NHS/PHE job application advice - what to write?

[Newhorizon21]

I've name changed for this. Through a colleague I found out about a health protection practitioner role with Public health England. It's the first full-time role in a long-time where I've thought I would love this. My background is diverse, & this role would allow me, with the offered training, to use much of my experience & strengths. While I don't have the required specialist MSc in public health/infectious diseases I have completed an MSc in a non-health related field, I work at master's level & would happily return to part-time study for this role. Writing this is helping me to think about how I might approach the application but to be honest I feel a little overwhelmed.

I used to be very good at job applications - using the job description & person specification - but I've lost this skill while working freelance as an advanced nurse practitioner as I haven't had to go down the formal job application route for over a decade. I recently applied for a similar PHE role & wasn't shortlisted, the application said feedback would not be given. I've since read about the NHS job application scoring matrix & there is good online guidance such as this www.bath.ac.uk/guides/writing-a-job-description-and-a-person-specification/.

Can any of you relate to my difficulty? I think a few examples of what to write might help to get the juices flowing & to keep me focused. All advice is welcome... 🙏

oops, not what I thought it was 🤦 www.bath.ac.uk/guides/writing-a-job-description-and-a-person-specification/.

Applications for civil service roles need to be written in a very specific way. Address each of the criteria in a short paragraph, giving examples of how you meet them. Sounds ridiculously OTT but if you don’t write it down you won’t get scored for it, regardless of whether it’s clear from previous roles etc that you could do the job.

For example if it says you must be really good at building relationships you must write ‘I have lots of experience of building effective professional relationships with a wide range of people including (Reel of a few things such as colleagues, clients, maybe for this role doctors, policy advisors, etc). In my current role, I work with (example) and I have managed to achieve (example) by (example of how you built that relationship).

It’s exhausting but it’s such a rigid process.

Same with the interviews. Competency based examples must be given.

Thanks so much @BasinHaircut. I know, I'd forgotten how long winded it all is & how much time an application takes but it needs to be done. Your advice is exactly what I wanted

If they are requiring a public health masters I doubt you’ll get through it you don’t have that. There is often wiggle room in applications around essential criteria but going for specialist roles without the relevant qualifications will be too much or a stretch.

What are the essential criteria for qualifications on the person spec? Health protection practitioners are typically required to have a nursing background and an MSc in public health or similar.

@Bunnycat101 absolutely, but I'm hopeful that other posts will be advertised soon where it's a desirable

If your clinical there must be jobs that would be better suited if you want to make the move. If the application requires a lot of effort and you’re missing an essential qualification, I’m not sure if it’s worth it as you may just face a computer says no answer.

@SchrodingersMat I meet the other essential qualification criteria. I wanted to clarify how to best write/format the application as this takes thought & time. I can use the advice given above to prepare the application so I can edit it to fit future posts advertised

If public health is an area you want to get into doesn't it make sense to do the MSc?

In terms of how to address the criteria, state the criteria, then two or three sentences describing how you meet it and how good you are at it.

Eg

• Experience of delivering effective community based preventative healthcare.

My role at x trust involved working with local schools to arrange and deliver HPV and teen contraception clinics. My current role at y trust has developed this further as I introduce elderly health policy initiatives to Ztown in partnership with age concern. This has reduced incidence of elderly hospital admittance by 30% in the last 12 months.

Obviously above completely made up but you get the idea.

@Bunnycat101 I recently just missed the closing date for a lower grade, but similar, job where the specialist MSc was not essential. I hoping similar will be advertised again.

Trust me nhs roles will not shortlist if you don't have the required academic qualifications . I had six years experience as a band 3 in school nursing but could not get an interview for the band 4 as did not have a childcare nvq despite having all the experience and higher qualifications in related areas and excellent references. It's very frustrating but you will fall at the first hurdle so I would not waste the time applying- sorry to be so negative. You could always call the name on the job advert and talk through your qualifications if you wa t to be sure though

imho, ignore the pessimists & go for it, OP.

remember how blokes choose what jobs to apply for, they think "I could enjoy that & do it well!" rather than worry "but am I qualified?"

What BasinHairCut said is perfect -- they will score you against the essential & desirable criteria so address each one with specific evidence (described with anecdotes &/or objective).

I hoping similar will be advertised again.

Youve said there is a specific job being advertised which requires the MSc...?

@titchy I'd prefer to have funding if taking on the MSc. A specialist MSc is essential for the role currently advertised, but wasn't for a similar, lower grade role that I saw, unfortunately, after the closing date

@Thirtyrock39 I hear you

@lljkk & I hear you too, I'll contact the named person for the advertised post

@titchy thank you for that example, it really is helpful