5 Top Tips to Secure an NHS Job
If you’ve recently been invited to an interview for an NHS job, congratulations! But getting an interview is only the start – you’ll need to be thoroughly prepared for the experience, too!
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out our top five tips on how to make the best impression in your interview and successfully secure an NHS job.
1. Make sure you have done your research and you are well prepared
During your interview for an NHS job, it’s important that you try to demonstrate that you’ve done plenty of research on the department, hospital, local area, job description and most importantly, the key competencies to perform the role.
The NHS’s core remit is centred on providing excellent patient-care and treatment; so, your answers must reflect this. Also, NHS healthcare professionals have to follow strict procedures, communicate effectively and work collectively with various departments to provide the best care. Before you interview, it’s important you understand these competencies and also have relevant experiences you can refer to during your interview.
2. Be confident in what you can offer the Trust
The hospital will need to see authentic belief and passion for the opportunity, the role itself and what value you’ll bring to their department.
Although you may meet their job criteria both academically and in addition to your level of experience, they’ll also look at whether you’ll fit into the department as a colleague.
3. Create a list of common interview questions
The NHS job interview process is fairly typical. They’ll generally follow the same structure and cover a lot of similar questions; so, it’s absolutely essential to plan your answers to common and anticipated questions. These types of questions may include:
- What challenges is the NHS currently facing?
- What qualities make a good NHS employee?
- Tell me an achievement you’re most proud of.
In addition, NHS trusts will typically use competency-based questions, where they’ll ask you to talk about scenarios in previous work experiences. This will involve telling the interview panel about a time that you’ve performed exceptionally well, or maybe overcome a difficult challenge with a colleague.
Our advice is to cover all bases and think about five or six detailed and diverse examples that you can use to demonstrate the skills the interviewers are looking for.
Remember to answer in a STAR technique every time – situation, task, action and result.
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4. Stay Calm
The thought of an interview can leave us feeling a mixture of emotions: excited, stressed, anxious and nervous. However, it’s important not to let negative emotions get the better of you as it’s your chance to show that you’re the right person for the job. If you’re not confident that you have got what it takes, the interviewer won’t be either!
The best way to stay calm is to be prepared in every way possible – the fewer details you have to worry about on the day of the interview, the better.
To stay calm during the interview itself, you should do a mental dress rehearsal. Close your eyes and visualise yourself as a calm, focused and prepared medical professional answering all questions confidently and the interview going extremely well. Allowing yourself to feel strong, confident and proud will reflect in the real interview.
5. Prepare some questions of your own
Finally, it’s essential to remember that an interview is a conversation and a two-way process. The hospital has invited you to interview to see if you are a good fit for the post; but they’ll also want to know if you‘ll be a good fit for them.
At the end of the interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions for the panel and it’s absolutely essential that you come prepared with some. This allows you to demonstrate your passion for the role and the research you have done in preparation for the interview.
You could ask questions such as:
- What are the primary goals and challenges I will be presented with straight away?
- What will be my core objectives within the first week / month / six months?
- Will there be an opportunity for training in the future?
- What are the long-term goals of the department?
If you are due to sit an NHS interview, follow these tips and the best of luck from the ID Medical team.
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