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Has anyone ever got a job in the NHS without any experience?

15 replies

Pebbledashery · 22/03/2021 14:17

Looking to change my job, currently working in very corporate environment, have always had an interest to work in NHS but just circumstances have stopped me. Now circumstances are different I can start applying. Just wondering how likely it is they'll take on an applicant without NHS background.. For information I am applying for clerical type roles, PA/ Secretary etc..

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HuaShan · 23/03/2021 10:29

Lots of people come into the NHS without prior experience (although not usually clinical roles Smile). I have worked with admin right up to very senior strategic managers who were recruited without prior NHS experience. More important to have an understadning of the role and match previous experience to competencies.

Yellowhighheels · 23/03/2021 10:40

I have just recruited several. Well, not NHS but health related civil service and it's the same recruitment platform.

If you're going for a non-clinical role your previous experience would be transferrable from the private sector, be that HR, sales
Finance, admin, sales, etc etc. Get well versed with the values of the organisation and have a good reason for why you want to move across in your applications and you will be considered with all the rest. Bring out your comms, organisation, collaborative working skills and attention to detail. Good luck!

Pebbledashery · 23/03/2021 11:28

Thank you :) I have applied for several jobs in and around the local area within the NHS, there's been a few EA/PA/Medical Secretary type jobs, I have always wanted to work in the NHS, I've worked in corporate environments for all of my career and have had enough of the rat race and it doesn't suit my personal circumstances anymore, working locally within a sector that I know makes a difference would be so much more rewarding for me.

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Notquitesureaboutthis · 23/03/2021 11:34

Yes I went from legal secretary to medical.

Pebbledashery · 23/03/2021 11:41

@Notquitesureaboutthis what was the interview process like? A few of these roles don't close for a couple of weeks that I have applied for.

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MabelPines · 23/03/2021 11:45

Hi I work in the NHS in admin/clerical, I came from working in schools.

Focus on your transferable skills - go through the person spec and cover everything you can, and in the interview make lots of references to the NHS values.

Fiddlersgreen · 23/03/2021 11:53

Yes I worked in retail and am now a receptionist in a hospital.
I focused on my how my customer service experience could be translated to dealing with patients.
Interview was on Teams (last summer) and very general questions about various experiences and situations.
Make sure you know the Trust Values of the hospital you are interviewing for (if it’s a hospital) as I was asked to talk about how I display one of the values in my work

Pebbledashery · 23/03/2021 11:59

These are the wider NHS values?
Working together for patients.
Respect and dignity.
Commitment to quality of care.
Compassion.
Improving lives.
Everyone counts.

I've had a look at the specific hospitals and they have their individual values also so will read up on those too.
So determined to find a position within the NHS, it's something I really want to do and I've reached a point now where I don't find my current role as fulfilling (I wouldn't say that in interview obviously) just find it the natural time to leave the corporate world and put my focus elsewhere and NHS values are really important to me.
I've noted that most of the positions I've applied for actively encourage people who have accessed mental health services before to make an application, is that something I should include in my cover letter too?

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SozzledSausage · 23/03/2021 21:40

At the moment, I would be realistic. Don't expect to go in at the same level as you are on now. You might find that you will have more success applying for roles that are below where you are now. My trust seem to prefer PAs who have already done NHS admin/clerical roles.

I was a PA for a long time in private sector and now work in a clinical role. I wouldn't do an admin job in the NHS. There is a very strange hierarchy where clinical staff trump admin in terms of opportunities, training and pay. Qualified clinicians also seem to assume that admin is a doddle yet I know that many of the admins struggle with huge workloads and outdated systems. Unfortunately, because salaries are quite low they do not always attract the cream of admin staff so expect an inflexible "we've always done it this way" approach. Also be prepared to expect broken office chairs, dusty offices, inadequate stationery, incompetent IT helpdesk, etc.

Despite this, I like the NHS. It's straightforward. It does what it says on the tin. They don't mess you about. They don't advertise jobs that don't exist. They tell you the salary range. They tell you if you are successful at interview generally the same day or the next day. Do I prefer it to private sector? Probably not, it's just different. I don't feel like I am saving the world. I'm just doing a job and getting paid for it in the same way I did when I worked in private sector.

If you apply, you'll need to write a personal statement rather than a covering letter. Best approach is to address all of the items on the person spec with examples. NHS interviewers love a bit of detail! I wouldn't address the values but make sure you align your language to fit.

I wouldn't mention the accessing mental health services unless it's relevant to your application. Even with the NHS, I would be careful about disclosing mental health problems.

Pebbledashery · 23/03/2021 22:20

Thank you that's really helpful. I did address the person specification in my supporting letter and also.. You have to apply via the NHS website and its so annoying filling it all out that way. I think I'm just looking for something more to fit in with my circumstances.. I can't do the corporate job with travel into the city anymore now I'm a single parent. Working locally suits me much better and I think I'd enjoy the NHS. I know a lot of people who work in the NHS in non clinical roles and have said it's very much worth trying to get into.

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Alsohuman · 23/03/2021 22:26

My first job in the NHS was as head of communications following two jobs in the same role in local government. The skills in most back office roles are transferable. Good luck!

Pebbledashery · 26/03/2021 19:36

So I've been invited to 3 interviews.. I applied for 4 jobs....
Can someone share any hints and tips on how I should prepare for an interview for an NHS non clinical interview. I've downloaded the trusts values and the person spec. Will think of lots of examples of transferable skills. Have an answer as to why I want to work in the NHS.
What else?

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TheProvincialLady · 26/03/2021 19:46

It’s not very likely you will be asked why you want to work in the NHS but you will probably be asked about your interest in the job or a ‘tell me about yourself’ question where you can explain your motivation. Most NHS interviews are competency based. You’ll be asked to describe an occasion where you dealt with conflict, changed something, that kind of thing.

You’ll find it helpful to find out about patient confidentiality and information governance, equality and diversity and the organisation’s values. You might be asked to give any example relevant to any of those.

Good luck!

AdoptedBumpkin · 26/03/2021 19:49

I know of someone who did, albeit it was only as a porter. They rose a bit further up the ladder as time went on.

Pebbledashery · 26/03/2021 19:53

I guess it's all about transferable skills isn't it really.

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