Will I ever find a CNA job?

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I've been applying like a madwoman for several months now for a CNA position. I was a stay at home mom for 10 years so I know that hurts my chances of acquiring employment. I do have volunteer experience at a nursing home but that doesn't seem to be helping me at all.

I'm trying to find a third shift postion preferably at a hospital, but I'm not picky. The hospitals I've applied at all have online applications and they don't want you to call in and check the status of your applications. Was it this hard for everyone to get their first CNA job? Any tips?

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Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

Will I ever find a nursing job?

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Shannon did you apply to your clinical site?

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Yeah I did, my clinicals were at Carolinas Medical Center and I've put in a lot of applications there. It's all online, so it's pretty much just a waiting game. My most recent application status says, "Application Forwarded to Manager" but it's said that for a week or so now.

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Have you tried calling to check on the status of your application?

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The online instructions specifically say, do not call to check on the status of your application. The information online, is the most update to information available. I hate online applications, it's so impersonal.

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Specializes in LTC.

What state are you in? Missouri has lots of CNA jobs open..not very many LPN jobs however..*sigh*

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

Be bold and go to the units you are intrested in and talk directly with the manager and see if you can get an on the spot interview. Your application is probably one of 100's or even thousands. My friend is a CNA and thats how she got her job.

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Hi,

I am a new CNA - working as a CNA while on the wait list for nursing school.

The previous advice about talking directly to the manager is good advice.

However, be aware that hospitals want their CNA's to have at least one year of experience.

I work at a skilled nursing facility. I was offered 5 jobs within a one month period right after school.

I also was a stay at home mom for 15 years, and taught dance for 10 years part time.

If you interview well, have good references from your CNA instructor, you should have no problems at a nursing home, assisted living, etc. They are always looking for CNA's.

Go back in a year to the hospitals with the experience under your belt.

Good luck, there are jobs out there....

~ M.

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That's kind of what I was wondering about too as I read this. I'm about to start CNA training in a couple of weeks, but I do NOT expect to find a hospital job. I will be MORE than happy to work in a nursing home, assisted facility, as a home health aide, for a health temp service, etc., for a while. Look, I'm a licensed masters' level social worker, and I'm doing this because a.) there are NO social work jobs in this area now if you have no paid experience, especially if you have no experience working with kids, and I don't want to move right at the moment b.) having a CNA cert can be helpful for medical social work c.) I love working in the field of gerontology d.) I need a job; I have GOT to have some money coming in, and I will do just about any job as long as I can work with a population that I love. I don't see any realistic way to do it right now without getting this cert. I have a master's degree, and I'm going back to get the CNA certification-- and I'm happy to have the chance to do it because I do think it will mean this kind of job. The point is that we *all* have to do things right now that we might not have thought of doing if it weren't for the current economic situation. We're all in the same boat!:nuke:

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