professional summary examples for resume cna

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11 Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume Samples 2023

Entry-Level CNA Resume

Senior cna resume.

• Specialized CNA Resumes
• Writing Your CNA Resume

Pedro had plenty of CNA experience and an impressive set of skills he’d acquired over the years, and he was excited to find an organization with values that strongly aligned with his own. He knew that working here wouldn’t just make him proud—it would bring his parents joy as well!

After a glance at his old materials from 2019, Pedro knew it was time to make a new resume with fresh accomplishments that really demonstrated his connection with patients and staff members. His outlook brightened even more once he found our CNA resume examples, and he immediately began building a resume to remember. Next up, Pedro was so motivated that he started writing a stunning cover letter , too!

Take a look through our resources for your own job-hunting process, and learn how to impress a healthcare company that mirrors your personal values and passions as a CNA, too!

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Start by including the name of the company and the exact role you’re seeking, even if it’s just a general CNA job.
• Then find keywords mentioned in the  CNA job description  and include a few of those keywords if you can. Don’t cram in too many or you’ll sound suspicious.
• The certificate usually lasts two years, so ensure you include the year you were last certified on your resume.
• Similarly, most CNA jobs require that you’re certified in CPR and first aid, which also lasts for two years. Include the organization that certified you (like the American Red Cross or ACR) and the year.

• Even if you don’t have much nursing experience,  include whatever work experience you have  and focus on transferable skills, like communication, organization, and collaboration.
• Hobbies are great for demonstrating your leadership, and they can show off your personality. Plus, they give you something else to talk about during your interview!

• Your  skills list on your resume  should include both soft and hard skills, don’t forget to add technical skills like “electronic medical records,” “HIPAA regulations,” and “vital signs.”
• If you have other certifications, be sure to include those, too. Anything you’ve done to go above and beyond is a green flag for employers!

Nurse Aide Resume

• Take inspiration from Avery, who, during her stint at KentuckyOne Health Home Health, spearheaded initiatives that saved over $2,500 in pain management and administrative costs, optimized patient appointment management, and mastered tools like CARESCAPE Monitor B850.
• These kinds of career wins make a perfect launching pad for story-telling when it comes time to write a cover letter .

CNA Hospital Resume

• Be it a general CNA certification or a specialized one like CNA II or Medication Aide Certification, the credential adds a stroke of authority to your candidacy by proving your commitment to professional growth and adherence to set industry standards. That way, you establish credibility with the potential employer, increasing your chances with the role.

CNA GNA Resume

• Add a certifications section on your resume to draw attention to your geriatric specialization.

Acute Care CNA Resume

• You can enhance your acute care CNA resume by giving particular attention to ways you’ve successfully monitored and addressed medical emergencies in your past roles.

Hospital CNA Resume

• A list of 10+ skills raises a red flag for employers since it’s likely you’re not an expert in each one. Only include the skills you can demonstrate at a moment’s notice.
• The two most common skills we’ve seen for CNAs are Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Vital Signs (both reading and measurement).
• If you don’t have a college degree, simply put the highest level of education you’ve obtained (usually a high school diploma or a GED).
• Also list any certification training programs you’ve attended.

Home Health Resume

• So when discussing your work history, highlight your experience with home-making tasks like meal prep, housekeeping, and transportation.
• Always check the  CNA job description  for relevant skills to focus your bullet points. You don’t need to include every skill in the job description, but you should use it as a general guide.

Travel CNA Resume

• Tailor your resume to the job with a  resume summary  that clearly demonstrates your aptitude for the job. This is a great opportunity to highlight some of your successes, especially if you can include metrics related to your accomplishments.
• You can drastically improve readability by limiting your work experience to three to four positions with individual bullet points starting with strong action verbs.

Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) Resume

• Don’t shy away from discussing patient satisfaction ratings, how you’ve reduced the risk of patient injury or depression, and how you’ve generally lifted the spirits of patients and colleagues on your floor. 
• We recommend limiting the number of work experiences you include to  three to four . To help with the process, use a  resume template  to keep your content organized and aesthetically pleasing.

Related resume guides

• Medical assistant
• Pharmacy Technician
• Physician Assistant

Formatting Your Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

You may think that all you need for your CNA resume is impressive content. While it’s true you need relevant skills, how you format your resume can determine whether or not you will land the job.

Therefore, it’s crucial your resume is readable, logical, and only a single page long (while also allowing for some white space for readability). Here are a few popular formats you can use for your resume:

Reverse-chronological format, functional format, and combination/hybrid format

There are  three popular formats  for your CNA resume in 2024:

Reverse-chronological format

• You may need to  choose a different format  if you’re changing careers or have large gaps in your work history.
• Most recruiters prefer this format because it’s easy to skim for pertinent information.
• It’s also the easiest for applicant tracking systems to read, so this format is the industry standard.

Functional format

• You may choose to omit your employment history or place it near the bottom of your resume.
• Functional formats are ideal for people who are changing careers or who have significant employment history gaps.
• However, many recruiters may not be as familiar with this format, so it’s not easy to pass through applicant tracking systems.

Combination/ hybrid format

• However, your work history is not the main focus and won’t take up much space.
• This format lets you highlight what makes you the best fit for the job while still giving the recruiter what they’re seeking.
• The challenge with the combination/hybrid format is that it’s more difficult to read, and the recruiter may have trouble getting it through the applicant tracking system.

Listing name, city, and how to contact

The header of your CNA resume must contain a few things for identification purposes:

• Your name should be at the very top to avoid making the busy recruiter scour for it. You can set it to size 18-22 font in bold, ideally in black.
• You don’t need to include your full address, but we’d recommend including your city and state. No need for anything else!
• Use your most current contact information, including your phone number, email address, and Linkedin profile.

Notice the larger font for the name compared to the job title.

Get through the ATS

Companies widely use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to check applicant qualifications. Therefore, reading the job description carefully and using the exact wording within your resume is advisable. Most ATS systems search for keywords, so avoid using acronyms.

Here are a few ways your CNA resume can pass the ATS:

• Overly-playful visuals can make your CNA resume hard to read.  Don’t use graphics or unusual fonts.
• Use Calibri, New Times Roman, or Arial fonts in either a 10 or 12 font size for your body font.
• Your margins should also be one inch around all the way.
• Arrange your resume contents in a logical order so that the ATS can find important information easily.
• The ATS scans for specific words, so you need to use industry-standard headers.
• Your choice of words is key to the ATS accepting your resumes. Use words mentioned in the job description or industry-specific terminologies, such as “patient care,” or “clinical research.”

Writing Your Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

Writing an effective CNA resume can be overwhelming, but there are plenty of tips we’ve got to help you out. Here are a few things you might need to include on your resume:

When do you need to include a resume objective or summary?

Adding a  resume objective  or a  resume summary  is a way to catch a recruiter’s attention and stand out from other applicants. But what exactly are these optional sections, and how do you use them?

A resume objective is a two-to-three-sentence statement highlighting significant aspects of your character, career goals, and skills. Having a compelling objective makes it easier for the hiring manager to glimpse who you are and your role-related strengths.

A resume summary is a two-to-three-sentence statement showcasing your most relevant accomplishments throughout your career. A good resume summary should include metrics relating to your successes and any specializations you have that could prove valuable to the organization.

Resume objectives can be useful if…

• If you’re considering a career change
• If you’re seeking an entry-level position
• If you’ve recently switched locations/areas of residence
• This is the most important!

In contrast, writing a vague objective statement can work against you.

• This objective defines generic. It lacks any customization for a certain job and is also missing any skills or specific information.

Appeal to potential employers by including detailed qualifications.

• Example:  Compassionate CNA nurse with 10+ years of experience working in three major hospitals. Having graduated from John Hopkins School of Nursing, I look forward to using my excellent communication, expertise, and empathy with all John Muir patients .
• Example:  As a member of the nursing community with six years of experience, I’m eager to collaborate with Kaiser Permanente in helping patients recover and victims heal .

Generally, keeping your resume objective/summary statements concise is best.

A well-crafted summary can be a useful tool in your CNA resume

A poor summary:

• I am a nurse looking for work. I can help your institution grow into a highly-esteemed medical center.

Such a summary statement is vague and fails to illustrate your strengths, lengthy work experience, or why you desire to work for the target business.

Compare the previous yawn-worthy summary with the following on-point examples:

• Three-time award-winning nurse specializing in childcare and emergency services. Highly computer savvy, I’m looking to hone my 12 years of expertise with San Francisco General Hospital. 
• Dedicated registered nurse looking to advance my 11-year labor and delivery career by joining a caring, patient-centered organization like Sutter Hospital.

Work experience

Your CNA resume should also always include a work experience section so employers can determine your abilities and qualifications.

How to write strong work experience bullet points

Before your write your work experience bullet points, take the time to research the work culture and other vital information. Learn about any relevant skills and future responsibilities your employer expects, and try to include some of that information on your resume.

To write a good work experience section, include any skills you cultivated, relevant accomplishments, and awards. We’d recommend only including  three to four bullet points per work experience  (unless you only have two past jobs on your CNA resume, in which case you should have four to five bullet points per job).

On a more detailed note, you should use active voice with consistent verb tenses and punctuation. Also avoid using personal pronouns.

Examples of poor work experience bullets include:

• Took care of patient needs
• Assessed patient conditions
• Assisted co-workers with additional services

Poor job description bullet points reduce your chances of securing employment. Employers can’t get a solid idea of your skills and can’t quantify your performance, which doesn’t bode well for your chances of getting an interview.

Compare the previous job description bullets with the following improvements:

• Assessed needs and implemented appropriate care, providing 17 daily terminal patients with bathing, fresh linens, making their beds, and engaging in conversation to help them live out fulfilling lives
• Assisted 6 doctors and 4 nurses, ensuring they were well-equipped with fresh, sterilized supplies and informed of individual patient progress more than 8 times per day
• Represented the care center’s ideals, morals, and commitment to quality for 20 patients daily

Tailoring bullet points to the job description remains an invaluable tool  for young entrants and experienced professionals. The last three job description bullets highlight why some applicants would succeed over others. The latter offers a detailed description of a CNA’s duties, gives tangible metrics, and implies what management can expect from them.

Add numbers to show your impact

Numbers can have a significant effect on your resume’s appearance and readability. Metrics make your resume easier to read by providing word breaks, making it more appealing to potential employers.

Include at least three to four numbers or statistics in your resume for a more professional touch. You can also use numbers to show data and improve credibility.

Here are some ideas for incorporating numbers within your resume:

• For instance: Attended 16 daily patients, 85% of whom had undergone a successful surgery
• For instance: Impacted team morale and productivity, resulting in a 25% increase in revenue, complemented by a 97% improvement in patient satisfaction ratings
• For instance: Built skills as a CNA specialist for 15 years, enhancing the workplace for a team of 11 other nurses and 60+ monthly patients

The best CNA skills to include

As a CNA, you need a combination of  soft and hard skills on your resume .

Soft skills relate to the interpersonal aspects of your job, such as communication, leadership, and empathy. In contrast, hard skills focus on the technical aspects of your job, such as knowledge of HIPAA regulations, EMR, and obtaining vital signs.

Include a blend of hard and soft skills to show your qualifications and personality traits.

Examples of skills you can include on your CNA resume

• Communication 
• Time management
• Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint
• Knowledge of OSHA 
• Medication administration

Don’t forget to research job ad keywords to determine and include potential skills that qualify you with the recruiter and the ATS.

Education, awards, and certificates

Certifications are a definite means of ensuring credibility. Always include your relevant educational certificates in your CNA resume to show your potential employer that you have the necessary qualifications for the position.

Remember to include your CNA certificate, graduate/diploma certificates, and additional certifications from specialized courses that you may have undertaken.  

Build confidence in potential employers by listing your certs!

Adding projects, interests, hobbies, and activities

Adding hobbies, interests, and projects helps employers understand your traits and measure how you’ll fit into the organization’s working environment. Projects are not particularly important for experienced professionals but can be valuable for entry-level applicants.

Examples of  hobbies and interests to include on your resume  include:

• Led weekly CPR training club for local high school students
• College basketball team captain

Examples of projects include:

• Developed 6-month memory loss study and solutions for 12 aging volunteer patients
• Designed patient-centric care ideas by interviewing and assessing 18 volunteer patients who had undergone recent surgeries and short-term care through local hospitals

Remember to research the job descriptions for keywords that could help align your hobbies/interests and projects with those of your potential employer.

Customizing your resume for each job

If there’s one resume tip we hope you use, it’s  tailoring your certified nursing assistant resume for each job application . Customizing your AI resume  to each job shows the hiring manager that you cared enough to research the position and sincerely desire to work with  their  company.

Do someone online research to learn about the workplace culture and expectations. Then you can use that information to  write an enticing resume  with adjusted objectives/summaries, work experience bullet points, and skills to suit what recruiters want.

Notice how you can customize your objective to the target business.

Double-check for any errors

Spelling mistakes, formatting errors, and other minor mistakes can negatively impact the quality and desirability of your CNA resume. Therefore, it’s crucial to  check your resume  before uploading or sharing your resume with recruitment agencies. You can use a spellchecker to help improve punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure. 

Secure That Position!

Congratulations! You’re now ready to share your certified nursing assistant resume with the world. Consider the essential aspects to include in your resume while making it as brief but detailed as you possibly can.

Here is what you need to remember:

• Pick a suitable format
• Include your name, city, and contact information
• Outsmart the ATS (applicant tracking system) by making your resume easy to read with relevant keywords
• Know when to use objectives/summaries
• Keep your work experience tailored toward the job description
• Include hard and soft CNA skills
• List education certifications and relevant hobbies/interests when appropriate
• Customize your resume  for each job to which you apply
• Check your resume  for errors before you submit it

Now that you’ve got these resume tips, don’t forget to use the  best AI resume builder  to create a stunning CNA resume with the help of our AI-powered tips.

After everything checks out, share your CNA resume proudly with hiring managers and ready yourself for the next exciting step in your career!

CNA Resume Example (W/ Full Guide & Resume Tips for 2024)

So, you’re a certified nurse assistant.

Like many professionals in the healthcare industry, you probably dream of making a difference by helping people.

And yet, you can’t seem to get a job where you can do that. 

Truth is, getting a CNA certification isn’t enough to land your dream job.

After all, to many aspiring nurses, the CNA position is a stepping stone towards a career in the healthcare industry. Yeah, you guessed it - the competition is tough.

For this reason, whether you’re a newly certified nursing assistant or an experienced professional, you need to stand out from your competitors—and what better way to do it than by writing an effective CNA resume?

So, let us lend you a helping hand and show you exactly how to write a CNA resume that will help you win the job.

In this article, we will cover:

CNA Resume Example

• 8-Step Guide to Build the Perfect CNA Resume
• 55+ Top CNA Skills in 2022

So, let’s dive right in.

Here are all the elements that make the CNA resume example at the top great:

• Reverse-chronological resume format. The CNA resume example above uses the reverse-chronological resume format to highlight the candidate’s work experience. Not to mention, this resume format is recruiters’ favorite!
• Contact information. This CNA resume example contains all the necessary contact details, including the candidate’s full name, email address, location, and phone number. 
• Attention-grabbing resume summary. This CNA resume example contains an impressive resume summary that emphasizes the candidate’s professional achievements.
• Focus on work achievements. The CNA resume example above highlights the candidate’s work achievements, which helps their resume to stand out.
• Concise education section. Higher education isn’t a requirement for CNAs, so this candidate kept their education short by only including their key education details.
• Good use of bullet points. This CNA resume example uses bullet points to structure and present information, making this resume easy to skim.
• Well-structured skills section. Instead of listing all of the candidate’s skills, this CNA resume example only includes the most relevant skills for the CNA position.
• Certifications. The CNA resume example above lists all of the candidate’s certifications in the reverse-chronological order.
• Additional sections. This CNA resume example includes relevant associations and language skills to help the candidate stand out from other candidates with similar certifications and work experience.

8-Step Guide to Build the Perfect CNA Resume 

Now that you know the elements of an outstanding CNA resume, you’re ready to start writing your own job-winning CNA resume.

So, here are the exact steps that will help you create the perfect CNA resume:

#1. Format Your CNA Resume the Right Way 

First things first - let’s address the formatting. 

Generally speaking, you have 3 resume format options:

• Reverse-chronological resume format
• Functional resume format
• Combination (hybrid) resume format

A well-formatted resume will present your information in the most effective way, and for this reason, you want to go with the reverse-chronological resume format .

Apart from being the most popular resume format worldwide and recruiters’ favorite, the reverse-chronological resume format helps you make the most out of your CNA resume by putting your work achievements at the center of attention.

Here’s an example of the reverse-chronological resume format:

This said, choosing the right resume format isn’t all there is to format your CNA resume - you also need to refine your resume layout . 

So, here are all the elements that make an effective resume layout:

• Set the right margins. You don’t want your resume to look cluttered, so the use of white space will increase the readability of your resume.
• Keep your resume short. Having a one-page resume increases the odds of the hiring manager actually reading your CNA resume - after all, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes every day.
• Choose a professional font. To make sure that your CNA resume is easy-to-read, choose a professional font that will look good on both PDF and paper.
• Use bullet points. Using bullet points to organize the information makes your CNA resume look neat and well-structured.
• Save your resume in the right format. Your best option is to save your CNA resume in PDF format . This will ensure your resume looks exactly as intended no matter the device or OS the hiring manager uses to open your resume.

Use a Resume Template (and Save Time) 

As a certified nursing assistant, you’re great at time management and prioritizing tasks.

So, you probably want to focus more of your time and energy on perfecting your resume contents than formatting.

Well, with our resume templates , you can jump straight into filling in your CNA resume contents without having to worry about your resume formatting!

Our resume templates are well-structured and look much more impressive than standard Word resumes - after all, they’re designed in collaboration with professional recruiters.

See for yourself how our free, tried-and-tested resume templates compare to the standard, black-and-white basic resumes:

#2. List the Relevant Contact Details 

Once you’re done formatting your CNA resume, you’re ready to start filling in the contents.

So, let’s start with the basics - first, list your contact information , including:

• Your full name
• Your title (optional)
• Your phone number
• Your email address
• Your location 

It’s really that simple!

Here’s an example of the contact information section in a CNA resume:

Certified Nursing Assistant

012-345-6789

[email protected]

Orlando, Florida

#3. Write a Memorable Resume Summary or Objective

You want to catch the hiring manager’s interest from the get-go - and there’s no better way to do it than by writing an impressive resume summary or objective.

In short, both the resume summary and the resume objective are 2-3 sentence paragraphs that provide recruiters a brief (but effective!) overview of your professional background, allowing them to quickly determine whether your CNA resume is worth taking a closer look at.

Luckily, you don’t need to write both a resume summary and a resume objective - here’s how to choose the right one for you:

• If you have relevant work experience , write a resume summary to show off your professional background, skills, and achievements.
• If you don’t have CNA experience , write a resume objective to highlight your skills and share your professional goals. 

Here’s what you need to include in your resume summary to make sure it impresses the hiring manager:

• Your position
• Years of experience
• Your most relevant CNA skills
• 1-2 top professional achievements

And here’s an example of an excellent CNA resume summary:

• Dependable and patient-focused Certified Nursing Assistant with 4+ years of experience in providing top-quality elderly patient care. Skilled and experienced in conflict management, bladder retraining, and denture care. Resolved a long-standing conflict between nurses, leading to a 7% increase in patient satisfaction in Nursing Home X.

Now, if you don’t have relevant work experience, write an eye-catching resume objective by mentioning the following:

• Your certifications, industry-related degrees, and licenses 
• Any nursing-related experience and skills that make you the right fit for the position
• Your motivation to work for the organization or company
• Compassionate, newly-certified Nurse Assistant looking to use interpersonal skills gained from volunteering in a developmental disability center to provide exceptional patient care at Organization X. Experienced in providing care for neurodivergent children and children with learning disabilities.

#4. Highlight Your Work Achievements 

Next, it’s time to focus on the most important section of your CNA resume, which is the work experience section. 

First things in order, start with your latest position and format your work experience section as such:

• Begin each entry with your job title. Make sure that your job title accurately reflects the role you had in your previous/current workplace.
• Include the company's information. Apart from the company name and location, you can also add a brief description (especially if the company isn’t well-known).
• Add the employment date. Use the mm/yyyy format to show the recruiter how long you’ve worked in each company.
• Use bullet points to list your achievements and responsibilities. Ideally, you want to use 5-6 bullet points for the most recent jobs and 2-3 bullet points for older roles.

Now, if you’re looking to maximize your chances of landing the job, follow these tips to make your CNA resume stand out from the rest: 

• Focus on your achievements and make them quantifiable. To show the recruiter exactly what you can bring to the table, make sure to emphasize your achievements over your responsibilities. Moreover, make the most out of your work experience section by backing up your achievements with numbers (e.g. ‘Aided 14 patients…’ instead of ‘Aided patients’).
• Tailor your work experience section. If you have relevant work experience, the hiring manager won’t care you were waiting tables in high school. As such, you’re best off only mentioning the work experience that’s most relevant to the CNA position.
• Make use of action verbs. Starting each entry with ‘Responsible for…’ can quickly get boring, so use action verbs to make your work experience section pop (e.g. assisted, provided, aided, helped, organized, etc.’).

And here’s an example of a work experience section that includes all of the elements mentioned above:

Nursing Home X

05/ 2019 - 04/2022

• Successfully managed 8 CNAs for over a month while the nurse manager was absent.
• Trained a team of 15+ nurses to effectively use a newly implemented EHR software.
• Provided high-quality patient care for 40+ patients monthly.
• Fed, bathed, groomed, and otherwise assisted bedridden patients. 
• Accurately measured and documented patient food and fluid intake as well as their vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate.

What If I Don’t Have Work Experience? 

CNA is an entry-level position , which means that many CNAs start their career without any relevant work experience.

So, if you just got your certification and are looking to land your first CNA job, worry not - chances are, just like you, many of your competitors have little to no work experience .

However, this doesn’t mean that you should simply skip this section. On the contrary, here’s what you need to do to get a winning edge over your competitors (regardless of their work experience!):

• Add any work experience that helped you gain relevant soft skills (e.g. if you’ve worked in retail or customer service, make sure to write it down - these jobs require a ton of patience, teamwork, adaptability, and other skills that are highly valued in a CNA).
• Mention your volunteering experience to show you’re genuinely interested in assisting other people, projects, or organizations.
• List any other experience , such as internships, mentorships, and au pair experience, where you were helpful to others.

Here’s what this could look like on your CNA resume:

Activity Big Buddy

Buddy Program X

09/2020 - 10/2020

• Assisted and supported an 11-year-old Little Buddy with a non-verbal learning disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in participating in basketball and art classes twice a week. 
• Helped the Little Buddy to maintain focus, follow instructions, and improve hand-eye coordination through physical and creative activities.
• Taught the Little Buddy how to navigate the public transportation system, which significantly increased his independence.
• Helped the Little Buddy to meet new people, make friends, and interpret other people’s body language, thus improving his social skills.
• Won the “Outstanding Volunteer Award 2020.”

#5. Keep Your Education Section Concise 

Here’s some good news - writing the education section of your CNA resume doesn’t take nearly as much time and effort as your work experience section. 

That’s because you don’t actually need a college degree to become a CNA, unlike with other nursing jobs. In fact, you can even get CNA training in high school . 

And, speaking of high school, only list it on your CNA resume if you don’t have higher education.

So, keep your education section brief by starting with your latest degree and mentioning just the key education details, which include:

• Degree Name
• College, university, or other educational institution
• Location (optional)
• Attendance years

Additionally, if you don’t have any work experience, feel free to mention any CNA-related high school or college courses that you took (and were good at) in bullet points.

Here’s an example of a short and sweet education section:

BSc in Nursing Studies (Adult) Glasgow Caledonian University 09/2017 - 07/2020

#6. Add In-Demand CNA Skills 

The skills section is another highly important section of your CNA resume as it shows the recruiter your professional abilities. 

Generally speaking, as a CNA, you need a good mixture of soft skills and hard skills. 

Luckily, you’ve likely gained most, if not all, of the necessary skills as a CNA while training for your certification. 

So, all you need to do is simply list your hard skills separately from your soft skills to make your CNA well-organized. 

Other than that, you want to make sure your skills section is tailored to the position. 

As such, you want to only include CNA-related skills in your resume - in other words, if your advanced programming skills won’t be useful for your job, you don’t have to list them on your CNA resume’s skills section. 

Not sure which skills to put on your CNA resume?

Worry not! We’ve compiled a list of 55+ top CNA skills to get you started.

55+ Top CNA Skills in 2024

20 soft cna skills.

• Active listening
• Attention to detail
• Responsibility
• Communication skills
• Conflict resolution
• Interpersonal skills
• Dependability
• Emotional intelligence
• Helpfulness
• Stress management
• Adaptability
• Problem-solving
• Strong work ethic
• Prioritization
• Time management

35 Hard CNA Skills

• Patient positioning
• Perineal care
• Manual and electronic blood pressure recording
• Manual and electronic radial pulse recording
• Manual and electronic respiratory rate recording
• Measuring and recording height
• Measuring and recording weight
• Assisting using a bedpan
• Upper and lower denture care
• Feeding and serving paralyzed patients
• Partial bed baths
• Making unoccupied and occupied beds
• Proper handwashing
• Putting and removing clean and contaminated gowns and gloves
• Back massage
• Assisting in dressing
• Medical terminology knowledge
• Infection control
• Diabetes care
• Elderly care
• Disability care
• Bladder and bowel retraining
• Restraint and side rail usage
• Protective device attachment and management
• Serving supplements, vitamins, and medicine
• Meal and supplement intake recording
• Fluid intake and urinary output recording
• EHR software knowledge
• Indirect care
• Catheter care and maintenance
• Range of motion exercises
• Elastic support stocking application
• Ambulation using a gait belt

#7. Include Your CNA Certifications 

As the title implies, certifications are vital to landing a certified nursing assistant job.

For this reason, make sure to list all industry-related certifications you hold on your CNA resume.

If you have more than one certification, start with the latest one and go back in time to make your CNA resume consistent and well-organized.

Some of the most popular certifications for CNAs include the following:

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) certification (only in Ohio)
• Home Health Aide (HHA) certification
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) certification

And here are all the details that you should mention:

• Certification name
• Name of agency
• Year of obtainment
• Location (if applicable)
• Expiration date (if applicable)
• Expected date of obtainment (if you’re still in training)

Here’s an example:

Certified Nursing Assistant (2021-2023) American Red Cross

#8. Take Advantage of These Optional Resume Sections 

Now, if you still have some free space on your CNA resume, don’t let it go to waste and include some additional sections to gain an advantage over your competitors.

As a CNA, consider adding one or more of these optional resume sections:

• Associations and societies as well as your role in them.
• Conferences , such as Nursing World Conference and World Congress on Nursing Care and Healthcare.
• Awards , if any of them are related to nursing.
• Languages , including your language proficiency level.

And here’s an example of how you should organize these additional sections in your CNA resume:

Conferences

• 28th International Congress on Nursing and Primary Health Care (2021)
• World Nursing Congress (2020)

Associations

• National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA) (2018 - Present)

#9. Attach a Cover Letter to Your CNA Resume 

At this point, you should have a better understanding of what it takes to write a truly impressive CNA resume. 

But, there’s one more step we need to address - writing a compelling cover letter to back up your CNA resume (and secure the job!).

Essentially, your cover letter should prove to the recruiter that you’re the perfect CNA for their company. 

Specifically, your cover letter gives you an opportunity to:

• Provide more detail on your professional background.
• Mention any important information that you’ve skipped in your CNA resume.
• Explain why you’re interested in working for this particular organization.

If this bit sounds a bit challenging, worry not - you don’t need to be a skilled writer to create a compelling cover letter.

Simply follow these steps and you’ll have a job-landing cover letter in no time:

• Start your cover letter by listing your contact information.
• Address the cover letter directly to the hiring manager (or, if not possible, the company or department).
• Write an attention-grabbing opening paragraph by focusing on your professional achievements.
• Use the body of your cover letter to highlight your skills, experience, and explain why you’d be a great asset to the company, thus proving you’re the perfect fit for the position.
• Effectively close the cover letter with a call to action.

Need more assistance writing your cover letter? Check out our guides on writing a cover letter , cover letter writing tips , and cover letter writing mistakes .

And here’s an impressive cover letter template example :

If you’re looking to leave a lasting impression on the hiring manager, use our cover letter templates to match your cover letter to your CNA resume and show off your attention to detail!

Key Takeaways 

Congrats - by now, you should be ready to write the perfect CNA resume and a convincing cover letter to help you secure your dream job!

Before you go, though, let’s quickly recap some of the key points of writing a job-landing CNA resume:

• Pick the reverse-chronological resume format to put a spotlight on your work experience and skills.
• To show the hiring manager you’re a relevant candidate for the position, write an engaging resume summary (if you have work experience) or objective (if you don’t have work experience).
• Make the most out of your work experience section by focusing on quantifiable achievements.
• Include all of your relevant certifications in reverse-chronological order to make your CNA resume easy to follow.
• To help you secure the job, attach a compelling cover letter to your CNA resume.

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Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Examples: Proven To Get You Hired In 2024

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Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Template

Download in google doc, word or pdf for free. designed to pass resume screening software in 2022., certified nursing assistant resume sample.

As a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), you're likely familiar with the critical role you play in patient care. While your daily tasks might involve things like personal care, taking vitals, and assisting with mobility, your resume needs to do more than just list these duties. Recently, employers have been valuing CNAs who can demonstrate empathy and effective communication, in addition to technical skills. When crafting your resume, remember to weave in how you've made genuine connections with patients and supported their wellbeing. Moreover, in light of the pandemic and the changing healthcare landscape, it's impressive if you can show adaptability and willingness to learn new protocols and technologies. This isn't just a list of your tasks - it's a narrative about how you've used your skills and traits to make an impact in your past roles.

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Recruiter Insight: Why this resume works in 2022

Tips to help you write your certified nursing assistant resume in 2024,    include relevant certifications.

As a CNA, you should include any specialized certifications, like CPR or dementia care, on your resume. This isn't just about meeting the job description requirements - it shows potential employers that you're committed to professional development and maintaining high standards in patient care.

   Demonstrate emotional intelligence

Aside from technical skills, you should reflect your emotional intelligence on your resume. Try to describe how you've managed sensitive situations, provided emotional support to patients, or how you've communicated effectively with patients' loved ones.

As a certified nursing assistant, you’ll work closely with patients under the supervision of registered nurses. Your nursing assistant resume should emphasize the hard skills you’ll need to do the job, including performing routine medical procedures like taking blood samples, monitoring vital signs, cleaning and sterilizing equipment, and assisting patients with eating, dressing, and bathing. You’ll also need a solid understanding of relevant policies and legislation, including HIPAA.

   Use a relevant resume title

One of the easiest ways to bypass resume screeners and ensure your resume lands on the desk of a hiring manager is to include the exact title of the job you’re applying for on your resume. Including a resume title not only does this, it also clearly shows that you’ve customized your resume for this particular job — always a necessity.

   Include volunteer work where you used your nursing skills

If you don’t have a lot of traditional work experience, consider including volunteer work on your resume. You can create a separate volunteer work section, or simply list it alongside paid work experience. If you do this, you should list it in the same way, with an employer heading, dates of employment, and action-oriented bullet points.

Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Sample

Patient care technician resume sample.

As a hiring manager who has recruited for Certified Nursing Assistant roles at companies like Brookdale Senior Living, Sunrise Senior Living, and HCR ManorCare, I've reviewed hundreds of resumes. The best resumes that caught my attention and led to interviews had a few things in common. In this article, we'll cover what those are with examples, so you can create a strong resume that gets you hired.

   Highlight your patient care experience

Hiring managers want to see that you have hands-on experience providing patient care. Instead of simply listing your responsibilities, give specific examples of how you cared for patients:

• Assisted with daily living activities for 10-12 residents per shift, including bathing, dressing, and feeding
• Monitored and recorded vital signs for 20+ patients daily, reporting any changes to nursing staff
• Provided compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill patients and supported family members

Quantifying your experience with numbers, like how many patients you cared for, makes your resume more impactful. Avoid vague statements that don't give a clear picture of your experience, such as:

• Helped patients with daily needs
• Checked vital signs

   Show your knowledge of medical terminology

CNAs need to be familiar with medical terms to communicate effectively with nurses and doctors. Show that you have this knowledge by including relevant terms in your resume. For example:

• Familiar with medical terminology related to diabetes, including hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and insulin therapy
• Knowledge of common medical abbreviations, such as PRN, BID, and NPO

However, be careful not to overdo it with too much jargon that a hiring manager outside of nursing may not understand. Strike a balance, like this:

Experienced in wound care, including dressing changes, wound assessment, and documentation. Familiar with medical terminology related to pressure ulcers, such as eschar and tunneling.

   Emphasize your communication skills

CNAs must have excellent communication skills to interact with patients, families, and the medical team. Highlight how you've used your communication abilities in previous roles:

• Clearly explained care plans and medication schedules to patients and families, answering questions and addressing concerns
• Collaborated with 10-member nursing team to ensure seamless patient care, providing detailed shift reports
• Developed trusting relationships with 20+ long-term care residents through daily conversation and active listening

Communication skills are best shown through examples rather than simply listing "excellent communication skills" on your resume. Compare that to:

• Good communicator
• Able to explain things to patients

   Include any certifications or training

In addition to your CNA certification, list any other relevant certifications or specialized training you have, such as:

• Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP)
• BLS (Basic Life Support) Certification
• Completed 10-hour training in safe patient handling techniques

These additional qualifications can help you stand out from other candidates and show your commitment to professional development. Just be sure they are current and truly relevant to the CNA role. Don't include things like:

• CPR certification from 8 years ago
• Food safety training for a previous restaurant job

   Showcase your flexibility and dependability

Healthcare facilities operate 24/7, so they need CNAs who are flexible and reliable. Show that you're willing to work various shifts and step in when needed:

• Worked 12-hour day and night shifts, including weekends and holidays
• Filled in for absent team members on short notice to maintain appropriate staffing levels
• Never missed a scheduled shift in 2 years

Avoid general statements that don't provide evidence of your flexibility or reliability, like:

• Willing to work anytime
• Reliable team player

The more specific you can be, the stronger your resume will be.

   Tailor your resume to the job description

Every CNA job is a bit different, so it's important to customize your resume for each application. Carefully review the job posting and look for key qualifications and skills the employer wants. Then, adjust your resume to highlight your most relevant experience.

For example, if a job description emphasizes experience with dementia patients, you could include:

Provided specialized care for residents with Alzheimer's and dementia, using validation therapy and other techniques to manage challenging behaviors. Completed 20 hours of continuing education on dementia care best practices.

If a position requires a lot of charting and documentation, you might say:

Accurately documented all patient care tasks, vital signs, and intake/output using PointClickCare EHR system. Consistently praised by nurses for detailed and timely charting.

Tailoring your resume shows the hiring manager you're a strong match for their specific needs.

Writing Your Certified Nursing Assistant Resume: Section By Section

  summary.

A resume summary is an optional section that highlights your most relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments. While it's not a requirement, a well-written summary can grab the attention of hiring managers and provide context for your career goals. It's particularly useful if you're changing careers or have a diverse background that doesn't directly align with the certified nursing assistant role you're targeting.

When writing your summary, focus on the value you can bring to the organization and the key skills that make you a strong candidate. Avoid using generic statements or repeating information that's already covered in other sections of your resume. Remember, your goal is to provide a snapshot of your qualifications and entice the reader to learn more about you.

To learn how to write an effective resume summary for your Certified Nursing Assistant resume, or figure out if you need one, please read Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Summary Examples , or Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Objective Examples .

1. Tailor your summary to the CNA role

When crafting your resume summary, it's essential to tailor it to the specific certified nursing assistant position you're applying for. Research the facility and the job description to identify the key skills and qualities they're looking for in a candidate.

For example, if the job emphasizes patient care and communication, highlight your experience in providing compassionate care and your ability to effectively communicate with patients and their families. On the other hand, if the position focuses on technical skills, such as taking vital signs or assisting with medical procedures, emphasize your training and proficiency in these areas.

Compassionate and skilled certified nursing assistant with 3+ years of experience providing patient-centered care in a fast-paced hospital setting. Adept at taking vital signs, assisting with medical procedures, and ensuring patient comfort. Seeking to leverage my expertise in patient care and communication to contribute to the mission of [Facility Name].

2. Highlight your CNA certifications and training

As a certified nursing assistant, your education and training are crucial to your success in the role. Make sure to prominently feature your CNA certification and any additional training or certifications you've completed in your resume summary.

This not only demonstrates your qualifications but also shows your commitment to professional development and staying current in your field. If you have specialized training, such as in dementia care or wound care, be sure to mention it.

• Hardworking and dedicated CNA with a passion for helping others.

While this summary expresses positive qualities, it doesn't provide any concrete information about the candidate's qualifications or experience. Instead, try something like:

• State-certified nursing assistant with specialized training in dementia care, skilled in providing compassionate and individualized care to elderly patients.

  Experience

The work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you show hiring managers what you've accomplished in previous roles, and how that translates to the certified nursing assistant position you're applying for. Here are some key tips to make sure your work experience section stands out:

1. Use strong CNA-related action verbs

When describing your previous roles, use strong action verbs that are relevant to the certified nursing assistant position, such as:

• Assisted with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming
• Monitored vital signs and reported changes to nursing staff
• Provided compassionate care to patients and their families
• Documented patient care activities in electronic health records

Avoid generic verbs like "helped" or "worked on." Instead, choose verbs that showcase your specific contributions and skills.

2. Highlight relevant certifications and training

As a certified nursing assistant, your certifications and specialized training are key selling points. Make sure to highlight them in your work experience section, in addition to listing them in a separate certifications section.

For example:

• Completed 120-hour CNA training program at XYZ Community College
• Earned BLS certification from the American Heart Association
• Trained in using Hoyer lifts and other patient transfer equipment

This shows employers that you have the qualifications and skills necessary to excel in the role.

3. Quantify your accomplishments with metrics

Whenever possible, use numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements in previous roles. This helps hiring managers understand the scope and impact of your work.

For example, instead of saying:

Assisted with patient care activities

Provided daily care to 15+ patients, ensuring timely assistance with feeding, bathing, and mobility

Other metrics to consider include patient satisfaction scores, efficiency improvements, or number of team members trained.

4. Show career growth and leadership skills

Hiring managers love to see candidates who have progressed and taken on more responsibility in their careers. If you've been promoted or taken on leadership roles, make sure to highlight that in your work experience section.

• Promoted to CNA Team Leader after just 6 months, overseeing a team of 5 CNAs
• Mentored and trained 3 new CNA hires, ensuring they met all facility standards

Even if you haven't had a formal promotion, think about ways you've gone above and beyond your basic job duties or taken on additional responsibilities.

  Education

The education section in your certified nursing assistant resume should be short and sweet. It tells hiring managers you have the required training. You don't need to include your high school diploma unless you're a recent graduate or have no college experience.

1. Put your CNA certification first

Your CNA certification shows employers you're qualified for the job. It should be the first thing in your education section.

Include the following details:

• Name of the certification (e.g., Certified Nursing Assistant, CNA)
• Name of the certifying organization
• Date earned or renewed

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Virginia Board of Nursing, June 2021

2. List your nursing assistant training

Include the post-secondary school or program where you completed your CNA training. This is important if you don't have a college degree. It shows you learned the skills to succeed on the job.

Add the following info:

• Name of the school or program
• Completion date

Certificate in Nursing Assistance, Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, VA, May 2021

3. Keep college experience short

If you earned a college degree, include it after your CNA certification and training. List your degree, major, school name, and graduation year. For example:

• Associate of Science in Healthcare Administration, Norfolk State University, 2020

But if you took classes without earning a degree, just list the relevant coursework. For example:

• Relevant Coursework: Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Gerontology

4. Senior CNAs: Focus on key qualifications

If you're a senior-level CNA, the education section should just be a small part of your resume. Sum up your credentials in 1-2 lines, like this:

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Virginia Board of Nursing Associate of Science, Norfolk State University

In contrast, here's what not to do as an experienced CNA:

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Virginia Board of Nursing, 2005
• Associate of Science in Healthcare Administration, Norfolk State University, 2007
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Training, Tidewater Community College, 2010-2011

While the extra details show your progression, they take up too much space. At this stage, your work achievements matter more.

  Skills

The skills section is a critical part of your certified nursing assistant resume. It's where you highlight your top abilities that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Hiring managers and recruiters often scan this section first to quickly assess if you have the right qualifications. Here are some key tips to keep in mind when writing your skills section:

1. Tailor your skills to the job description

Before you start listing your skills, carefully review the job description for the certified nursing assistant role you're applying for. Look for the key skills and qualifications the employer is seeking. Then, make sure to include those same skills on your resume, using the same terminology when possible.

For example, if the job description mentions "patient care" and "vital signs monitoring", your skills section might look like this:

Patient care Vital signs monitoring Medication administration Wound care

By tailoring your skills to the job, you'll show the employer that you're a good fit for the role and increase your chances of getting called for an interview.

2. Categorize your CNA skills

To make your skills section easy to read, consider grouping your skills into relevant categories. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of skills to showcase. Some common categories for a certified nursing assistant might include:

• Patient Care : Bathing, grooming, feeding, transferring, ambulation assistance
• Clinical Skills : Vital signs, phlebotomy, EKG, wound care, medication administration
• Administrative : Charting, medical records, scheduling, inventory management

By categorizing your skills, you make it easy for the hiring manager to quickly see the breadth of your abilities and how they relate to the role.

3. Use the right terminology for CNA skills

When listing your skills, be as specific as possible and use industry-standard terminology. This shows that you know the field and makes it easy for the employer to understand your level of expertise.

Senior care Documentation

It's better to say:

Geriatric patient care Electronic medical records (EMR) charting

The more specific and targeted your skills are to the certified nursing assistant role and the healthcare industry, the more effective your resume will be.

4. Provide context for key CNA skills

In some cases, it can be helpful to provide a bit of context or additional detail to describe the depth of your skills. You can do this by adding parentheses after the skill with a brief description.

• Phlebotomy (100+ successful venipunctures)
• Patient transfer techniques (Hoyer lift, gait belt, pivot transfer)

By providing context, you give the employer a better sense of your level of experience and the specific techniques you're familiar with. Just be sure to keep your descriptions concise, as you'll have room to elaborate in other sections of your resume.

Skills For Certified Nursing Assistant Resumes

Here are examples of popular skills from Certified Nursing Assistant job descriptions that you can include on your resume.

• Customer Service
• Public Health
• Medical Terminology
• Healthcare Management
• Critical Care Nursing
• Patient Care

Skills Word Cloud For Certified Nursing Assistant Resumes

This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Certified Nursing Assistant job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.

How to use these skills?

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Certified Nursing Assistant Resumes

• Template #1: Certified Nursing Assistant
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• Free Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Review
• Other Medical Resumes
• Certified Nursing Assistant Interview Guide
• Certified Nursing Assistant Sample Cover Letters
• Alternative Careers to a Certified Nursing Assistant
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CNA Resume Sample (+How to Write) – 2024

Creating a polished and professional resume is crucial for any job seeker, especially those in the healthcare field.

As a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), your resume must highlight not only your technical skills and qualifications, but also your compassion and commitment to providing exceptional patient care.

In this comprehensive guide, you will find a detailed CNA resume sample along with step-by-step instructions on how to effectively present your achievements, skills, and professional experiences.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume Sample

[your name] – cna.

[Your Address] [City, State, ZIP Code] [Your Email Address] [Your Phone Number]

Compassionate and dedicated Certified Nursing Assistant with over [X] years of experience providing comprehensive patient care. Proven ability to handle complex patient needs with professionalism and empathy. Seeking to leverage my skills and experience to contribute to a dynamic healthcare team at [Target Company Name].

Selected Achievements

• Awarded “Employee of the Month” for exceptional patient care (Month/Year).
• Successfully reduced patient complaint rates by 30% through improved bedside manner and communication.
• Trained and mentored 5 new CNAs, enhancing overall team productivity and performance.

Professional Experience

Certified nursing assistant.

[Previous Employer Name] , [Location] [Month/Year] – [Month/Year]

• Assisted an average of 15 patients daily with activities including bathing, dressing, and feeding.
• Monitored patient vital signs, recording data with 98% accuracy and promptly reporting any abnormalities.
• Provided emotional and psychological support to over 200 patients and their families.
• Maintained hygiene and sanitation standards, reducing infection rates by 20%.
• Accurately documented patient information in health records, ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations.

[Another Previous Employer Name] , [Location] [Month/Year] – [Month/Year]

• Delivered high-quality patient care for up to 10 patients per shift under the supervision of a registered nurse.
• Assisted with mobility and transport of patients, ensuring 100% safety compliance.
• Conducted efficient patient intake and discharge procedures for over 500 patients.
• Performed routine procedures such as catheter care, wound dressing, and collecting specimens for testing, achieving a 95% patient satisfaction rate.
• Participated in 12 continuing education programs to enhance nursing skills and knowledge.

Certified Nursing Assistant Program

[Institution Name] , [Location] [Month/Year] – [Month/Year]

• Completed 120 hours of clinical training
• Coursework included patient care, anatomy and physiology, infection control, and medical terminology.

High School Diploma

[School Name] , [Location] [Month/Year] – [Month/Year]

Certifications

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certification , [State Name]
• CPR and First Aid Certification , [Provider Name]
• Patient Care and Assistance
• Vital Signs Monitoring
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Infection Control Practices
• Communication and Compassion
• Medical Documentation
• Team Collaboration
• Time Management
• [Other Language(s)] (if applicable)

Available upon request.

How to Write a Great Resume for Certified Nursing Assistant Position?

Creating a standout Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) resume is essential to land the job you want. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective CNA resume:

1. Choose the Right Format

• Chronological Resume: Ideal if you have a consistent work history.
• Functional Resume: Focuses on skills rather than work history, suitable if you’re changing careers or have gaps in your employment.
• Combination Resume: Balances both skills and work history, perfect if you have extensive experience.

2. Begin with a Strong Summary

Write a compelling summary that highlights your experience, skills, and career goals. It should be concise yet informative.

3. Focus on Selected Achievements

Showcase your accomplishments using quantifiable data. This helps potential employers gauge your effectiveness and impact in previous roles.

4. Detail Your Professional Experience

List your professional experience in reverse chronological order, including the job title, employer name, location, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements.

5. Highlight Your Education

List your educational background, including the institution name, location, and dates attended. Mention any relevant coursework or training.

6. Include Certifications

List your relevant certifications to show your qualifications for the role.

7. Add a Skills Section

Include a section that lists key skills relevant to the CNA role. Make sure to mention both technical and soft skills.

8. Mention Languages

If you speak multiple languages, include this information to highlight your ability to communicate with a diverse patient population.

9. Provide References

Include a line stating that references are available upon request.

10. Proofread and Edit

Ensure your resume is free from errors. Proofread it multiple times and consider having someone else review it for you.

By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a professional and impressive CNA resume that stands out to potential employers.

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CNA Resumes & Resume Writing Guide

Although the demand for Certified Nursing Assistants (=CNA) is growing, you may still need a competitive advantage, especially for the top jobs. Use our Certified Nursing Assistant resume samples and accompanying write-up as tools to help in placing your resume at the front of the interview line. CNA's have a passion for providing care to patients, and our passion is resume creation.

By working through our resume guidelines and applying them to your own resume document, you will immediately grab the attention of hiring managers and recruiters by showing them that you are a competent professional ready to make a difference in the lives of patients.

What you can read in this article

Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Sample

(Free pdf CNA resume sample downloads are at the bottom of this page)

CNA Resume Writing Guide

Resume sections.

1. Contact Information: First Name, Last Name, Phone Numbers, Email Address, and Location. Include professional profile links such as LinkedIn.

2. Career Summary: View this as a capsule synopsis of your professional self to be written in 2-3 sentences. The introduction to your resume provides an outline of what is to come regarding your skills, accomplishments and working experience. A career summary could either be the first paragraph or the last paragraph a hiring manager ends up reading, so make it counts. Powerful action verbs, wow factors, and credentials should be incorporated into 4-6 lines, typed in bold, and also in a different font to grab the reader’s attention.

3. Qualifications Summary: A degree is not required to apply for a Certified Nursing Assistant role. However, practical training to attain a non-degree certificate or diploma is a must. Ensure that your CNA practical training is listed first in the education section stipulating dates completed, qualification name, vocational school, and location). CNA training programs are approved by your state’s nursing board and by the National League for Nursing Accredited Commission (NLNAC). You may also list your results received for the CNA Certification Examination. If you have less than five years of experience, it is wise to include High School Diploma or GED particulars as well. Certified Nursing Assistants that completed additional courses, for instance, the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen stand a better chance of securing higher-paying jobs as prestigious hospitals

4. Relevant Nursing Experience: You may be a rookie Certified Nursing Assistant who just completed the CNA examination and required practical training consisting of extern and clinical experience. Elaborate on the type of patient care given during this period and beef your resume up with previous vocational, temporary, or permanent roles during the last ten years to beef up your resume. If you have been a Certified Nursing Assistant for a while, list the previous three employment histories or nursing experience for the last ten years. Separate duty sentences with bullet points to make the resume neat and easy to read.

5. Skills Summary/Key Skills: Relevance is crucial to the skills section. Choose the most prominent skills mentioned in the job advertisement and align them with your core competencies and interpersonal traits. This approach is called Resume SEO and will guarantee that your application passes through ATS (applicant tracking systems) and the screening bots and be read by an actual human.

What to Highlight in a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) provides care to clients, patients, clients, or residents of the agency or facility or agency that they work for. These may include basic assistance with dressing, bathing, and eating or performing medical activities such as taking vital signs, administering medications or setting up IVs, for example.

Regardless of the specific duties, you perform as a Certified Nursing Assistant, there are certain aspects to highlight on your resume that will assure recruiters and hiring managers of your commitment to individualized care and your core competencies to provide each patient with the best possible care and service.

First up is your work setting. Certified Nursing Assistants are employed in a variety of working environments:

• Long Term Care Facilities: Also called Nursing homes trained CNA’s are employed to assist the elderly, disabled, or mentally ill patients in performing basic functions such as eating, going to the bathroom, or bathing. You would also be responsible for taking vital signs, drawing blood samples or administering daily medicines.
• Home Health Agencies: They offer Certified Nursing Assistants with the option to work with clients individually on a “one to one” basis. In this role, you are assigned to a single patient providing them with home care or ADL (assisted daily living), for example, meal preparation, housekeeping, shopping, and general preventative healthcare.
• Hospitals: Certified Nursing Assistant jobs are most commonly found in hospitals that could be private or government-operated facilities. Gaining hospital experience offers CNA’s a chance to get exposure to a wide variety of patient care categories, for instance, ER, Geriatrics or Pediatrics. The work pace is breakneck due to the number of patients that require assistance every day.

Next on the resume agenda is the scope of your role. Some nurses are tasked with one or two primary duties, such as taking vital signs and prepping patients for surgery, but they perform these duties for a large number of patients across the facility. In other cases, Certified Nursing Assistants can be assigned to specific wards in the hospital, for instance, the Cancer or Burn Wards, where they perform more comprehensive nursing duties, but only for patients in that particular ward.

A smart idea is to break down your primary functions into subcategories and elaborate on your daily KPI’s for each category:

• Bathing, Dressing, Feeding: Explain to recruiters the schedule that you follow to get all the patients bathed, fed, and dressed in an appropriate timeframe and also mention how many patients you can handle in a day. You can also provide more detail on the nature of the conditions your patients have requiring your assistance with ADL (assisted daily living activities) for example stroke victims, or amputees
• Taking Vital Signs: This may include monitoring blood pressure or taking temperatures, and you need to list the equipment you are comfortable in using and also how you would record the readings.
• Cleaning & Sanitizing: If you are tasked with cleaning and sanitation of wards, rooms, laundry, and bedpans, stipulate the number of hours it takes you to complete each cleaning activity. Although not glamorous, keeping patients comfortable with clean sheets, spotless rooms, and sterile bathrooms is an important aspect of a Certified Nursing Assistant’s job.
• Medical Procedures and Equipment: Once you have a bit of skin in the game and a few months experience, more exciting activities such as setting up medical equipment for consultations or theatre operations will become part of your KPI’s. List all the machinery that you are responsible for and also the equipment that you can use when performing medical procedures such as incisions, setting up IV’s and drawing blood.
• Safety: Patient safety is a crucial part of a Certified Nursing Assistant’s job. Tell the reader about your CPR and First Aid credentials and whether you had to put those skills to the test in any way shape, or form during your career. Just as important is environmental safety and security, here you can mention knowledge of safety policies, security protocols, emergency procedures, and fire safety processes.

* Cool Tip for a stellar resume: Make a favorable first impression by including appreciation letters from patients and family members or recommendations given by supervisors and physicians to boost your credibility. Add them to Instagram, Pinterest, or create a folder on Google Drive and include the links in your resume document.

CNA Resume Objectives & Examples

Hospital administrators, Medical Facility Boards, Staff Nurses, Matrons, and Physicians are responsible for hiring Certified Nursing Assistants. Create a resume summary that captures their attention and interest immediately.

Use a career summary to impress hiring managers with a snapshot of your experience, passion for patients, accomplishments and most prestigious credentials. Remember to elevate the impact of your career summary by including a wow factor or measurable achievement.

A cool trick is to replicate the terminology from the job advertisement in your career synopsis to show how your experience aligns with the job at hand. For example: if the job calls for empathy, a passion for patients, and meticulous nature, use similar wording in your career summary.

Example Objectives:

Career Summary 1

Compassionate, empathetic CNA graduate with CPR Certification and six-months practical experience gained in an ER environment. Committed to providing excellent patient care proven by numerous commendations from ER Physicians and previous patients. Adept at operating a variety of emergency response medical equipment such as defibrillators and resuscitation devices with three years of experience gained working as a volunteer paramedic.

Career Summary 2

Patient-focused Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with six years of experience in providing direct patient care in pediatric and neonatal wards. Highly adept at taking vital signs and administering medication to babies and infant patients. CPR and BLS certified. Meticulous in adhering to health and safety protocols to maintain infection control standards. 

Career Summary 3

Top-performing Certified Nursing Assistant with a proven track record in offering excellent assisted daily living (ADL) care to senior citizens in a hospice environment.  Highly attentive to individual patient needs from a physical and emotional perspective. Genuine desire to improve the comfort levels of patients and meticulous about adhering to safety and security policies and minimize any external risks to patients and the direct facility environment.

CNA Job Descriptions & Responsibility Samples

A Hospital Principal or Health Facility Executive board may expect specific foundational skills and work duties on a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume. In the section below, we have listed numerous generic job duties and CNA responsibilities that you may amend to align to your current and previous work experience.

A Certified Nursing Assistant may:

• Display sound clinical skills in assessment of vital signs, performing glucose checks and lab draws
• Providing pre- and post-operative care to patients in ICU
• Adhere to safety guidelines to eliminate safety risks to patients and the health care facility environment
• Ensure the accurate, timely flow of information by maintaining detailed patient records providing progress updates to respective healthcare teams
• Comply with HIPAA standards in processing patient documentation and recording of medical information
• Provide high-quality patient assistance in rehab, surgical, acute-care, hospice nursing-home healthcare settings
• Focused on preserving patient dignity and minimizing discomfort during nursing duties such as bed bathing, inserting IV’s drawing blood, removing draining bags and changing bedpans
• Maintain up to date charts recording hourly vital sign scores such as temperature, blood pressure, and heart rates
• On-call to answer patient buzzers and assisting with requests from patients and family members where needed
• Turn, reposition and ambulate elderly patients on a six-hour schedule
• Observing patients for any changes in physical or mental conditions and report issues to the Staff Nurse
• Tidying-up wards, restrooms, and family waiting areas
• Assist with cleaning and sanitizing theatre equipment and surgical instruments post-operative procedures
• Assist with serving meals and feeding patients during breakfast and lunchtimes also offering snacks and beverages to visiting family members
• Assist incapacitated patients in maintaining daily personal hygiene such as bathing, dental care, and skincare regimes
• Comfortable with basic medical procedures, for example, administering enemas, applying dressings, and conducting heat and ice treatments
• Comply with HIPAA Privacy Act to protect confidential medical records and patient information.
• Measure and record patients’ liquid and food intake
• Assist the Staff Nurse with complex medical procedures
• Monitor medical supply levels in the storeroom and conduct a weekly stocktake of medication

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Recruiters and hiring managers review hundreds of resumes every month. This means your Certified Nursing Assistant resume should catch their attention for the right reasons. To improve the visibility of your application, accomplishments should be listed in a separate section of your resume. The aim of accomplishments statements is to showcase your ability to care for patients with your excellent technical skills as well as interpersonal traits of empathy, compassion, and encouragement quantified by numbers representing the outcomes you have achieved. Quantifying accomplishment statements elevate their impact, so weave numerical values, percentages, scores, numbers, frequencies, and time frames into your statements.

You should pick an average of five accomplishments/achievements that you deem significant enough to distinguish you from the rest of the candidates.

Let us look at a few questions to ask yourself when writing accomplishment statements to add depth and prove your capability to generate results:

• What is the number of patients you are assigned to care for in a day?
• What is the size of the facility you work at?
• How many times do you take vital signs in a day?
• What type of medical procedures can you perform and how many of these have you performed?

Accomplishment Statement Examples:

• Directed a team of junior certified nursing assistants for two weeks in the absence of the nursing manager with a zero-incident rating
• Implemented a system that facilitated continuity of patient care across multiple shifts resulting in a 25% increase in positive patient reviews
• Spearheaded a nursing risk management initiative reducing the probability of incorrectly administering medication by 99.9%
• Implemented automated instrument sanitation and sterilizing schedule with phone notifications and reminders thereby reducing infection risks by 85%
• Created an online cloud-based recordkeeping system which increased efficiency in documenting nursing activities via reports, forms, and logs with 50%

CNA Education Section & Examples

The education section of a Certified Nursing Assistant should be comprehensive detailing all qualifications, certifications, training programs and courses completed (in this section more is more).

If the hiring manager finds it difficult to see your credentials, you are already halfway to the decline resume pile. Display your education and certifications neatly in separate lines on your resume. Be sure to include the certification name, issue date, the entity that issued the certificate, and, if relevant, the expiration date.

If you’ve completed additional training or completed additional certifications relevant to a Certified Nursing assistant job, feel free to include those too.

A CNA’s education section example:

2017 – Associates Degree in Medical Assistance, Metropolitan Technical College, Omaha, NE

2016 – Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Maryland Board of Nursing, Baltimore, MD Course Curriculum: Role and Responsibilities of the CAN, Safety and Infection Control, Promotion of Function and Health of Residents, Basic Nursing Care and Restorative Skills, Emotional and Mental Health Needs, Resident Rights

2016 – CPR Certification, American Red Cross, Baltimore, MD

2015 – Nurse’s Aide Program, Apex Nursing School, Sometown, CT Nurse’s Aide Program Completed 60 hours of clinical training

2014 – Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers, American Heart Association, Mecosta Medical Center, Traverse City, MI

CNA's Resume Skills List

It is a given that Certified Nursing Assistants should have a passion for patient care, be their emotional soundboard of patients and families, and enhance patient comfort levels. All of these require various personality traits and technical competencies.

A smart way to present your skills section is to use skills matrix tables to provide a comprehensive picture of your skill set. The three skills matrix tables to use in a Certified Nursing Assistant resume include Technical Competencies, Interpersonal Traits, and a final one for Tools, Instruments, and Equipment.

Technical Competencies

Interpersonal Traits

Tools, Equipment & Instruments

Qualifications/Certifications associated with Certified Nursing Assistants

Professional information on Certified Nursing Assistants

Sectors:  Healthcare, Home care, Medical, Clinical Childcare Career Type:  Differentiated Instruction, Children-Centered Learning, Early Childhood Development, Peer-to-Peer Learning, Project-Based Learning Person type:   Supervisor, Cheerleader, Disciplinarian, Liaison, Helper, Tutor, Counselor, Coordinator, Instructor, Guide Education levels:  Nursing Diploma, Bachelor’s degree and upwards Salary indication : $7.25 to $26.65 per hour  ( Indeed ) Labor market : Estimated 11% from 2018 to 2028 (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Organizations : Hospitals, Medical Facilities, Corporate, Step Down Facilities, Nursing Homes, Old Age Homes, Disability Clinics, School Clinics, Military, Hospices, Schools, Psychiatric Institutions, Rehab Facilities

Download CNA Resume Samples (Pdf)

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Certified Nursing Assistant Resume (CNA) | Examples, Tips & Templates

If you are a candidate with a soft heart, a good memory, and the ability to learn hands-on patient care skills fast, you would be an excellent nursing assistant.

All resume examples in this guide

CNA Resume Example for Experienced Candidates

Joseph Steve

CNA [email protected] (245)365-1254

Professional summary

A dedicated CNA with over 10 years of experience in children and elderly healthcare settings seeks to take professional patient care to the next level at San Diego Senior Nursing Home. In my previous role, I led a team of 4 CNAs to treat 30 senior patients providing daily medication and healthcare guidance.

Aug 2015 to Present

• Educated the patients and communicated to their families about the physiological disorders, treatments, and consequences
• Assisted elderly patients to bathe, dress, and feed – fed patients with Nasogastric feeding tubes and Gastronomy tubes
• Checked blood pressure and drew blood for tests on doctor prescriptions
• Read and understood electronic medical records and assisted the patients to meet the relevant doctors ‍

June 2013 to Aug 2015 Best Care Children Clinic, NM CNA

• Recorded patient vital signs such as body temperature and blood pressure as a routine procedure for new admits
• Developed positive first impressions with the children and their parents
• Set up medical equipment to assist the doctors in medical procedures and carried out simple medical procedures such as drawing blood and checking blood pressure
• Carried out basic patient care such as serving meals, making beds, and keeping the rooms clean ‍

Nursing Assistant Certification Program Howard Community College, Columbia 2009-2013

Certified Nursing Assistant (2013) University of Wisconsin Bachelor’s degree in Biology 2006-2009

• Emergency care
• Preventive care
• Operations management
• People skill
• Detail-oriented
• Customer service
• Stress-resilience ‍

Certificates

Certified Nursing Assistant (2013)

To communicate all these in a single page, you need a perfect Certified Nursing Assistant Resume – a winning resume that gets you more interviews and makes you confident to apply for the highest-paid CNA jobs.

That’s where we can help you. Perfect resumes do not come by accident – they’re a result of understanding the current HR practices, following the guidelines, and targeted writing of each section.

This article will guide you:

• To pick the perfect resume format, layout, and template.
• With tons of examples to write each section of the resume.
• With DOs and DON’Ts in writing your CNA resume.

Read to the end to learn how to write a CNA resume better than 95% of the other candidates.

If time is a constraint for you, we have created the finest ready-to-fill resume templates on the internet – with our resume builder, you can create a perfect CNA resume in less than 10 minutes. Still, we recommend you to read through the guide👇

New Graduate CNA Resume Example

Olivia Jonathan

(245)365-1254

A passionate CNA with 12 months of internship experience in elderly care and ETU seeks to join an assisted living facility to provide my service and expand my expertise in elderly care. In my internship at City Hospital, treated patients recovering from accidents, injuries, and surgeries for faster recovery

Aug 2021 to Present

ETU, City Hospital, Nebraska

Certified Nursing Assistant (intern)

• Took patient’s vital signs such as blood pressure and temperature
• Gave first aid in emergencies – CPR, saline, oxygen – under the supervision of the nurses
• Created patient records for new admits and maintained them
• Helped elderly patients to bathe, dress, and feed themselves with extra care

Certified Nursing Assistant

Jefferson College, Philadelphia (2020)

High School Diploma

South Philadelphia High School

• General care
• Elderly care
• health testing
• Diagnosis and treatment planning
• Communication skill
• Attention to detail
• Team player

Volunteer for Elderly Care foundation

If you need further inspiration, examples, and keywords to fill up your CNA resume, refer to these other medical professional resumes:

• Dentist resume
• Physician assistant resume
• Dental assistant resume
• Medical assistant resume

Certified Nursing Assistant's Salary & Employment Rates

The average Certified Nursing Assistant salary is $30,000/ year 💰 ( Payscale.com ). However, many CNA professionals get overtime and bonuses for their service.

There are about 1.5 million CNAs working in the USA in 2020 and the numbers are expected to increase by 8% over the next 10 years according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics . The certification is having high demand as a result of the expansion of healthcare in the USA and many regions in the world.

How to Make a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume?

Writing a resume is just like admitting a patient to the hospital – you can’t skip the set procedures. The hiring manager reading your resume is a professional in their trade and they expect the same professionalism from you.

Writing a certified nursing assistant’s resume would initially look like a complex surgery for you, but when we break down the process into simple digestible pieces, you’ll see it so simple like checking the vital signs of a patient – a defined process with simple steps.

To start with, we should define the layout of your resume followed by the resume format and the template.

The Layout of a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

The layout of your resume defines the sections you’re going to include and their order – the headings as well as subheadings.

Having your resume layout defined at the beginning helps you create the resume faster without missing any important sections.

In defining your resume layout, give priority to the information your recruiter is looking for.

We recommend the following layout for a Certified Nursing Assistant resume:

• Header: name and contact information.
• Professional summary/ Objective summary
• Work experience.
• CNA skills.
• Additional sections (certifications, interests, and achievements).

Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Format

In your CNA resume or any medical professional resume, there’s an order in which you should write your experience section so that it's easy for the recruiter to read and understand the information.

Simply put, the format defines the order you should follow in writing your professional experience section.

There are three standard resume formats:

• The functional format: priority is given to the related skills and the experience is ordered based on them
• Reverse chronological format : most recent experience is listed first and the rest follows the reverse chronological order
• Hybrid format: a combination of the functional and reverse chronological formats

For Certified Nursing Assistants and other medical professionals, we suggest using reverse chronological order to write your experience sections. Because your recent experience would be the deciding factor in making hiring decisions in healthcare-related jobs.

Resume Template for Certified Nursing Assistants

A resume template is about the overall look and feel of the CV. In this, you’ll think about the colors, fonts, font sizes, document margins, and such details.

The right resume template would create an exceptional first impression for the hiring managers. Resume writing standards have changed from boring biodata-type documents to more compressed, well-designed, and attractive pages.

We have created a ton of awesome resume templates for CNAs and other medical professionals saving you hours of valuable time. Pick the template that suits your personality and tailor it to create your resume within 10 minutes.

Let's discuss how to write each section with examples and tips.

Start Your Certified Nursing Assistant Resume with a Header

The header of your CNA resume should include your name and contact information. As this is the first thing on your resume, recruiters often spend their first second reading your name.

The mistake most candidates make in this section is making it cluttered with unnecessary information.

Here's what to include in your header and what to leave out 👇

A good & a bad header

(276)254-8654

11, main street, apt 56,

Washington DC

A good header is a clean and concise one with limited information enough to find out the candidate and their contact information. Put your first name and last name. Include the basic contact information such as your email and the contact number. If you have an updated personal website or a LinkedIn profile, include that at the end.

Professional Summary

In the professional summary, you should highlight the reasons why the recruiter should consider your application. This summarizes your key skills, expertise, and experience into two sentences.

A great resume summary is a sales pitch about the candidate – it's the cover letter on your resume. Ideally, you should tailor the summary to each job you apply for – a customized statement that fit the context of your potential employer would attract them to read your resume further.

Writing a great professional summary is not difficult if you follow the right steps. In your first sentence, state the level of experience you have, your key skills, and your interest to join the organization – the second sentence should highlight your previous achievements, the problems you solved, the challenges you faced, the solution you gave, and the results you achieved as a CNA.

Professional summary for an Experienced CNA

A compassionate caregiver with 7 years of experience in diverse healthcare settings seeks to join MK Elderly Nursing Home to extend my expertise. In my previous job, I led a team of 12 CNAs to manage an elderly home of 50+ providing exceptional service and care. CNA, CPR, BLS.

Certified nursing assistant with elderly home experience seeks to join a similar position that pays better.

The correct example highlights the candidate’s achievements with numbers – demonstrates the key skills – and provides specifics of the work carried out.

Resume objective for an entry-level CNA

If you’re an entry-level CNA or someone looking for a career transition, you should write an objective summary. This is similar to writing a professional summary – the only difference being that in the objective summary, you should highlight your enthusiasm for the profession and your interest to join the company.

A dedicated CNA who was recently certified (2021) seeks to join a hospital CNA team to advance my expertise in all types of patient care. I have extensive 200+ hours of clinical training which included children's care, elderly care, general medical, and ETU.

Freshly graduated CNA looking for a job in a hospital or an elderly care facility

Prove Your Experience as a Nursing Assistant

Whether you’re applying for a senior certified nursing assistant position or an entry-level CNA job, your work experience would be the most critical component the recruiter would make judgments about your profile – everything else including your skills, education, and extracurricular activities come next.

The good news is you can write a compelling experience section with any level of work experience to convince the hiring manager that you’ve what it takes to be successful on the job – and we should say, that you don’t have to be a great writer to do that.

Follow these guidelines and our comprehensive examples to write your experience section.

• Write clear and concise sentences.
• Focus on your achievements and accomplishments in your career rather than writing job roles and responsibilities.
• Numbers in sentences attract the hiring manager’s eyeballs – in addition, numbers add credibility to your statements.
• Start your experience sentences with power verbs. Eg: Carried out, Managed, Led, Provided, Assisted, and Collected.

You need a specific set of skills to become successful as a CNA – each patient and scenario you face would be different and challenging. A great CNA experience section answers these questions:

• Can you manage such challenging situations?
• Have you already done that in your previous job? If so, how?

Example Work Experience Section for a Senior Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, OH

• Helped the nursing staff to carry out their tasks
• Provided medical assistance to patients
• Assisted nurses in patient care and reporting
• Recorded patient information
• Led a team of CNAs to carry out the daily patient care – achieved a customer satisfaction of 94% in 2018 which was an all-time high
• Delegated the patient care, documentation, and administration work among the team
• Introduced a distant patient communication system for patients with virus infections to reduce spreading to healthcare staff
• Educated patients and their family members on their physiological disorders, treatments, and side effects
• Provided social and emotional support to those in need

Your senior CNA experience section should focus on demonstrating your leadership, communication, administration, as well as technical skills.

Example Work Experience for an Entry-Level Certified Nursing Assistant

Jan 2020 to Present

Assistant Certified Nursing Assistant - apprenticeship

• Assisted patients in admission
• Cleaned patient rooms
• Patient stability measures were taken
• Checked patient vital signs

Jan 2020 to present

• Worked collaboratively with registered nurses, specialist doctors, and other medical professionals to provide an exceptional patient care
• Valued patient advocacy and helped patients with the information required to make medical-related decisions from choosing doctors to financing, legal, and social support
• Assisted patients in admittance to filling the documents and record vital signs such as temperature and blood pressure
• Treated 10+ elderly patients a daily to bathe, dress, and feed themselves

Entry-level Certified Nursing Assistants should demonstrate their key technical knowledge of patient care and medical procedures.

Now, the question is if you do not possess the required experience to write, would you have a disadvantage over other candidates?

The answer is relative. While having solid CNA experience does not guarantee you the job, not having experience does not make your resume dismissed. The hiring manager only sees what you write on your resume – not what you did on the job.

Even if you’re applying for your first job as a Certified Nursing Assistant, don’t leave your experience section empty – consider your training sessions and apprentice work as your professional work experience.

Reinforce Your Resume with Your Education

In your CNA resume, though education is not a priority section the recruiter checks, your academic background is noteworthy – the more educated you’re, the better chance you have of getting hired.

The nursing assistant program – academic studies, and relevant clinical training sessions would be the only critical component of your education section. However, you could also list your high school diploma or bachelor’s degree.

The education section should be a short section with only relevant information – you could list the key learning outcomes of your education, GPA, the institution, and the years of graduation.

Certified Nursing Assistant Program

• General patient care
• Medication administration

CNA Resume Skills

In the job advertisement or job description, the recruiter would mention the type of skills they’re looking for in a nursing assistant – pick the skills that match your profile.

A CNA should possess a specific set of soft and hard skills. Hard skills are the technical skills required to perform the tasks – soft skills are the personality traits required to become exceptional at work. Aim to write about 4 to 7 skills.

Soft skills:

• Empathy and compassion
• Patience and flexibility
• Interpersonal skills
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Willingness to learn
• Decision making
• Time management

Hard skills:

• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Infection control
• Administrative skills
• Measuring and recording vital signs
• Patient care
• Assisting patients to walk using gait belts
• Brushing dentures
• Mouth care for unconscious patients
• Giving partial bed baths
• Perineal care for female patients
• Shaving – cleaning, and trimming fingernails
• Feeding paralyzed patients
• Feeding patients using G tubes and NG tubes

There’s a massive list of hard skills that a CNA should possess. You could read more about CNA skills in this comprehensive guide .

Additional Sections for a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

You’ll realize every applicant applying for a CNA job has the same qualification: The Nursing Assistant Certification. So, how would the recruiter pick 10 resumes out of 200 resumes they get?

It is the additional qualifications that get you the interview – the basic computer and system certificate you acquired – the Red Cross volunteer program you took part in – your bi-lingual skills would add value eventually to stand out from the rest.

In addition, these smaller resume sections attract the eyeballs of the recruiter – making additional sections a great place to showcase your key strengths.

The type of additional sections you should put on your resume would depend upon your personal profile. Here we have highlighted the typical sections used by CNA applicants👇

Computing Skills

Basic computer literacy would be valuable to carry out your job duties. As a CNA, you will get to work with different computer systems and software. Most hospitals use Hospital Management Systems (HMS) to report, store, and manage patient information.

Also, basic data entry in Excel and understanding of using mobile applications would be added advantages.

Skill Certifications

Skill certifications are a great way to stand out and get into the highest-paid positions. The best way to find out the relevant skill certifications for CNAs would be to refer to CNA job advertisements.

Here’re some certifications relevant to CNAs:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification
• CPR, First Aid, AED Certification

Your bi-lingual skills would look impressive on your resume – as a CNA, you’ll get to work with patients who speak different languages – having proficiency in English would help you manage most cases, however, more languages the better.

When you’re listing your language skills, consider including the level of proficiency in each of them so that the hiring manager would have a clear idea.

We got some awesome resume templates where you can list the languages you speak with the level of fluency in each.

Hobbies and Interests

Put your hobbies and interests on your resume as an additional section if and only if they add value to your profile – do not use this as a filler.

Read our hobbies and interests guide to have a complete understanding of what to include in your interests section and how to write them.

Tips for Improving Your Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

If you followed the guide to this point, you would have already created an exceptional CNA resume. Use these final tips to further improve it:

• Modern resumes follow the ONE PAGE standard – remove unnecessary sections and non-value-adding information to optimize the resume length.
• Identify the most demanding skills and certifications recruiters are looking for – make an effort to acquire some of them – you can mention a skill certification on your resume as soon as you get official admission to the course – put in parentheses that you’re still following the course.
• Pick a modern resume template – the first impression is a powerful weapon.
• Use a tool such as Grammarly to proofread your resume for grammar and other mistakes.
• Limit your header to your name and contact information.
• Write a professional summary if you’re an experienced candidate and an objective summary if you’re an entry-level candidate.
• Make a list of achievements and accomplishments for your experience section – do not limit the experience section to the roles and responsibilities.
• Use a consistent format to present your education.
• Write a combination of relevant soft skills and hard skills.
• Use a couple of additional sections to make a pleasant surprise to the hiring manager.

Complement Your resume with a Cover letter

A cover letter is a one-page document that highlights the applicant's specific interest in the job. In this, you should demonstrate your key skills, expertise, and experience that is relevant to performing the duties as a CNA.

Keep your cover letter to 3 to 4 short paragraphs.

Our resume builder has a cover letter builder that helps you create stunning cover letters within 10 minutes.

The cover letter is a critical component of your entry-level job application. Make it your sales pitch to communicate to the hiring manager why you’re so interested in the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paid specialties for cnas.

According to payscale.com , the following specialties pay the highest salaries for CNAs:

• Long term care $14
• Rehabilitation $14
• Geriatrics $14
• Elderly care $13
• Home health care $12

Can I become a CNA without a degree?

To become a certified nursing assistant, you need to complete the nursing assistant certification (CNA certification) course. At the completion of the course and the relevant clinical hours, you’ll get the certification to practice as a CNA.

Having a degree in a relevant field such as biomedical or biology would surely help you to get a job, however, you do not need to have a degree to become a CNA.

Create your resume with the best templates

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Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Sample letters to download

Cover Letter

Advice for getting a job, instructions.

• • Directed a team of 7+ CNAs in the absence of the RN
• • Educated 500+ patients and their families on their medical conditions
• • Managed a scheduling system that improved patient comfort by 20%
• • Led the recreational activities of 4 groups of 30+ patients on the weekends
• • Monitored the vital signs of 30+ patients daily and ensured cleanliness of the patients' rooms
• • Provided personal care and mental health support to 100+ patients at the center
• • Provided daily needs and monitored vital signs of 20+ patients daily
• • Guided motion and passive exercises for post-surgery patients twice a week
• • Collaborated with a 5-person nursing team in bathing, grooming and dressing of the patients
• • Prepared 200+ meal plans and ensured 100% positive dining experience of patients
• • Checked in and out 200+ books daily
• • Raised over $5000 in library donations in just 6 months
• • Assisted 80+ people with locating books on shelves

4 Nursing Assistant Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your nursing assistant resume must clearly demonstrate your compassion and dedication to patient care. Highlight your ability to work effectively in fast-paced environments. Ensure your resume showcases your experience with various medical procedures and patient interaction skills. Employers value nursing assistants who are reliable and communicate well with team members.

Resume Guide

Formatting Tips

Experience Section

Hard & Soft Skills

Certifications & Education

Summary & Objective

Additional Sections

Key Takeaways

Assistant Nurse

Certified nurse aide, nurse extern.

Many nursing homes and facilities found themselves severely understaffed, following the release of new federal requirements . This means that numerous nursing positions will be opening in the coming months.

If you’re passionate about helping others improve their health and are proficient in operating a variety of medical equipment, this is your chance to start your career as a nursing assistant.

In this guide, we’ll go over:

• How to choose the best resume format according to your level of experience;
• What to include in your resume header to ensure recruiters understand your qualifications before they review your application;
• When and how to craft a professional objective or summary;
• How to build an impactful and ATS-compatible (Applicant Tracking System) experience section;
• How to showcase your professional qualifications and certifications;
• Real nursing assistant resume examples and the writing traps you must avoid.

Consider taking a look at other nursing-related guides we have:

• Nursing assistant cover letter
• Home health aide resume
• Certified nurse aide resume
• Clinical medical assistant resume
• Dermatology medical assistant resume
• Cardiology medical assistant resume
• OB GYN medical assistant resume
• Certified medical assistant resume  

How to format a nursing assistant resume

Writing a good shift report or an outstanding nursing assistant resume both hinges on having excellent communication skills and being able to relay important information succinctly.

The first step in showcasing your skills and expertise properly is choosing a suitable resume format . Working with the right framework will guarantee you’re making the most out of your resume because you’re highlighting all the relevant know-how you have to offer.

Let’s review the three most popular layouts and when to use them.  

Reverse-chronological resume format

If you’re a tenured nursing assistant with plenty of experience in a variety of health environments, pick the reverse-chronological resume format . Hiring managers are keen to understand how much of your experience is relevant to the offered role to determine the range of responsibilities you can potentially take on.

It’s worth noting that because of the heavy focus on prior positions, the reverse-chronological resume format makes career gaps more visible. So, if you have any, remember to include additional information that will explain how you were engaged during that time. For example, reference other professional commitments you’ve had or supplementary nursing training you’ve undergone.

Hybrid (combination) resume format

As its name suggests, the hybrid resume format  strives to provide a balanced overview of your practical experience, transferable skills, and expertise. This is what makes it the perfect layout for candidates who have less than five years of experience or are switching careers from an adjacent field. It’s also ideal for positions that require you to feature both home care and clinical experience — especially if the role requires comprehensive knowledge of specialized medical equipment for long-term care patients.

Functional resume format

Your third option is the functional resume format . The layout concentrates mainly on your relevant skills and qualifications rather than hands-on experience. For example, if you have customer support experience, you can boast about your strong communication skills and ability to empathize with others. Thus, the functional template is ideal for recent college grads and candidates aiming to secure their first clinical rotation.

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In addition to choosing the proper resume format, you also have to keep in mind the following formatting tips:

• Add your nursing credentials in the resume header :  Very often health recruiters are seeking applicants with a particular set of qualifications. So, don’t make them scan your whole resume to figure out what you’re an expert on. Place your credentials next to your name, contact information , and address.
• Build an ATS-compatible  nursing assistant resume: One way hiring managers vet potential candidates is by scanning resumes and cover letters with ATS tools. The scans take into account factors, such as design, layout, and resume keywords  that reference specific skills, such as the ability to use Electronic health record (EHR) software. Make sure you use the job description wording when listing your skills.
• Opt for a readable resume font  and a clean design:  Select a simple font, such as Lato or Rubik, to make your resume easy to scan. Also, stick to more established designs that won’t distract recruiters from what’s really important — your professional achievements and expertise.
• Use the health organization’s branding colors in your resume: Medical facilities oftentimes use colors that both invoke trustworthiness and reflect their services. So, if you’re applying for a position at a health organization, incorporate its branding palette as the color scheme of your resume .
• Don’t make your resume longer than necessary :  Consider how much of what you want to share is relevant. Be selective about the past roles you list and the achievements you highlight. Tailor your experience section according to the job description requirements.
• Save your nursing assistant resume as a PDF file :  Unless the job ad states otherwise, preserve the design and formatting of your resume by saving it as a PDF file. This will ensure your application is displayed properly, regardless of what device it’s viewed on.

After you create a rough draft of your resume, split it into a few sections. Don’t forget to make room for the essential ones first. Then, if you have some extra space, include additional sections to reflect other relevant details about your career.

Below are the must-have sections for your nursing assistant resume:

The top sections on a nursing assistant resume:

• Objective statement : State what your career goals are and how they align with your potential employer. This will emphasize the value you’d bring to the healthcare organization.
• Certification and licenses : Showcase the necessary role qualifications, such as your CNA License, CPR Certification or other nursing-specific certification.
• Professional experience : It is essential to detail your experience and demonstrate your hands-on skills in patient care, including where you've worked and in what capacity.
• Skills : Be specific about your nursing competencies and present your healthcare, patient care, and other relevant skills in this section for a straightforward reference.
• Education : Although many positions require only a high school diploma or an equivalency diploma, do outline your academic background — especially if it’s nursing-related.

After you divide your resume into sections, think about the key points you must reference:

What recruiters want to see on your resume:

• Certification or licensure : Recruiters prioritize candidates with CNA licenses because it is a legal requirement for working as a nursing assistant in many regions.
• Direct patient care experience : This is valued because it speaks to the hands-on abilities of the candidate to handle patients, helping with routine activities and responding to their needs.
• Knowledge of medical terminology : Understanding medical jargon is important as nursing assistants work in healthcare settings and need this knowledge to effectively communicate with team members.
• Physical endurance and strength : This is prioritized because the role often requires long hours, moving patients, and assisting with physically demanding tasks.
• Interpersonal and communication skills : Nursing assistants interact with patients, family members, and healthcare staff, so they need strong skills in these areas to perform their roles efficiently.

One wonderful thing about medicine is people are living longer, healthier lives. However, we also have to have the nurses to take care of them.

Braxton Nowell, UNC Health RN

How to write your nursing assistant resume experience

Generally speaking, the resume experience section  is where you summarize your work history, outline your nursing responsibilities, and list your skills. But this simplified view often traps candidates into thinking all they have to do is recount their work tasks and duties. While these are a crucial part of your professional profile, health organizations are more interested in the results your expertise and skills offer.

Therefore, the best way to go about describing your nursing assistant experience is by featuring your career achievements. These will help health recruiters get a better idea of your patient care approach, as well as the scope of work you’re able to take on.

This is where the relevancy of your nursing accomplishments comes in. Hiring managers want to make sure you’re familiar with the work environment you’re potentially going to operate in. If you’re aiming for a nursing assistant role in a medical facility, but most of your experience falls under home care, you’ll have to prove your ability to adapt, multitask, and work in a stressful environment.

Reference the type of patients and ailments you have experience treating. However, always keep in mind that health recruiters prioritize candidates who protect patient confidentiality. So, be careful not to include any sensitive data when describing your achievements.

So, before you start filling out your nursing assistant resume template, think about which parts of your work history best relate to the available position. Then, list each as a separate entry in your experience section.

Here are some recommendations and tips to take into account:

• Disclose the legal name of your past employer:  Health recruiters often do their due diligence when vetting medical specialists because reputation is everything. They want to make sure that none of your past employers were sanctioned for medical malpractice — especially during your tenure.
• Provide your subspecialty, if applicable:  If your goal is to become a member of a specific hospital unit, you must mention your subspecialty as recruiters prioritize applicants with specific in-depth medical knowledge.
• Briefly describe your past employer’s main medical focus:  If you’re aiming for a position in a health organization, you must be able to work cross-functionally and provide support to a large range of medical specialists and patients. That’s why it’s recommended you list some of the main health services you have experience with.
• State the dates of your tenure:  For each start or end date cite the month and the year. For example, “May, 2024”. If you’re still actively employed, write “Present” as your end date.
• Align your nursing assistant experience with your potential employer: Many health organizations strive to offer a certain standard of medical care or commit to tackling specific health issues. That’s why recruiters seek candidates who are passionate about working towards the same goal. Emphasize how your nursing assistant experience fits with the community of medical specialists the health organization fosters.
• Don’t forget to highlight your career growth:  Instead of recounting day-to-day duties to demonstrate the scope of your nursing abilities, describe the results of your work by listing at least one or two achievements for each experience section entry. To underscore the significance of your accomplishments, begin each bullet point with an action verb .
• Build a targeted resume :  One of the key characteristics of an impactful resume is how much thought was put into tailoring it to a specific role. This means that the candidate has referenced most of the required skills and expertise from the job ad. The best way to do this is to mark resume keywords from the job description, such as names of tools and medical equipment, and incorporate them in your experience entries.  

Now, take a look at the following bad example:

• • Improved the health rate of over 380 patients.
• • Increased patient satisfaction rates.
• • Helped 1150+ patients regain mobility by providing post-operative care and physical therapy assistance.

While the applicant did well with describing their past employer, many details about their tenure and achievements are missing from the rest of the entry.

The candidate has listed the number of patients they have treated, but they haven’t described the type of patients or illnesses they have expertise in. And despite citing some data, crucial numbers like the patient satisfaction rate are missing. Finally, none of the entries point to whether the candidate is adept at operating medical equipment.

An enhanced version of the example above would be:

• • Improved the health rate of over 380 patients by 75% after establishing care plans for stroke patients with limited or impaired mobility.
• • Increased patient satisfaction rates by 52% by mentoring new nurses on how to effectively communicate with patients and their families.
• • Helped 1150+ patients regain mobility by providing post-operative care and physical therapy assistance, using equipment such as the RT300, the Bioness Integrated Therapy System, and the Vector Gait & Safety System.

The main reason why this edit works is because the candidate has:

• Included all the missing details, such as the type of patients they specialize treating;
• Pointed to specific measurable outcomes that demonstrate their nursing assistant work performance;
• Listed some of the medical equipment they have experience operating.

How to quantify impact on your resume

Hiring managers value candidates who have a goal-oriented mindset and a keen attention to detail. That’s because work performance and results are directly linked to patients’ overall health.

As such, medical organizations and private employers want to make sure the nursing assistants they hire will prioritize patients’ health over other job performance indicators.  By quantifying your achievements  and sharing measurable results, you can prove your ability to communicate effectively with patients, think critically, and provide emotional support when needed.

The numbers you share will depend on your level of expertise and years of experience. Below are some ideas to get you started:

• Include the number of patients you cared for regularly : This demonstrates your ability to handle workload, manage time effectively, and maintain quality of care.
• Specify the number of shifts you took per week : Frequently taking on extra shifts shows your dedication and commitment to the job.
• Detail how many different types of medical equipment you're proficient with : It indicates your versatility and ability to adapt to different care situations.
• Indicate the percentage of patient satisfaction or feedback received : It provides a tangible measure of the quality of care you provide.
• Mention if you trained or mentored any new nursing assistants and how many : This showcases your leadership and coaching abilities.
• Provide the number of emergency situations you've handled : It demonstrates your ability to stay calm and effective under pressure.
• State the number of languages you speak fluently : This shows cultural competency, which can improve patient communication and satisfaction.
• List how many care plans you contributed to or implemented : This shows your knowledge and abilities in planning and ensuring comprehensive patient care.

How do I write a nursing assistant resume with no experience

Crafting a nursing assistant resume with no experience  can be tricky — particularly if you have to discuss how you handle patient care or your ability to operate certain medical equipment. Odds are, the bulk of your practical experience is shadowing other nurses .

But here’s the catch, this is something you can reference on your resume. Albeit it isn’t exactly hands-on experience, recruiters will recognize your motivation to immerse yourself in an actual work setting to improve your skills. This also proves your commitment to the nursing profession.

In addition, research the health organization offering the position. As mentioned, most medical facilities face bigger challenges than day-to-day operations and tasks. Find out what the organization’s main medical services are, as well as the type of patients it most frequently treats.  Also, determine how you can align your professional profile to reflect the requested expertise.

Once you understand what your potential employer is working towards and which skills are prioritized, tie them to your:

• Clinical rotations:  Highlight your familiarity with all the standards and protocols you must adhere to when in a medical working environment. Accentuate your ability to take guidance from other medical specialists, implement treatment, and actively listen to your patients.
• Certifications and supplementary training:  Emphasize your broad range of expertise and your continuous strive to develop as a nursing assistant. If any of your training has earned you specific qualifications, list them next to your name in the resume header.
• Transferable skills :  Your social skills are as equally vital to conduct your job effectively as your medical competencies. Recruiters prefer candidates who can empathize with patients and treat them with the respect they deserve.

Next, we’ll delve further into how to talk about your abilities and core nursing skills.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

Given the complexity of the job, you’ll have to showcase different aspects of your character and abilities in the skills section  of your nursing assistant resume.

A common writing mistake here is to outline your full skill set. The result is an overcrowded resume. The trick to avoid this pitfall is targeting specific job ad requirements.

But first, let’s review how your nursing skills are typically categorized and how you can build a balanced skills section.

Hard vs soft skills

Simply put, your professional competencies can be separated into two types:

• Nursing assistant hard skills :  Also known as your technical skills, these reflect your knowledge of medical terminology, ability to use measuring equipment and provide postoperative patient care.
• Nursing assistant soft skills : These illustrate your level of emotional intelligence and include skills, such as time management, multitasking, and showing compassion towards your patients and their family members.

As you can imagine, if you recount all of your abilities, you can build a very comprehensive and unnecessarily long skills section. But there is no need to do this to impress recruiters. All you have to do is create a well-rounded profile of your skill set.

To do this:

• Re-read your resume once again — specifically your experience and education sections.
• Verify if you’ve already mentioned any of the skills from the job ad.
• Make note of the ones you haven’t addressed yet and include them in your skills section. Don’t add more than 10 skills to avoid overcrowding your resume.
• Describe how you acquired your skills by referencing career achievements and certificates you’ve obtained.

If the job description  doesn’t provide a full list of the necessary skills required for the role, you’ll have to go back to your research about the health facility. If the ad mentions the type of medical services the organization offers or the nursing assistant subspecialty requested, align your skills section with this information.

We’ve also compiled two lists with the currently most popular social and technical skills for nursing assistants to help you out. Is there any missing from your resume? Showcase them in your skills section!

Best hard skills for your nursing assistant resume

• Basic nursing skills
• Patient transfers
• Wound dressing
• Infection control
• Vital signs measurement
• Catheter care
• Electronic health record (EHR) software
• Microsoft Office
• Patient bathing
• Medical equipment operation
• Medical terminology
• Feeding assistance
• Tracheostomy care
• Medication administration
• Blood glucose monitoring
• Therapeutic techniques
• Physical therapy assistance
• Post-operative care
• Bedpan changes

Best soft skills for your nursing assistant resume

• Patience  
• Empathy  
• Effective communication
• Time management  
• Multitasking
• Critical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving
• Service orientation
• Adaptability
• Interpersonal skills
• Emotional resilience
• Tact and diplomacy
• Active listening
• Professionalism
• Decision-making skills
• Respect for patient confidentiality

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

As mentioned in the beginning, health recruiters are very particular about the set of nursing assistant qualifications they demand from candidates. That’s why crafting an outstanding education section  properly is just as important as your work history.

Formal education

The level of detail you add to your education section is based on the amount of practical experience you have. If you’re a recent graduate, include the:

• Name of your degree, as well as the qualifications you’ve obtained.
• Provide the name of the academic institution and its location.
• Cite the start and end date of your course. If you’re still undergoing training, state the expected date of graduation .
• Describe one of your top academic achievements, such as a relevant piece of coursework  you’ve done.
• Reference majors and minors  that directly relate to the required subspecialty.

Here is what an ideal education section looks like:

• • Researched and presented a presentation on the Common Misconceptions in Nursing on Commonly-administered Drugs in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
• • Majored in Medical Surgical Nursing, Principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology, and Pharmacology.

On the other hand, if you have more than four years of clinical experience, you can omit details about your academic focus and work. Instead, concentrate on additional training you’ve undergone after graduation.

You can do this by recounting your qualifications and certifications. Here is how to do it.

Certificates

Listing certifications on your resume  is easy! All you have to do is:

• Select the credentials that relate most to the offered position.
• Check their date of validity, as well as their status. Health recruiters must ensure that you’re eligible to practice within the jurisdiction cited in the ad. More importantly your credentials have to be in good standing with the relevant Board of Health.
• Organize them in order of relevancy, starting with the most pertinent certificate.
• State the qualifications you’re granted upon completion of the training.
• Provide the name of the issuing institution and the date you received the certificate.

Best certifications for your nursing assistant resume

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT/A)  
• Certified Geriatric Nursing Assistant (CGNA)
• Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA)
• Medication Aide Certification (MAC)

How to write your nursing assistant resume summary or objective

Finally, don’t neglect to declare what motivates you to pursue the available role by writing a powerful resume profile . This is a short paragraph of no more than 100 words at the top of your resume that provides an overview of your accomplishments and top skills.

Depending on the years of clinical experience you have, there are two types of resume profiles you can build.

If you’re a tenured nursing assistant with more than five years of experience, then opt for a resume summary . This profile type focuses on your:

• Career achievements:  Highlight at least one accomplishment that showcases your value as a nursing assistant.
• Subspecialty and specific training: Cite two or three of your key technical nursing skills to emphasize how your professional profile relates to the available position.
• Type of patients you have experience treating:  By describing your experience in patient care, you’ll provide evidence of how you acquired your top nursing skills.

By contrast, if you’re a nursing assistant novice, write a resume objective . Although its structure is similar to the summary, this profile concentrates on your:

• Potential value as a nursing assistant:  Since you haven’t established yourself as a medical specialist yet, you’ll have to advocate for yourself and all the benefits your work will bring.
• Clinical rotations you’ve completed: Hiring managers prioritize candidates with clinical and shadowing experience as familiarity with the medical equipment and work environment are crucial for the position.
• Academic background:  To make your professional profile more well-rounded, mention the type of qualifications you have. These will prove that your abilities are up to the latest nursing standards.

Let’s illustrate the differences with a few examples.

First, have a look at the sample below:

Even though the candidate has appealed to the health organization by referring to the exact position they’re aiming for, this nursing assistant resume objective won’t impress recruiters.

Most of the issues concern the lack of explanation surrounding the applicant’s achievements and skills. The paragraph doesn’t mention how the accomplishments came to be or how the candidate acquired their skills.

Last, but not least, the applicant should’ve refrained from using field-specific abbreviations as not all hiring managers recognize them. So, to avoid ambiguity, write out the full name of your degree and qualifications.

Here is how to amend the paragraph:

This version is better because it describes the type of clinical experience the candidate has, as well as what their work entailed during their residency. Plus, the objective relates the applicant’s technical talents with their clinical experience.

Now, take a look at the following example:

The above nursing assistant resume summary won’t catch the recruiters’ eye because it doesn’t properly describe the applicant’s subspecialty and qualifications. Hence, the profile doesn’t offer any reasonable support in favor of the candidate’s application for a position in the facility’s maternity ward.

Plus, the applicant has missed the chance to match possible resume keywords by writing out the full name of their certificate.

An improved version of the summary would be:

This profile provides strong arguments as to what makes the candidate qualified to be a member of the health organization’s maternity ward as they list:

• Pertinent achievements;
• Relevant hard and soft skills;
• Supplementary subspecialty training.

Additional sections for a nursing assistant resume

We know that every job seeker is different, so in most cases, a cookie-cutter resume template won’t do. If you still want to share role-relevant information that doesn’t fit into any of the essential sections we’ve discussed so far, you can build your own.

To do this, first determine what type of experience or ability you want to add to your resume. Then, think about how to best categorize your expertise.

Here are some ideas on what else you can add:

• Volunteering experience : Relevant clinical experience doesn’t have to come from residencies and rotations alone. Volunteering at a health-related event, such as a blood donation drive, will demonstrate your commitment to the job and willingness to improve your skills in patient care.
• Publications and research : If you’ve delved primarily into the academic side of nursing, describe your particular medical focus. This will inform hiring managers of what motivates you to pursue nursing and how you plan to grow further as a medical specialist.
• Non-medical training and courses:  Depending on the type of patients you’ll be treating some of your non-nursing education can be of value to your potential employer. For example, imagine you’re aiming to become a nursing assistant at a children’s summer camp. If you’ve undergone specialized search and rescue medical training, you’ll be among the top contenders for the position!
• Language skills :  Patients come from all walks of life. That’s why recruiters prefer candidates who are proficient in foreign languages or American Sign Language (ASL) as they are well-equipped to understand their patients’ needs better and provide the necessary care.

Key takeaways

In conclusion, to write an impressive nursing assistant resume, you’ll have to do a bit of research about the health organization to tailor your application accordingly. Once you do that, simply:

• Choose a resume format that will best represent your experience and expertise.
• List your nursing assistant qualifications next to your name in the resume header.
• Craft a resume summary or objective to explain how your skills relate to the offered role.
• Describe the range of medical services your past employers provide when recounting prior roles.
• Explain what experience you’ve gained during your tenure and what your approach to patient care is.
• Remember to always quantify your achievements to showcase the impact of your work.
• Don’t add more than 10 skills in your talent section to avoid overcrowding your resume.
• Arrange your degrees and certificates in order of relevancy.

Nursing Assistant resume examples

Explore additional nursing assistant resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Assistant Nurse roles have evolved from the broader nursing field, highly influenced by advancements in healthcare practices and technologies.

While applying for Assistant Nurse positions, include your experience with modern nursing techniques and protocols, such as patient safety and infection control procedures. Highlight your abilities in assisting with the administration of medication and documenting patient history. Showcase your interpersonal skills and your ability to establish rapport with patients, their families, and medical professionals.

Remember, don't just list your skills, but show how they enhanced patient care, for instance, 'improved patient recovery rates by doing..' Insert any relevant nursing certifications you hold, as this is a significant selection criterion.

Certified Nurse Aide’s focus is primarily on patient care, making experience with hands-on caregiving skills crucial.

List your proficiency in basic patient care tasks including bathing, feeding, and transporting patients. Emphasize your capabilities in health monitoring, such as checking vital signs and observing changes in a patient's condition.

It’s essential to share how these skills had a direct impact on patient well-being, for instance, 'increased patient comfort by providing...'. Demonstrate your soft skills such as communication, empathy, and patience, and specify if you have any specialty, such as geriatric or pediatric caregiving.

Certification is key for a Certified Nurse Aide, ensuring it is prominently highlighted.

Nurse Extern is often a stepping-stone role for nursing students, making it critical to display a healthy mix of academic and practical engagement.

Detail your experience with hands-on practice through clinical rotation or externship, conducting patient assessments, and administering basic care under supervision. Emphasize your collaborative work with healthcare teams, and involvement in patient education.

Contextualize your skills by illustrating how they contributed positively to patient care, say, 'enhanced patient understanding and adherence by implementing...'. Highlight any academic achievements or nursing-related study projects you've been part of.

Finally, as a student, your educational details and expected graduation date should be clearly stated on your resume.

Looking to build your own Nursing Assistant resume?

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How To Write a Resume Profile in Five Steps

Profiles vs. Objective Statements

The five steps to a profile, tying it all together, frequently asked questions about writing a resume profile.

The resume profile (or summary) describes your main credentials for your target job. Appearing at the top of the resume, it’s the first section hiring managers read and strongly influences whether they call you for an interview .

You may feel lost when developing your profile, especially if you’re just starting your resume. But it’s best to work on the profile after you’ve already drafted your professional experience, education, training, and other relevant areas. Then, you can develop your profile with a broader understanding of your career so far.

For a long time, the standard resume intro was an objective statement that would appear above or in place of the profile. Rather than describing an applicant’s key qualifications, the objective would state their end goal for their job search. An example is “Seeking a sales role where I can work on building win-win relationships with clients.” In recent years, the objective has fallen out of favor since it speaks to the job seeker’s needs rather than the hiring manager’s. So avoid using an objective and instead begin your resume with a profile summary of what you offer.

When you’re ready to start your profile, follow these steps:

Step 1. Write a simple statement of your job title and years of experience

For example, say you’re a sales manager who has risen through the ranks over 10 years. Start your profile with a line like:

Resourceful sales manager with over 10 years of advancement and experience.

But if you’re changing careers, use a more general intro statement that still relates to your goals and reflects your background. For instance, say you’d like to stay in sales but no longer in a leadership capacity. Use a broader line like “Resourceful sales professional with over 10 years of experience” to position yourself for the switch back to direct sales.

Step 2. Pinpoint and develop a common theme

Look over all your other resume sections and select three to five details that strike you as especially impressive or relevant. Then, review them all together. Does a common work theme or strength emerge? Write one or two profile sentences on that theme. For instance, if your highlights point to your expertise in engaging and collaborating with clients, that’s a great area to write about further.

Step 3. Avoid clichés by way of action verbs

At this stage, you may run into the problem of profile clichés. For instance (continuing the above example), you might describe your collaborative streak as “Excellent communication and collaboration skills.” But terms like this are overused and won’t add much value to your profile.

To avoid clichés and liven up your profile language, use complete sentences with action verbs. Think about what you actually do at work – the actions (or verbs) you take to generate results. This approach can turn a static word like “collaboration” into a specific, verb-powered phrase like “Collaborate with clients to find win-win product solutions.”

Step 4. Cite a specific achievement

If one or more of your highlights is a quantified achievement from your work history, you can repeat it in your profile to make the description more compelling and specific to you. Say one of your highlights is “Surpassed quota by 10% in 2013, 18% in 2014, 20% in 2015, and 22% in 2016 and 2017.” Consider adapting it to your profile with a phrase like “Achievements include surpassing quota by over 18% on average for five consecutive years.”

Putting together the steps so far, we have the basis for a strong profile:

Resourceful sales professional with over 10 years of experience. Collaborate with clients to find win-win product solutions, driving consistent revenue and profit growth. Achievements include surpassing quota by over 18% on average for five consecutive years.

Step 5. Plug in other key credentials

You can then round out your profile with one or two more statements on your other top qualifications. If one of your other highlights is an advanced degree or certification, that can give your summary a strong outro. Also, note that foreign language ability is often viewed as a key asset by employers, so if you have it, feature it in your profile.

After following these five steps, you should have a viable resume profile of your own, something on par with this finished example:

Resourceful sales professional with over 10 years of experience. Collaborate with clients to find win-win product solutions, driving consistent revenue and profit growth. Achievements include surpassing quota by over 18% on average for five consecutive years. Offer well-rounded business acumen and expertise, drawing on a recently finished MBA degree. Bilingual: fluent in English and French.

But then consider: Are you missing anything important? Have you left out a work highlight or skill area that’s key to your next job? If yes, add a sentence or two on those missing areas and take heart that you’re gaining an ear for the type of information a winning profile calls for.

Do I need a profile summary on my resume? -

Yes. Virtually any job seeker can improve their resume by adding a profile. A strong profile section catches a hiring manager’s attention by giving the key reasons you’ll thrive at their organization. In seconds, it assures the reader that you’re a strong candidate whose application is worth a closer look.

How long should my profile be? -

Many resume experts give strict parameters for profile length; three or four lines of text is the standard order. But profiles are more flexible than that. Don’t worry if your own profile comes in shorter or longer, given you’ve followed this process. And never add fancy language to your summary for its own sake.

What experience areas should I cite in my profile? -

Any, as long as they help present you as a strong candidate for your target job. Most job seekers will derive at least some profile content from their work experience. But you could also use details from your education, volunteer experience, or any other section of your resume.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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• Resume Profile Explained...

Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

13 min read · Updated on January 17, 2024

Make an impact with a knock-out profile

When it comes to job search success, nothing is more important than ensuring that your resume captures an employer's attention. After all, even the best resumes are useless if no one reads them. Of course, that raises an important question: is there anything you can do to make your resume get the attention it deserves?

In this post, we'll explain how a great resume profile can help you to solve that challenge. We'll explain how a resume profile works, when you should use it in your resume, and how to create a profile that immediately commands interest. Finally, we'll provide several resume profile examples that you can customize and use in your own resume.

What is a resume profile?

If you're already familiar with the resume objective statement or resume summary, then the concept of a resume profile should be easy to understand. Put simply, the resume profile is an introductory paragraph that quickly summarizes your skills and experiences in a way that motivates hiring managers to continue reading your resume.

As you'll discover in our resume profile examples later in the post, a great profile focuses attention on your best skills, experience, and achievements. You can think of it as an elevator pitch for your resume - a quick snapshot that provides just enough information to make the reader want to learn more about you.

Related: Make the Perfect First Impression With Your Resume

What types of resume profiles can you use?

To better understand the resume profile, it may help to look at some of the different types of resume profiles that job seekers can use. There are three different types of common profiles, including the objective statement, summary, and summary of qualifications.

Objective statement

The resume objective statement is often considered obsolete, since it tends to focus more on your career goals than the employer's needs. It's often used by entry level workers with little experience or career-changers who need to explain why their skill set makes them a good candidate for the job. To use it effectively, job candidates need to ensure that they include some language that explains how they can benefit the employer if they're hired. For example:

“Creative social media professional with 3 years of experience and proven results. Skilled in cross-platform engagement enhancement and brand development. Looking for an opportunity to work with a company that prioritizes customer experience and brand loyalty. Experience includes increasing customer engagement by 130% over a six-month period.”

Related : Resume Objective Examples: A Career Objective Guide

Summary paragraph

The resume summary has replaced the objective statement in most modern resumes - and for good reason. This brief paragraph may also mention one or two key skills, but its primary focus is on detailing your important work experience and measurable achievements. As a result, the summary is a preferred option for job seekers with significant experience, since it's designed to demonstrate your value as an employee. Below, is an example of this type of profile statement:

“Accomplished Project Manager with more than ten years of successful team building and project execution expertise. Skilled in process development, workflow management, and collaboration with stakeholders. Received Agile Leader award in 2018. While at ABC Corporation, developed personnel resource allocation program that increased project efficiency by 48% in the first year of use.”

Summary of qualifications

The third option is the summary of qualifications. The main difference between this type of summary and the summary paragraph involves the format choice. Instead of being one block of text, it combines a brief paragraph with several bullet point examples of notable achievements. For example:

Dynamic Team Leader with 7 years of experience in customer management, problem-solving, and team building. Proven to increase team productivity, enhance the customer service experience, and provide real value to an employer.

• Led 30-person team of technical professionals, with 95% customer satisfaction
• Reorganized project workflow for ABC Corporation, increasing efficiency by 45%
• Developed training program that reduced employee onboarding costs by 17%

What elements should you include in your resume profile?

Before you create a resume profile, it's important to think about the types of information you want to include for your reader. What types of qualification is the employer evaluating as part of its hiring decision? Does the job description focus primarily on core skills ? Do you have achievements that are likely to make a positive impression on the hiring manager?

There are many different profile elements that you can include, so you'll need to prioritize based on the employers' needs. The fact is that you won't have room in your profile to cover all these different types of information, so choose wisely:

Skills that are relevant to the position you're seeking

Your length of experience

Notable achievements, preferably ones that you can quantify with real numbers

Core personal characteristics that make you a good fit for the role

Your career aspirations - preferably noted in a way that shows how they align with the company's vision

Related : Top 15 Professional Goals and How to Achieve Them

Again, make sure that you focus attention on the job posting, taking note of every key skill and experience that the employer cites as required qualifications. You'll want to tailor your profile - and the rest of your resume - to align with those stated employer needs.

Pro tip: Make special note of those job requirements, since you will want to use the same language in your resume. Those keywords are essential for ensuring that your resume can satisfy any applicant tracking system screening the employer might be using.

You should also do some research to learn more about the company's culture. That will enable you to further tailor your resume profile to include personal traits that highlight how well you'll fit into that environment. Sometimes, those little details can make the difference between you and another similarly qualified candidate.

How to write your own resume profile: tips

When you're ready to create your resume profile, it's important to know how to do it the right way. Since it's the first thing employers will see after they're done reading your contact details, you need to make sure that it's as compelling as possible. The following tips can help.

Write this part of your resume last

Even though your profile section will be near the top of your resume, you should still create this important section last. Why? Well, it's simple: since the resume profile serves as a summary of your qualifications, it's helpful to get the rest of the resume done before you start on that summary.

Make it brief

Be as concise as you can. Again, think of this profile section as a salesperson's elevator pitch. It doesn't need to tell your entire employment story, but should instead serve as a brief highlight of your greatest hits. As a rule, try to restrict this paragraph to no more than four sentences. If you use a summary of qualifications, include just one or two brief sentences and three or four bullet points.

Choose the best profile type for your job search needs

Which type of profile should you create? If you're an entry-level employee, you may want to focus on a modified objective statement - one that focuses on your career goals, while highlighting the ways in which your skills can benefit the employer. If you have more experience, you may want to rely on the summary paragraph. Just be sure to include at least one measurable achievement to highlight your value.

If you're switching careers and need to focus attention on transferable skills, you may even want to rely on a summary of qualifications. Those bullet points can be a great way to emphasize specific skills and highlight the value that you've provided for previous employers.

Tailor the profile to your desired position

Make sure that your profile aligns with the job you're seeking. You can do this by including some core keywords from the job posting, detailing your qualifications. However, make sure that your profile ultimately aligns with who you are as an employee. If you take the tailoring to extremes, you may end up with a profile that fails to accurately represent your personality and character.

Don't be afraid to add personality

Speaking of personality, this is the place to add that personal touch. Your skills, work experience, and education sections are not appropriate for adding personality, but a few well-chosen words in your profile can help the employer to better understand you as a person.

Of course, make sure that your personal flourishes fit with the type of job you're seeking. For example, a few words about your fun work style will be appreciated if you're applying for a customer service or similar position. That same language may not be as useful if you're seeking a role in a law firm. Use your best judgment as you determine how much personality to put into any profile.

Use measurable achievements

We've already mentioned measurable achievements several times, but it's important to highlight them once again. Your resume profile should include at least one quantifiable accomplishment, backed by real numbers that demonstrate the value you've provided. For example:

• Implemented new networking system that reduced downtime by 33%, improving both efficiency and productivity and providing 12% cost savings for the company
• Led sales team effort that increased new customer acquisition by 13% while generating $12 million in new revenues in the first six months of the fiscal year
• Created an online customer engagement program that increased website visits by 45%, enhanced new sales activities by 13%, and boosted revenues by 10% within one quarter of implementation

Resume profile examples you can use

As you might expect, your approach to creating a resume profile can also differ based on the type of job you're seeking. That's because different job roles require different skill sets, experiences, and personal qualities.

To get you started, we've compiled resume profile examples covering a wide variety of professions. You can use these professional profile examples as templates for your profile, or simply refer to them for guidance as you create your own unique resume opening.

Resume profile examples for students

Recent Information Technology graduate focused on operating and security software management. Seeking employment with a dynamic software firm in need of advanced networking and troubleshooting expertise. Experience includes a one-year internship with DynacorpX, providing testing and problem-resolution that helped increase company productivity by 14%.

Resume profile example for entry-level applicants

Friendly, detail-oriented, and organized customer service professional looking to be part of an energetic, mission-focused team.

• Skilled at developing organizational processes, managing records, and engaging customers
• Successfully resolved customer complaints, with 90% satisfaction rate while volunteering with FreshStart
• Broad computer systems expertise, including database and presentation platforms

Resume profile example for career-changers

Personnel-focused Sales Team Leader with 10+ years of experience in team building, training, and sales program development. Looking to transition to a project management role to better use organizational and project implementation skills. While at ABC Corporation, successfully created and executed a sales process reorganization that cut waste by 45%, saving the company more than $40,000 per year.

Related : 21 Project Management Skills Every Project Manager Needs to Succeed

Resume profile example for a Graphic Designer

Dynamic and innovative Graphic Designer with 4 years of experience in the gaming and entertainment industry. Skilled in developing storyboards, character animation, typography, and general layouts. Creative successes include development work on more than 200 unique graphic design projects that helped to generate more than $300 million in revenue.

Resume profile example for a Marketing Manager

Creative Marketing Manager focused on data-driven solutions. More than 8 years of experience in building collaborative teams capable of overcoming any challenge. While at XYZ Inc., led a 10-person team responsible for broadening target audience by 200%, increasing company revenues by 120% over a three-year period. Expertise includes digital marketing campaigns focused on driving new customer acquisition and target audience engagement.

Resume profile example for an Accountant

Detail-oriented finance professional with 7 years of accounting expertise. Proficient in accounting best practices, including creation and management of financial reports, regulatory compliance, tax issues, and budget management and forecasting. Reorganized DEF Corporation's accounting department, reducing inefficiencies by 28%, cutting costs by 19%, and improving productivity by 33%.

Resume profile example for an Administrative Assistant

Reliable Administrative Assistant with 8 years of experience in office management and personal assistance. Comprehensive expertise in presentation development, scheduling management, reporting, and confidentiality. Reorganized filing and reporting systems at Beagle Law, improving client response times by 40%, reducing redundancies, and cutting labor costs by 12%.

Resume profile example for a Data Scientist

Fact-driven Data Scientist with 8 years of experience in data analysis, predictive modeling, and data mining. Proficient with SQL, Python, Tableau, and other common data visualization systems. While at DataCore, took the lead on development of new processes that increased decision-making efficiency by improving the company's ability to use data to gain useful insights. Project resulted in an 18% increase in overall departmental productivity.

Resume profile example for an HR Manager

Personnel-focused HR Manager with 7 years of experience managing human resources functions. Expertise in recruitment, onboarding processes, employee training and relations, and performance reviews. Designed AmAm's new HR policies to align with new firm policies, emphasizing progressive discipline and promotion of a positive work environment. Effort resulted in a 33% reduction in turnover and 43% increase in employee satisfaction.

Resume profile example for a Teacher

Results-oriented educator with 6 years of experience as a middle school Teacher. Expertise in crafting challenging but engaging lesson plans designed to encourage critical thinking and classroom participation in an inclusive way. Dedicated to professional development to stay abreast of current educational best practices and focused on enhancing each student's ability to achieve success. Specific competencies include English, US History, and Basic Civics.

Resume profile example for a Construction Manager

Task-oriented construction professional with more than 10 years of experience in both commercial and residential project management. Led teams responsible for completing more than 60 construction projects valued at more than $40 million dollars, with a 99% on-time and under-budget record of success. Bilingual (English and Spanish) manager with expertise in budget allocation, resource management, project estimates and implementation.

Craft the best possible intro for your resume!

No matter what type of resume profile you decide to use to introduce yourself to prospective employers, your goal should always be the same: to create a powerful and compelling message that inspires employers to read the rest of your resume. The tips and resume profile examples we've provided should ensure that you have everything you need to craft your own profile narrative.

Still not sure if your resume profile has what it takes to capture your reader's interest? Get a free resume review from our team of top experts today!

Recommended reading:

47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

The Best Resume Format to Get Hired

How to Advance Your Career (plus 10 Insightful Tips)

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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Management Resume Summary: 15 Examples to Help You Write Your Own

As the first section recruiters see, your resume summary should highlight your top accomplishments and skills, tailored to the specific position you’re applying for. This is especially important for management roles, where a standout management resume summary can help you get noticed in a competitive job market.

Let’s break down what a manager's summary should include and give you templates and resume summary examples to help you create a standout one for various roles.

What is a resume summary?

A resume summary is a concise section at the top of your resume that offers a snapshot of your professional profile. Unlike a detailed resume experience section , a good summary for a resume provides a high-level overview of your most significant accomplishments , skills , and qualifications.

The goal is to capture the attention of hiring managers and recruiters by highlighting your key strengths and achievements in a few sentences or bullet points. It acts as a quick pitch to persuade employers to continue reading and consider you for the role.

Get that resume summary out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find your dream job »

Resume summary for management: how is it different?

A manager resume summary is a focused version of a resume summary that highlights qualifications and experiences specific to management positions. It emphasizes your leadership skills , strategic thinking, and ability to deliver results in areas like project management, office management, operations, general management, or retail management.

How to write a management resume summary

Your resume summary should not only showcase your qualifications but also set the stage for the rest of your resume, demonstrating to potential employers why you are the ideal candidate for their management position.

Follow these tips when writing your management resume summary:

1. Keep it brief

A resume summary usually has three to five sentences or a few bullet points. It helps hiring managers quickly see if you’re a good fit for the job without having to dig through your whole resume.

2. Highlight your leadership skills

Emphasize your experience in leading teams, managing people, and overseeing projects or operations. This could include examples of how you motivated your team, resolved conflicts, or achieved team goals.

3. Emphasize strategic planning and execution

Highlight your ability to develop and execute strategies that contribute to organizational success. Mention specific strategic initiatives you’ve led or contributed to, and how they impacted the company’s bottom line.

4. Demonstrate operational management skills

Showcase your expertise in managing day-to-day operations, optimizing processes, and ensuring efficient workflow. This could involve experience with budgeting, resource allocation, or process improvements.

5. Include quantifiable achievements

Include quantifiable achievements that demonstrate your effectiveness as a manager. For instance, if you're writing a project manager summary for your resume, you might mention increases in productivity, revenue growth, or successful project completions.

(Here's how to quantify your resume bullets —even if you don't work with numbers.)

6. Personalize industry-specific knowledge

Tailor your resume summary to reflect the industry you’re applying for. This can include specific industry-related skills, certifications, or knowledge of best practices. It should also include keywords and skills relevant to the job description, making it easier for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) to identify your resume as a match.

Resume summary template

Here’s a general resume summary template you can use:

[Adjective] and [adjective] management professional with [number] years of experience in [industry]. Proven ability to [relevant skill] and [relevant skill] to achieve [specific result]. Adept at [specific management activity], with a strong focus on [key area of expertise]. Looking to leverage my expertise in [desired role] at [company name].

15 resume summary examples for management roles

Need more inspiration? Check out these 15 well-crafted management resume summary examples for different types of managers—one of them might be exactly what you're looking for.

Example #1: Project manager resume summary

Detail-oriented and strategic project manager with 10 years of experience in IT and software development. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multimillion-dollar projects to successful completion. Adept at risk management and resource allocation, with a strong focus on meeting project deadlines and budget requirements. Looking to leverage my expertise in agile methodologies at XYZ Tech.

Find project manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #2: Office manager resume summary

Organized and proactive office manager with over 7 years of experience in administrative support and office operations. Demonstrated success in streamlining office procedures, improving communication, and enhancing overall efficiency. Skilled in team management and office software, looking to bring my strong organizational skills to ABC Corp.

Find office manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #3: Operations manager resume summary

Results-driven operations manager with 12 years of experience in manufacturing and logistics. Expertise in optimizing production processes, reducing costs, and improving quality control. Proven track record of leading teams to exceed performance targets and implement continuous improvement initiatives. Seeking to apply my operational leadership skills at DEF Manufacturing.

Find operations manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #4: General manager resume summary

Visionary and dynamic general manager with 15 years of experience in retail and hospitality. Known for driving business growth and enhancing customer satisfaction through strategic planning and team development. Skilled in financial management and operational efficiency, eager to lead the expansion of GHI Retail.

Find general manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #: Retail manager resume summary

Customer-focused retail manager with 8 years of experience in high-end fashion retail. Proven ability to increase sales through exceptional customer service and staff training. Strong background in inventory management and merchandising. Looking to bring my retail expertise to JKL Fashion Store.

Find retail manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #6: Assistant project manager resume summary

Efficient and supportive assistant project manager with 5 years of experience in construction. Known for assisting in the successful completion of projects by managing schedules, coordinating teams, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Seeking to contribute to the ongoing success of MNO Construction.

Find assistant project manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #7: Marketing manager resume summary

Innovative and strategic marketing manager with 9 years of experience in digital marketing and brand management. Proven track record of developing and executing marketing campaigns that increase brand awareness and drive sales. Skilled in data analysis and customer segmentation, looking to bring my marketing expertise to PQR Marketing Agency.

Find marketing manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #8: Sales manager resume summary

Ambitious and results-oriented sales manager with 10 years of experience in B2B sales. Demonstrated success in driving revenue growth, developing sales strategies, and leading high-performing sales teams. Adept at relationship building and market analysis, seeking to leverage my sales expertise at STU Corporation.

Find sales manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #9: Human resources manager resume summary

Compassionate and strategic human resources manager with 12 years of experience in employee relations and talent acquisition. Proven ability to develop and implement HR policies that improve employee satisfaction and retention. Skilled in conflict resolution and performance management, eager to join the HR team at VWX Enterprises.

Find human resources manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #10: Financial manager resume summary

Detail-oriented and analytical financial manager with 10 years of experience in corporate finance and accounting. Expertise in budgeting, financial planning, and risk management. Proven ability to optimize financial performance and provide strategic insights. Looking to bring my financial expertise to YZ Finance Group.

Find financial manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #11: Product manager resume summary

Innovative and customer-centric product manager with 8 years of experience in product development and lifecycle management. Proven track record of launching successful products and driving market penetration. Skilled in market research and cross-functional collaboration, seeking to apply my product management skills at ABC Tech.

Find product manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #12: Hospitality manager resume summary

Guest-focused and organized hospitality manager with 10 years of experience in hotel management and customer service. Proven ability to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency. Skilled in staff training and event planning, looking to bring my hospitality expertise to DEF Hotels.

Find hospitality manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #13: Logistics manager resume summary

Proactive and efficient logistics manager with 7 years of experience in supply chain management and distribution. Proven ability to optimize logistics operations, reduce costs, and improve delivery times. Skilled in inventory management and vendor relations, eager to join the logistics team at GHI Logistics.

Find logistics manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #14: IT manager resume summary

Tech-savvy and strategic IT manager with 9 years of experience in IT infrastructure and project management. Proven ability to lead IT teams, manage budgets, and implement technology solutions that drive business growth. Skilled in cybersecurity and network management, looking to bring my IT expertise to JKL Tech Solutions.

Find IT manager jobs here on The Muse

Example #15: Customer service manager resume summary

Empathetic and results-driven customer service manager with 8 years of experience in customer support and team leadership. Proven ability to improve customer satisfaction and reduce response times through effective training and process improvements. Skilled in CRM software and conflict resolution, seeking to join the customer service team at MNO Services.

Find customer service manager jobs here on The Muse

Key takeaways

Your resume summary is a critical component of your management resume, serving as your first impression to potential employers. Use the examples and template provided in this guide to craft a compelling resume summary that showcases your management expertise and sets you apart from the competition.