyer saying they should get hired because they learned how to practice law in school... it's already expected of you. They want to know you can show up to work consistently and get the job done quickly with minimal trouble.

A lot of people probably disagree with me but I'm very practical and I don't see why people go through the motions of BS-ing each other. I had no problem getting the job I have now and I didn't fool around with resumes.

CNA1991, CNA · Aug 24, 2011

Thank you for the answers so far, I think I am going to try both pieces of advice and see where it takes me. I am going to try applying to some places with no resume (most people didn't mention cover letters, so I am going to leave those out completly. Plus fuzzy got a job after 2 days so I would say she did something right) and I am also going to revise my resume and take out unrelated experience except maybe 1 job and focus on the positive health care experiences I have had and try that a little too. I am glad to know that I am not the only one who had to wait to find a job and you guys have really relieved some of my panic that there's something wrong with me personally. Thank you guys for suggestions and I will keep you posted :) :heartbeat