Our step-by-step guide to applying for an NHS job

1. Find the role that suits you

If you’re unsure of which NHS career is for you, a great start is the NHS health career quiz. This will give you some ideas of what roles might suit you before you start looking for vacancies.

Once you have a clear idea of what jobs you are looking for, you can start searching for available roles in one of the following ways:

• See what is available locally: NHS organisations in your area will have current vacancies on their websites. These websites will also contain a wealth of information about the organisation, its values and staff benefits. See our guide for links to the job pages of NHS trust in north central London.

• Search on HealthJobsUK: HealthJobsUK is one of the main websites NHS organisations use to advertise jobs. If you create an account, you can also apply for roles via this site.

• Search on NHS Jobs: This site allows you to search by area and role, apply for jobs and access resources that are helpful throughout the recruitment process.

• Try other job search platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed: you may find more diverse roles advertised on LinkedIn while Indeed is useful for broad searches that can then be cross-referenced with the organisation’s own website.

2. Use the job advert to your advantage

As well as outlining the vacant role, the job advert will include a person specification with all the essential and desirable criteria that the recruiter wants you to have. Your skills will need to match the essential criteria for you to be shortlisted for the role.

The desirable criteria is a list of the skills and experience that an employer would prefer. This may be used to decide who to invite to interview if they have a high volume of applicants. It will also be useful when you write your application’s supporting statement.

3. Complete the application form

It is standard practice for most vacancies to be advertised for two weeks, but if there are a high volume of applicants the advert may close earlier. We recommend submitting your application form as soon as possible to avoid missing out due to an early advert closure.

As the information you include on the form will be used for shortlisting you should also include any mandatory qualifications that are required for the role (see the personal specification) and list any training courses that may be relevant.

When outlining your employment history, provide details of your positions within the last three years as references will be requested for this period. Include additional responsibilities so you can show the breadth of your skills.

Some NHS application forms ask for a supporting statement. If you have all the essential qualifications and experience, the supporting statement is your chance to show that you are the right person for the job. Demonstrate how you meet the desirable criteria by describing different scenarios and how you approached them, settings you have worked in, examples of leadership and highlight any transferable skills that could be relevant to the role.

If you are invited for an interview and are successful, your offer of employment will be subject to the completion of satisfactory reference checks. Ensure this section on the application form is completed fully to avoid any delays in starting your job. The referee will only be contacted after you have received an offer and have accepted the position.

The Disability Confident scheme in the NHS ensures that disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a role are guaranteed an interview. Declare on the application form if you have a disability and advise if you require any additional adjustments.

See our guide for more detailed information on completing the application form.

4. Using AI for your application

AI is evolving at speed, and many digital tools now have this built into their applications, such as Microsoft Copilot and AI on Google Chrome. When writing your job application, you should aim to use AI responsibly and avoid relying on it solely to write your application.

Employers are looking for applicants whose experience and skills match what is required of the advertised role. They want to hear your thoughts about why you are suitable for the job. Only you can provide evidence-based scenarios of your experience — AI cannot do this for you — but it can help you to organise your thoughts to demonstrate your expertise and your personal attributes. It may also be useful for checking spelling and grammar and helping you to write clearer, more concise sentences.

You should never use AI to invent skills you do not have, create an image of you that is untrue or misleading or create generic responses as employers will want to see what you can personally bring to the role.

5. Final checks

Once you have submitted your application, you will not be able to make any further changes. We therefore recommend you:

• Give your form a good proof, checking your spelling and grammar.
• Ensure you have completed all sections.
• Have provided references with up-to-date contact details and clear dates for which period the reference relates to.
• Checked the interview date (if known) and organised time off to attend if shortlisted.

For more in depth information about applying for a job in the NHS, see the NLPSS guide.