I’m NHS middle-management in a national role but need to reduce my (substantial) travel as my caring responsibilities at home have recently increased, so I’ve been applying for local NHS roles.
I applied for one recently – exactly the same as my national role but at a regional level, same grade etc. I’ve been invited for interview but just been told that it is a ‘facilitated group interview by (HR person), observed by a stakeholder panel who will then ask follow-on questions’.
I’m not unfamiliar with group interviews, as (a few decades ago) I worked in sales and so a group interview was a way of weeding out those who were too ‘shy’ to actually do the pushy sales work. But I fail to see how this form of interview is helpful or appropriate for an NHS middle management role. How can anyone shine in a 30-minute group interview where there are 7 other people also trying to do the same thing?
I also have a very real anxiety about confidentiality; my area of work is a small world and the nature of my role means I know anyone who is anyone in my region; it seems to me I am having to trust that other candidates will be discreet after the event.
I have decided therefore to withdraw my application, because if my key contacts in the region became aware I had applied, especially if unsuccessfully, for this local role then it would really impact on my working relationship with them in my current role. But, I’m curious what others think of this kind of interview for NHS middle managers, and what others’ experience was, if they attended?