resume help; dietary aide

[peppapig123]

I'm a pre-nursing student. I can't afford cna classes yet, something always comes up when I'm supposed to pay. But anyway, i'd like to try to land a dietary aide job in a nursing home. The thing is, I have nothing to put on a resume. No job/volunteer experience. And I can't think of a good objective for a resume for dietary aide position. Any suggestions?

[IftheShoeFits]

If you have no prior experience I would say let them know of your good qualities and, if you can, relate anything you have previously done with the position. Also, definitely put in your cover letter your intentions and future ambitions with nursing school, it shows dedication and thinking ahead.

Good Luck!

[miabia, BSN, RN]

I have some advice for you that many dont know about. You can go to a nursing home and ask them to sponser your cna/med aide licenses. They will make you sign a contract basically saying you will work for them for so long after your licensed or you pay it back if you quit or are terminated.

As for getting your foot in the door be honest. I found one that I liked that says, "Inexperienced dietary aide with compassion and patience seeks position to fully utilize people skills and nutrition training."

[ctmed]

Most dietary jobs are considered food service and do not even look at resumes! They want applications.

The job entails putting together trays and washing dishes.

I personally think this is a waste of effort - unless you go CNA or just want to get in the door at a facility through the kitchen. I will give three reasons:

1. The schedule. Dietary aides are only there during mealtime preparation, serving, and clean up. This means breakfast/lunch or dinner. The times I see dietary aides at the facilities I have worked at I would find it hard to see any nursing school happening because it is either 5 am to 1pm or 12 noon to 7 pm.

2. Very few will care if you put together trays or washed dishes on a resume for medical. CNA would be better.

3. Believe it or not, dietary (unless you are a cook) pays even less than CNA!!!

[miabia, BSN, RN]

3. Believe it or not, dietary (unless you are a cook) pays even less than CNA!!!

Actually at the state level I stared in horror that a dietary aide made 3 cents less than a CNA. I kid you not.

[cgr88]

I got my bachelor degree in Nutrition and for a few years during school I worked as a dietary aid at a nursing home. At the nursing home I worked at they were very flexible with scheduling around my school schedule. However, I will admit they did not pay the best. Now, I'm returning to school in the fall to get my Masters in Nursing through an accelerated program and I recently got a new job as a supervisor in a hospitals nutrition department which allows me great flexibility to work around my school schedule.

A dietary aide position is a great way to get your foot in the door especially with little or no experience, then once you get a chance you can move into a CNA position at the facility. I might recommend writing a cover letter that emphasizes your people skills/customer service, ability to follow rules and regulations, time management skills, and positive attitude.