How to increase your odd of securing a job in the NHS?
Applying for a job is a process that requires persistence, creativity, research and hard work. Your application letter is crucial to grab the attention of the recruiter. Each application letter needs to be tailored to the job. Address your email or letter to a specific person.
The application letter needs to convey a sense of your personality and professionalism. You need to convince the recruitment team that you are the right candidate for the post advertised. This where research is crucial to write a good application letter. Read carefully at the specifications of the job. A good application letter must show an awareness of the job and enthusiasm to join the organisation. The statement in the application must clearly and concisely explain how you meet all the essential criteria for the job and perhaps some of the desirable criteria. Your application letter is a sales pitch. Don’t regurgitate your CV. The application letter needs to highlight the skills and qualifications that make you the right candidate for the job.
Meeting the essential criteria is not enough to secure a job in the NHS. Many employers use values-based recruitment approach to help them identify candidates who possess values and attitudes that will fit in their team.
“Values based recruitment (VBR) is an approach to help attract and recruit prospective employees whose personal values and behaviours align with the NHS values outlined in the NHS Constitution.” NHS Employers
It is imperative you research the core values of a Trust. These are guiding principles by which an organisation choose to operate. You need to demonstrate some of these values in your application.
Finally, you need to think of the recruitment process from the employer’s perspective. Being allocentric will give you an unfair advantage to stand above the lot. If you were recruiting someone and had to go through 100 applications, how would you shortlist the best candidates for an interview? It is not the most exciting job to go through hundred generic applications. The recruitment manager wants to select the best candidate who add significant value to the organisation. It helps if you make his job easy by writing a compelling application that will instantly grab his attention.
I hope you have gained insight from reading this essay. I wish you the best of luck in your application. If you are not successful, you can always ask for feedback to improve your application next time.