Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume Examples: Guide To Landing Your Dream Job!

Are you finding it hard to create an exceptional CNA resume? Well, it’s a common challenge for anyone desiring to start their career in this field. 

You know your CNA resume has the power to make or break the opportunity for your dream job. The reason is simple – it serves as the first impression to your potential employer! Moreover, a CNA resume shows your ability in this highly competitive field. 

So, how can you write a compelling CNA resume? This guide will help you with the most effective CNA resume examples. Moreover, we’ll also highlight some major elements to make your resume noticed by your employers. Read on! 

Main Sections of a Professional Resume

A well-organized resume can help you to secure the CNA job of your dreams. So, let’s first discuss the main sections of the professional CNA resume you should follow.

1. Contact Information

You have to include your name and contact information at the top of your resume. Such as: 

  • Your full name 
  • Email address
  • Phone number 
  • Your location city or state

2. CNA Resume Objective or Summary Statement

Now you have to decide whether you want to add a summary or objective statement to your CNA resume. Well, you should do it based on your experience level. 

The objective statement will be suitable for the beginner CNA resume. Here you will have to describe your ambition as a CNA and explain how your skills fit the role. 

A summary statement will be best for the experienced CNA’s resume. It should include your accomplishments, credentials, and the highlights of your career. 

Example: 

Objective statement: 

A hard-working CNA looking for the opportunity to use caregiving and communication skills in an entry-level position. 

Summer objective: 

An experienced CNA with over 5 years of experience in senior citizen care including daily activities, administering medication, and monitoring vital signs. 

3. Professional Experience

Professional Experience

In this section, you will have to add your work experience comprehensively. For instance

  • Your work titles, employer name, and date of employment 
  • Your experience. Explain your experience with hard numbers. It will show your ability to make results and will add depth to your accomplishments. For example, ‘helped 20+ patients with daily activities’ will add more value than just saying ‘helped the patients’
  • Your accomplishments with your abilities. 

Example 

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) –June 2019–Present – XYZ Long Term Care, Chicopee, MA 

  • Assisted 30+ patients with daily living tasks
  • Assist nursing staff with vital signs, cleaning catheters, patient personal care, and setting up medical equipment. 
  • Observe and report changes in medical conditions and behavior 
  • Follow government and employer COVID-19 regulations 
  • Provide personal care for Alzheimer’s patients
  • De-escalate potentially dangerous situations for Alzheimer’s patients

4. Education and Certifications

Add your certification and educational background in the next section of the resume. For example 

  • 120-hour CNA training program, with 40 hours of clinical practice
  • Coursework in patient care, infection control, and nutrition 
  • CPR and First Aid Certification:  American Red Cross, Completed: March 2019
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification: American Red Cross, Completed: February 2020

5. Key Skills Section

You should also add your hard skills, soft skills, and technical skills to make a comprehensive CNA resume as it will show your ability to complete the task effectively. 

The below list highlights the essential skills of the certified nursing assistants.

CNA Hard Skills

CNA Soft Skills

CNA Technical Skills

Patient care

Communication 

Electronic Health Records management

Mobility support

Teamwork 

First Aid and CPR

Infection control

Empathy 

Basic medical terminology

Personal hygiene assistance

Time management 

Medical equipment operation

Vital signs monitoring

Problem-solving 

Documentation and charting 

Wound Care

Attention to Detail

 

Nutrition Support

Cultural Sensitivity

 

Telemedicine Assistance

Stress Management

 

Physical Fitness

Patience

 
 

Adaptability

 

6. Volunteer Experience

In your resume, if you have any volunteer experience, you should also try to include that. 

It will highlight your dedication to healthcare and your passion for helping others. 

You can add the activities that may directly not be related to the nursing activities but indicate the essential skills. For instance, your communication or cooperation skills. 

You can check out the below example. 

“Helped elderly people at the local care home and supported them in their daily activities. It has helped me to gain expertise and experience in patient care and enhanced my communication skills in the hectic healthcare environment.”

7. Awards and Recognitions

You should also try to highlight your awards and recognitions to establish your reputation. However, note that this is an extra section and optional. You should only add the details in this section that are authentic and genuine if you add. 

Moreover, you have to ensure that it perfectly aligns with the job description of the CNAs. 

For example: 

  • Awarded “Employee of the Month, January 2018
  • Received “Excellence in Patient Care Award” in 2022 for my dedication and compassion in healthcare service.

CNA Resume Writing Tips

CNA Resume Writing Tips

Now that you know what section you will need to add to your resume, let’s check out some actionable tips to write it down. 

1. Use Language That Shows What You See in the Job Ad

Let’s think practically here. 

A hiring manager in the healthcare industry may receive dozens of resumes and applications every day. And nobody has time to review every single one and find out the best one among them. 

Nowadays they’re most likely to use the Applicant tracking system to scan the resume and find out which one has a similar language that matches the job posting. 

That’s why you’ve to ensure that your language in the resume mirrors what the job posting wants. Here you should carefully read the job ads, find the keyword, and include it in your resume. 

Your use of these keywords increases the chance of making it out if the employer uses an applicant tracking system! 

2. Use Action Words to Offer Your Resume a Lift

Try to use unique, active language in your resume to keep the hiring manager engaged throughout the document. 

These action words will allow you to create a clear picture of your sense of responsibility and skills. You can consider the below-mentioned ones.

  • Administer
  • Document
  • Record
  • Report
  • Educate
  • Assist
  • Respond
  • Escort
  • Care
  • Sterilize
  • Maintain
  • Chart
  • Support
  • Monitor
  • Clean
  • Transport
  • Observe
  • Collaborate
  • Communicate
  • Perform

3. Ensure It Is Skimmable

You should also be especially careful about the formatting of the resume. Don’t use long paragraphs, keep it short. Keep your resume concise with relevant information only. 

Avoid bluffing, and use bullet points where appropriate for easy readability and notability. 

More importantly, leave enough spaces between the lines or paragraphs so that the hiring manager does not feel like they are reading a block of text!

CNA Resume Example

You are almost done! 

Now we’ve highlighted effective CNA resume examples for both experienced ones and the beginners ones. 

You can use the examples as a guide to write an exceptional and compelling CNA resume. 

 

Experienced CNA Resume Example 

Experienced CNA Resume Example

Beginner CNA Resume Example

Beginner CNA Resume Example

Use a Cover Letter to Express Yourself

Add a cover letter to your CNAs resume as it will help to show your skills and your interest in the CNAs job. Below is a cover letter sample you can use as a guide.

 

Mabel Hoffman

123 456 7891
San Francisco, CA 94016

mabelhoffman@email.com


December 13, 2024

Acme Hospital

RE: Certified Nursing Assistant 


Dear Hiring Manager,


As an experienced Certified Nursing Assistant, I am writing to express my strong interest in the CNA position at Acme Hospital. When reviewing the position requirements and the website of your organization, I was excited to find that my qualifications and skills meet your needs and mission.


I bring comprehensive patient care skills that I believe will be valuable to Acme Hospital. I developed strong skills in assisting patients with daily activities, monitoring vital signs, and providing compassionate care in my previous CNA roles. My ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, and healthcare teams, allows me to ensure positive patient outcomes.


I am eager to bring my dedication to patient care and strong interpersonal skills to the CNA role in your Hospital. My experience and my commitment to maintaining a positive and supportive environment will make me a valuable addition to your team.


Please review my enclosed resume for further details on my qualifications and experience. I am looking forward to the possibility of contributing to your team. 


Thank You! 


Sincerely,

Mabel Hoffman

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Check out some common mistakes and effective ways to avoid them in the below section. 

1. Describing unrelated work experience

Your resume seems unfocused when you describe the experience unrelated to the job. 

Here you should provide the information about your relevant experience to show the employer you qualify to perform the task well. 

However, focus on the skills that can be used in the new role if you are switching jobs. 

2. Providing few details

Employers will never get to know what you can do if you don’t have enough details in your resume. 

For instance, you can say ‘helped patients with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating’ rather than just saying ‘helped patients’. 

Moreover, you should try to add numbers wherever you can like how many patients you have helped or how often you’ve completed the tasks. 

3. Listing irrelevant skills

Don’t include the skills that do not match the CNA job role. For instance, skills like social media or drawing won’t help you get a CNA job. 

In those cases, you should add the skills related to caregiving like helping the patients or knowing the medical terms. 

Do you know the better trick? – pick the skills that match what the employer wants! 

4. Typos and Grammatical Errors

The resume should be free of any typos or grammatically perfect. That’s because if it isn’t employer will read between the lines and assume things like- 

“This person does not know how to write” or “This person has no interest in the job or does not care at all.”

5. Including a resume objective

Resume objectives focus on your career goals. However, a professional summary is more effective for the CNA’s resume. 

It will highlight your qualifications and skills and show the employer what benefit you can bring to their organization. 

Well, you can mention your career goals within the summary in case you don’t have that much experience. But ensure to show how your goals relate to the job or company you’re applying for.

Conclusion

Well, as you see, it is not a very hard task to make a compelling CNA resume. Just always remember that clarity and relevance are the main things for CNA resumes. 

Clearly show your skills, experience, and training so that the employer knows what you can do. Moreover, you should write in a way that matches the job you’re applying for. Maintain clarity and relevancy- you will have a better chance to get the job you’re dreaming of!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to format a CNA resume?

Use a combination or hybrid resume format in almost all cases. Highlight your most relevant skills and expertise in the intro section and work history section. Include a profile summary and key skills sections in your resume intro.

How do you write a CNA resume objective?

Write a CNA resume objective concisely, typically in 3 to 4 sentences. Summarize your most important qualifications and goals while avoiding unnecessary details.

What is an example of a CNA summary?

Example: Dedicated and compassionate CNAs with 3 years of experience supporting daily hospital operations. Reliable multitasker with an excellent ability to prioritize the patient's needs and exceptional organizational skills.

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January 30, 2025