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The 2020 Guide to Securing an NHS Job

• January 02, 2020

The NHS is the largest employer in the UK and Europe employing over 1.5 million people in hundreds of different roles.

Within the NHS, there are over 60 specialisms to work within. By joining, you will have access to:

• World-class teaching and training
• Career development and flexible career paths
• An excellent pension scheme
• Good quality of living

In this blog post, we share our guide on the two ways to apply for NHS jobs via direct applications and a recruitment agency. We give you our top tips on providing successful supporting statements, the advantages of using a recruitment agency and how to write a good medical CV: all essential elements to successfully securing an NHS job.

Job Opportunities

As mentioned, when you are ready to start making NHS job applications, you have several resources available to you: direct applications via NHS Jobs, job boards and Recruitment Agencies. Once you have found a position you would like to apply for, you need to make sure that your application does your experience and personality justice to provide you with the best possibility of securing an interview. This means that you should always read the job description and person specification to highlight how your current duties, responsibilities and experience match up with the hospital’s requirements for the role advertised.

Providing Good Supporting Information

To be in for a chance of securing an NHS interview, it is essential that you read all of the instructions within the advertisement and application form very carefully and that you complete all the sections available.

The next and most important part of the process is to sell yourself to the hospital. In the supporting information element of your application, demonstrate why you would be suitable for the post and how you meet the person specification. You need to convince the hospital that you have all the required skills, knowledge and experience that they should be inviting you for an interview.

You can include, among other things, details about your:

• Duties and responsibilities
• Your skills, knowledge and/or experience which is relevant
• Identify any employment gaps and how you kept up to date with medical change
• Voluntary work you have accomplished
• Research, publication and/or presentation experience
• Medical awards or achievements

What will the hospital look at when reading your application?

• Enthusiasm: Show that you are confident in your abilities and that you see this job as a positive opportunity/challenge
• Evidence of clarity of thought: Ensure that your statement is structured and does not ramble
• Awareness of what the job will entail: Try to show that you have read and understood the job description. Often you can do this by referring to skills, abilities, knowledge or experience you have that would benefit you in the tasks and objective of the new job
• Knowledge about the Trust: Most NHS Trusts have extensive websites with lots of information about how they operate and what their values are. Do some research and refer to it where relevant in your application
• An engaging statement: You want to leave the department wanting to find out more about you as a doctor. One example, you could write about an interesting project you have participated in
• How you will add value: It is absolutely crucial that you show that you have a passion for the role and why you want to work in that department and hospital and how you will add value

General Points to Remember when applying for an NHS job

1. Provide an example of each skill listed on the person specification
2. Be concise
3. Relate your experience to the post that you are applying for

Using a Recruitment Agency

If you would like to maximise your chances of securing an NHS job post sooner rather than later, we always advise using both NHS jobs and a reputable Recruitment Agency simultaneously.

The process of using a recruitment agency starts with you registering your details with them in additional to a finalised and detailed CV. The Agency will then telephone you to find out more about your personal situation, what brings you to want to relocate to the UK, your experience, your requirements and your career plans. They will then give you feedback on your CV in order to increase your chances of securing an NHS interview.

The Recruitment Agency will then contact their extensive network of Lead Consultants and HR Managers with your profile bypassing the normal recruitment processes done via NHS jobs. If you are invited to an NHS interview, your Recruitment Consultant will then help you successfully prepare with a mock interview with example clinical scenarios.

The main advantage for you is that NHS interviews are organised on your behalf, without you having to do any work.

Possessing a Good Medical CV

During your NHS job search, you will need to have a very well written and detailed CV. The length of a CV is always a combative issue. On average, a Consultant’s CV for a medical specialty will be approximately 10 pages long. However, for a Middle Grade or Junior Medical CV, there are not a specific ‘right’ number of pages. However, we always advise doctors to think “the more details, the better” when writing out their medical CV. That being said, the purpose of your CV is to get you short-listed for an interview, so it should always be presented in a well-ordered and concise fashion.

Remember to use a professional, small font and it should always be written in black with no images or personal details such as your martial status or date of birth present.

For further information on how to structure your CV, have a read our blog here and watch our YouTube video here.

Relocation to the UK

If you are an international doctor who has decided that you would like our support in securing an NHS service post, email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS job and on your journey to the UK today.

Are you a member of our Facebook Group? When you join IMG Advisor, you will join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of blogs and vlogs into the group every single day. We will also always be on hand to answer all your relocation queries.

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