CNA Employment

When preparing a resume for CNA employment, it is best to get yourself organized.  Put together several packages to sell yourself.  A nice business presentation folder will look professional when presented to a potential employer.  Within this file folder, include a copy of your cover letter, your resume, and a list of references.  It is also handy to include a calling card in the business card slot.   Be sure and put together several packages so that you have them ready should a job possibility appear suddenly. Here are some additional details on each component of your c.v. folder.

Folder

Many different styles of business presentation folders can be found at an office supply shop. It is best to select one that is plain and as discreet as possible. Don't go for anything too flashy, vibrant or patterned. Keep it professional looking. Some would say to go in the opposite direction so that your c.v. folder will stand out from the masses. This is a possibility, but my experience would tend to lean toward the more modest and professional approach.

Cover Letter

A cover letter should be tailored specifically to the job that is being applied for.  It is okay to copy and paste much of the same information for each employer, but make sure it doesn't look like a form letter.  In the letter, address it to the person who is interviewing you, if known.  State the job that is being applied for and the date you are sending in your application.  Write a couple of sentences about you and why you would be a good fit for this job. End the letter with a note about how you are looking forward to hearing from the potential employer and sign it off.  It is also handy to have your telephone number typed in right below your name for quick reference.

Besides stating your career goals in a few sentences, your resume should also include 3 parts: your skills, education, and work history.  
State your career goals at the beginning of your resume. What type of work are you seeking?  Is it specifically CNA employment?  What will you bring to a CNA employer?
In the skills area, talk about tangible and intangible skills relating to how you work and the type of personality you have.  Do you work well with others, are you an organized person, are you personable and friendly? Is there a particular computer program that you are proficient in that would be applicable to the type of job you are looking for? Do you have prior certification as a venipuncturist? Take a look at the job advertisement and see if there is anything mentioned in there that you can honestly reiterate in your resume.
For your education listings, put in the name of the school that you attended and the year you graduated.  Name the course of study and what you graduated with. i.e. a certificate, diploma, or degree.
Employment history should show at least the last three places of employment.  If your work experience has too long of a history, be brief on the areas that are not applicable to the job that you are applying for.  Do not leave large gaps of time unaccounted for, however.  This will lead to questions from your interviewer as to what you were doing during those time frames. In your list of previous employers, list the name of the company, their address and telephone number, the time frame of your work history, and some of your main tasks.  Be sure you have an answer ready for when an interviewer will ask why you left that place of work.

Most job applications require at least three references.  Before putting someone down, make sure you ask them first.  It would be embarrassing to be contacted as a reference and not know anything about it in advance.  Make sure you tell a person that has agreed to give you a reference the type of jobs you are applying for (e.g. CNA employment) so that they can be prepared to answer questions pertaining to those type of skills that would be applicable. When listing references, put down the person's full name, telephone number, and your relationship to them.  i.e. how you know the person.

Make up a calling card for yourself.  This can be easily done on your home computer.  Design a card to include your full name, professional credentials, mailing address, home telephone number, cell number, fax number, email address, and website if you have one.  Keep the information brief and to the point.  It is meant as a quick point of reference for a potential employer.
Handing a folder containing your important information such as described above, will show that you are an exceptionally organized person and help lead to a good first impression in your interview for CNA employment.