You are here! You have completed your CNA training classes and passed your CNA certification exam. Now you are ready to enter the medical arena with your first job. To get there, you have to qualify for the CNA interview and you are nervous about the CNA interview questions.
Nervousness about the interview is quite natural. Wondering how to present yourself, the types of questions they will ask, and how to answer them correctly can be nerve-wracking. However, facing your fears and presenting the best version of yourself will help you land your dream job.
CNA interviews will test your skills and your compassion. The interviewer will put your people skills and clinical expertise to the test throughout the interview. From general questions to CNA-specific questions, you will have to prepare for everything.
In this article, we have given you a comprehensive overview of the types of CNA interview questions and their general answers. Keep reading to learn how to ace your CNA interview on the first attempt.
General CNA Interview Questions
Tell Us About Yourself
Because this is the most commonly asked question in an interview, you should have a strong reply. It’ll most likely be your first question and you should emphasize your strongest and most self-assured attributes.
The best “tell us about yourself” answer will include your strengths and weaknesses. Do not start with, “I was born in California and my father does this…” Rather, start with your accomplishments, a brief overview of your education, and why you are there.
In short, your “tell us about yourself” answer should include:
- Who you are.
- What are your accomplishments are.
- Why you are in the interview.
To know more about “tell us about yourself,” you can read this blog.
Where Do You See Yourself in the Next Five Years?
This is another general and common question. If we think about the question, it is an unsure question because you never know where life will take you. However, you cannot be vague. Your answer should neither go into too much detail nor be too casual.
Keep in mind that the interviewer is asking this question to determine whether you are committed to sticking with the company in the future. Your answer should depict your skills as a good fit for the role and how they will help the organization in the coming years.
An ideal “Where do you see yourself in next five years,” answer should include:
- Your enthusiasm to stay in the organization during the next five years.
- How you have carefully chosen this company for your future.
- Your passion for the company or industry and your skills to be a perfect fit for this role.
What Are Your Strengths?
Both this question and its counterpart are every interviewer’s favorite questions to ask. The most important thing to remember is not to shy away from telling your positive traits (Yes! You have your strengths, too). But, be careful not to brag about your strengths. The ideal way of answering this question is to list your strengths in a humble way.
Your answer must comprise of your personal positive traits and how these traits will help your job as a CNA. Focus on depicting your organizational skills, quick thinking, strong work ethics, and strong determination. Justifying how you think your existing skills will help you thrive as a good CNA is also a good idea.
What Are Your Weaknesses?
This is a very awkward question to answer, but you have to carefully admit that you have weaknesses, too. The best way to respond to this is to recognize your flaws and describe how you plan to turn those flaws into strengths.
The most important aspect of answering this question is to let the interviewer know that you recognize your weaknesses. Put forward that your weaknesses will not actively hamper your role.
To know more on how to answer this question and other sample answers read this blog. Let’s now discuss some of the specific CNA interview questions in detail.
Specific CNA Interview Questions
Now that you have an idea of what the most commonly asked general questions are, let us see a few specific CNA interview questions.
Why Did You Decide to Become a CNA?
This question may be a tricky one to answer. You have to frame the answer in a way that depicts a genuine inspiration for you to become a CNA. This question allows you to depict the depth of knowledge you have for the role.
You have to present a story that shows you to be compassionate toward others. Relay the personal traits that you think will be helpful in treating and helping patients. You can touch on your strengths again and tell them how those strengths will help you be the best CNA you can be.
What Sets You Apart from Others?
This question will come your way because your interviewer is looking for the best talent from thousands of CNA applicants. This is your best chance to highlight your educational achievements and any specialization training you have completed.
You can also highlight any on-site training you have had in the past and how that training will bring more value to your job. Even if you are a new hire, you can tell them about your school training and how that experience will build up your present work quality.
What if Some Patients Are Hard to Handle?
The interviewer will ask this question to test your presence of mind and to understand how quickly you can act in dire situations. Being a CNA will require you to face tough situations. You have to present your answer to highlight how you can turn a hard situation into a positive one.
Focus on shining light on your good communication and people management skills. You can tell them that you will try to talk with the patient and find out the cause of their discomfort. Tell them you know the consequences of patients who refuse treatments. Conclude your answer by saying that whatever situation comes, you will not lose your dignity and commitment towards your role.
Apart from the specific CNA interview questions, there are a few other important CNA interview questions that will help you with the interview preparation. Let’s discuss them in detail.
Other Important CNA Questions
In a typical CNA interview, you will come across all the above questions, but the list doesn’t end here. There are hundreds of other questions that you might have to answer in a CNA interview.
Keeping that in mind, I have come up with some other important CNA interview questions:
- Why did you leave your last organization?
- How will you prioritize different tasks when all of them are important?
- Can you cooperate with other nurses and doctors?
- Your job will demand a lot of mental stress. How will you manage such a situation?
- What is your future plan? Do you plan to continue further education?
- What is your greatest achievement to date?
- Describe a tough situation you have faced in past and how you overcame it.
A point to keep in mind is that, in an interview, you can ask questions and express doubts to the interviewer at the end.
Questions You Can Ask in the Interview
To have better clarification on how your life will be after joining, you can ask these questions:
- Can you tell me how long the orientation process will be?
- What is the number of medical staff working here? What is the medical staff-patient ratio?
- How will my day as a CNA look?
Your preparation doesn’t end with just preparing for CNA interview questions. To bring your best foot forward, you have to know the correct CNA dress code for the interview. Read our blog to learn all about the CNA dress code.
Start your CNA journey early by preparing with the best practice test papers. Practice with our free CNA practice papers to ace your CNA certification exams.
Keeping in mind all the aforesaid points will help you prepare in the best possible way. Along all these things present yourself with confidence and a positive smile.
Good luck with your interview!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to introduce yourself as a CNA in the interview?
The best way to present yourself for your CNA interview is coming in with the proper CNA dress code, addressing your interviewers with proper honorifics, and maintaining positive communication. The most important thing is to present your answers with confidence.
What should I wear for my CNA interview?
If there is a specific dress code, stick to that. If there are not, men can wear formal suits with matching formal shoes and women can wear a plain formal skirt with a blouse, paired with formal low heels or formal bellies.
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