Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume Examples [20 Tips]

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is responsible for assisting patients with healthcare needs. CNAs are usually supervised by Registered Nurses (RNs) or a Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). Your CNA resume must demonstrate your skills and qualifications to do the job, as well as your ability to effectively cooperate and communicate in a team. 

And you know what?

You’re about to learn how to write the best CNA resume out there.

And it doesn’t matter if you want to write a CNA resume with no experience or you’re a seasoned pro with bags of experience.

This guide will show you:

• A CNA resume sample better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a CNA resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples on how to show off your CNA resume skills.
• How to prepare a CNA job description for a resume to get any job you want.

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Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume examples here.

Looking for more resume writing advice? Explore our guides for all sorts of nursing-related positions:

• Nursing Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• Medical Assistant Resume
• Patient Service Representative Resume
• Nursing Student Resume
• Med-Surg Nurse Resume
• Charge Nurse Resume
• Pediatric Nurse Resume
• OR Nurse Resume
• Labor and Delivery Nurse Resume
• Nurse Practitioner Resume
• LPN Resume
• ICU Nurse Resume
• Registered Nurse (RN) Resume
• New Grad Nursing Resume
• Doctor Resume
• Nurse Manager Resume
• Home Health Aide Resume
• Healthcare Administration Resume
• LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) Resume
• Resident Assistant Resume
• Travel Nurse Resume
• Patient Care Technician Resume
• Healthcare Resume
• Professional Resume Examples

Don't forget that a perfect cover letter will give you a higher chance to find your dream job, see: Nursing Cover Letter Examples.

1

Choose the Best CNA Resume Template

Here’s the thing—

The BLS stats show the overall employment of CNAs is projected to grow faster than the national average for all occupations.

It means two things:

More CNA job opportunities for you. And… more competition.

The good news?

Your CNA resume will knock out all the others.

First off, see to it that your resume for a CNA position follows the reverse-chronological resume format.

Why this format, rather than a functional resume or combination resume?

Most recruiters are familiar with the chronological resume layout, so it’s very easy for them to scan.

And that’s a huge plus because on average a recruiter spends only about 6 seconds scanning a resume.

More than that, a chronological resume draws the recruiter’s attention to your achievements and experience. And that’s exactly what you want to show off.

As you’re formatting your resume remember to:

• Use resume-friendly fonts. 
• Write reader-friendly headings.
• Make good use of white space.
• Save your resume as a PDF file.

Not so sure about how to choose the best CNA resume template? Our guide on choosing the best resume format will help you make up your mind.

Here’s how it works:

A recruiter will scan your resume from top to bottom.

They’ll glance over your resume contact information and spend a bit more time looking at your resume profile.

What’s that?

A resume profile is a term referring to either your resume summary or CNA resume objective.

Here’s how the two differ:

A resume summary is a quick rundown of your relevant professional experience. It’s a good choice for candidates who have been at least two years in the workforce.

A resume objective is an introductory paragraph that focuses on your transferable skills to convince the recruiter you’re a great fit. It’s great for the candidates writing their first resume with no experience.

Take a look at the sample CNA resume objective and summary below.

CNA Resume Objective—Example

Take another look at the good example of an entry-level CNA resume objective.

Even though it may come from a CNA resume with no experience, the candidate looks super-qualified for the nursing assistant job.

The candidate mentions their:

• GPA
• Skills
• Internship
• Certifications

Plus, they refer to the company by name and offer numbers that quantify the candidate’s skills.

And all of this in just a couple of sentences.

In contrast—

The bad example of the certified nursing assistant resume objective is devoid of all these.

CNA Resume Summary—Example

Just like a good certified nursing assistant resume objective, a good summary for a CNA resume should:

• Describe your experience
• Mention your skills
• Refer to the company by name
• Show your accomplishments
• Include numbers that show your impact

Pro Tip: Write your resume profile at the very end, once your entire resume is ready. This way it will be much easier for you to pick out your career highlights. 

The top part of your resume is one of the first places the recruiter will look at. So make sure your professional resume header encourages them to read on.

Remember what we mentioned about job opportunities for CNAs?

They’re growing.

But—

So is the competition.

And, do you know who’ll end up getting the best jobs?

The best qualified CNAs.

There’s a problem, though.

Sometimes the best-qualified candidates don’t get jobs. Why?

Because they don’t customize their CNA experience on a resume to the job offer.

Fret not—

Here’s how to get your CNA resume job description right:

• Always tailor your resume to a specific job offer. Don’t send a generic resume. 
• Use the resume keywords you see in the job ad to pass the initial ATS scan and impress the recruiter.
• Focus on giving the most prominence to achievements on your resume, not your CNA responsibilities.
• Remember your achievements consist of your CNA duties backed up with numbers.

This is what your resume job description could look like:

CNA Job Description for a Resume

Now—

To make your resume experience section really stand out from the crowd, highlight your key accomplishments in a separate subsection.

If you don’t know what achievements are good for your resume, here’s a couple of ideas:

CNA Job Description—Resume Example

• Collaborated with patients while using a transfer/gait belt.
• Delegated perineal care duties to other CNAs in the care facility.
• Advocated a high level of care and comfort for each patient.
• Consulted patients while dressing weak arms and legs.
• Fielded and recorded patient information with accuracy.
• Maintained positive relations and compassion with patients.

Remember:

To make your resume for a hospital look impressive, put numbers next to your achievements to show the hiring manager your true impact.

And—

Take a look at our collection of job description bullet points samples to get inspired.

Need more help preparing your job description on a CNA resume? We’ve got a guide just for you: CNA Job Description for a Resume

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

4

Show Off Your CNA Resume Skills

Here’s a question:

What skills to put on a resume for a CNA?

The answer is—

Relevant.

But how to identify the best skills for your resume?

Easy.

They’re listed in the job offer.

What you just need to do is identify which CNA skills for a resume you have.

Here’s how to do this:

• Prepare a master list with all your CNA skills for a resume. 
• Note down your soft skills vs hard skills, as well as your technical skills.
• Go back to the job offer and note down all the CNA skills required by the employer.
• Now, see which skills your master list and the list based on the job ad have in common.
• Got them? These are the best CNA skills for your resume.
• Put up to 10 of your strongest skills in a separate Key Skills CNA resume section.
• Place your top skills strategically in the other CNA resume sections as well. For example, in your resume profile or resume experience section.

If you find it challenging to come up with your master list, use our list of hard skills or soft skills for a CNA resume as a source of inspiration:

CNA Resume Skills

• Proper handwashing
• Ambulating residents using a transfer/gait belt
• Assisting residents needing to use a bedpan/toileting
• Changing bed linen while residents remain in bed
• Changing residents position to a supported side-lying position
• Dressing residents with weak limbs
• Excellent patient care skills
• Helping patients with activities of daily living
• Measuring and recording a patient's blood pressure
• Measuring and recording a resident’s radial pulse
• Measuring and recording a resident’s respirations
• Providing catheter care to the nursing home residents
• Providing first aid to residents
• Providing foot care to residents in a chair
• Providing mouth care to residents
• Providing perineal care to female residents
• Providing residents hand and nail care
• Providing residents a partial bed bath and back rub
• Providing residents with passive range of motion (ROM) exercises

• Greeting the patient
• Considering the level of comfort for each patient
• Observation skills for marking the patient's mental and physical health
• Prioritizing work
• Time management
• Strong verbal and concise written communication skills
• Empathetic and compassionate care
• Abiding by predetermined protocols
• Reassuring residents and families
• Directing group activities
• Instructing family members about care
• Mentoring new staff
• Orienting residents to the daily routine

• Basic administrative record keeping
• Direct care services
• Electronic documentation
• Following care plans
• Keeping medical records
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Knowledge of healthcare industry
• Measuring and recording vital signs
• Patient safety regulations
• Utilizing adaptive equipment and safety devices properly

On a side note—

Even if you aren’t a certified nursing assistant, many of the above skills will be relevant skills to other roles in Medicine and Healthcare. 

Here are a few examples:

• Orderly: A hospital attendant charged with non-medical patient care.
• Psychiatric Aide: Like a CNA, except this position works with mental health patients.
• Medical Assistant: A worker without certification who helps doctors and nurses with routine tasks.

Want to make sure your CNA resume is all spick and span? Learn a couple of resume tips and tricks. And don't forget about our comprehensive list of nursing skills.

Here’s the thing:

Without a proper educational background, you would be no nursing assistant. Let alone certified.

That’s why your certified nursing assistant resume must give the education section the right treatment.

First things first—

Your resume for a CNA position should show where you became certified.

Every state has a Nurse Aide Registry. This registry establishes nurse aide training and competency.

So, indicate the state where you earned your certification. Recruiters will appreciate this.

Since every CNA program varies, consider including the number of hours in your training program and relevant coursework on your resume for CNA positions (if applicable).

This is how you can list your CNA certification on a resume:

Education on a CNA Resume—Sample

If you’re making a nursing assistant resume who’s yet to be certified, just add information to this effect. It could read certification in process for example.

If you graduated high school more than five years ago, you can skip listing your high school entirely.

Otherwise, keep it short:

Nursing Assistant Resume—Example Education

If you hold any relevant certifications, list them in a separate section of your CNA resume.

CNA Resume Example—Certifications 

• CPR Certified
• BLS Certified
• STNA Certified

Pro Tip: If the certifications you list on your resume have an expiration date, say until when they’re valid. 

Finally—

If you’ve completed any on-the-job courses related to your field of expertise, add them like this:

CNA Resume—Example Courses 

Did you directly observe the work of a doctor ? Read our guide on how to put doctor / physician shadowing on a resume.

Adding extra sections to your CNA resume could be risky—

Unless you know how to handle it right.

As with any other section on your certified nursing assistant resume, relevance is the name of the game.

So—

Use the extra space on your CNA resume to show you’ve got some unique skills and convince the recruiter you’re their kind.

Your CNA resume could benefit from such sections as:

• Achievements and awards on a resume
• Resume hobbies and interests
• Volunteering
• Resume language skills 

Not sure you got everything right on your CNA resume? Take a look at our guide with resume dos and don’ts to be 100% sure.

Show off your impeccable communication skills, and write a cover letter for your CNA resume.

If you’re wondering:

Do I really need a cover letter?

Just know that 50% of the recruiters expect candidates to submit their cover letters. And 50% of the candidates are lazy enough not to write a cover letter.

The conclusion is simple—

You can easily cater to the needs of half of the recruiters, and beat half of the candidates by just writing a CNA cover letter.

The question is—

How to write a cover letter?

It’s not that difficult. Your certified nursing assistant resume cover letter must be:

• easy to read
• on point 
• relevant
• Well-organized.

Easier said than done? Maybe.

But—

We have a series of dedicated articles that will guide you by the hand from start to finish:

• Choose the right cover letter format for your needs.
• Make sure you start your cover letter in a captivating manner.
• Tel the recruiter what you can offer the company, not what you want.
• Finish your cover letter with a statement that will call the recruiter to action.

And one more thing:

Your CNA resume cover letter is a letter. Not a novel.

So make sure your cover letter length is just right.

Pro Tip: Make the best impression on the recruiter and learn how to follow up on your job application like a pro. 

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

Create my cover letter now

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Here’s how to make the best CNA resume: 

• Lay out your resume in the reverse-chronological order.
• Open your resume with a resume objective or summary.
• Tailor your certified nursing assistant resume to the job offer.
• Use action words to highlight achievements on your resume.
• Focus on presenting your strongest CNA resume skills.
• Don’t forget to include information on your certifications or licensures.
• Consider adding some extra sections to your resume.
• Write a CNA resume cover letter to boost your chances of landing a job interview.

Do you have any other questions on how to make a CNA resume? Or maybe you’re already a registered nurse who’d like to share some advice? We’d love to hear from you! Give us a shout out in the comments below.