Why am I not getting the NHS admin role?

[Indu29]

Hi everyone,

I have been getting interviews for band 3 admin roles. However I have no nhs experince but I am able to give relevant examples for my interview.

I keep getting rejections because the recruiters all say the same thing to me "you have very good, structured answers however we have other applicants who have NHS experince"

I just dont understand- why bother asking me to come in for the interview when it's obvious on my application that I have no NHS experience anyway?

I have admin experience btw, just not nhs

*pp

She went in as a Band 4 new to the nhs. I've worked up from band 5 to band 7, after 20 years (nurse). My friend went in as Band 6 and has become an 8a within a year or so. She said it's good to go in high if you can.

I'm just feeling quite sorry for myself atm. I dont think I could bear it if one more nhs recruiter turns me down saying that I have excellent responses unfortunately someone else has nhs experince. Well, I will be applying for band 2 roles soon so fingers crossed

Are there other non-nhs health admin roles you could look at to give you experience of a healthcare setting?

I've had this OP. Turn up to interviews, they say great interview and then turn me down for a lack of experience in a particular area, when I had clearly stated in my application that I don't have experience in that area on my job application.

I think they either don't read the application very well or I am just invited to boost the numbers they interview to make it look ' fair'.

Do you have a copy of the Key Skills Framework for every post that you apply to?

In my Trust, the interviewer asks questions and if you answer with key words from the document, you are given a score for each word, the person with the highest score gets the job.

No I dont have this- where do I get this from?

It's so disheartening isnt it?
I did ask at the end of my interview today whether they are looking for someone with previous nhs experince and they said no, they are looking for someone with transferable skills and a positive attitude but it doesnt seem that way.
Has your situation improved now? are you in a job that you love?

I havent had a look at that to be honest, I have been hell bent with the nhs recently

If at the end of the interview they ask any questions then ask them whether they are going to discount you if other candidates have NHS experience already? If they say no then say that is great as is it being used as an excuse for previous applications and I wonder at what stage I shouldn't apply.

My eldest son applied for a Band 3 NHS admin post, however he was unsuccessful but got positive post interview feedback. He was informed that he had interviewed well, to keep applying and to arrange a pre interview visit.
He took onboard this advice, applied for a Band 2, arranged a pre interview visit. He was successful, has been in the job a few weeks and has already been encouraged to apply for a Band 3 admin position.

That's a good point about a pre-interview visit. I don't think its common in all industries, but is normal in healthcare.

It's a good opportunity to look around and listen out for key things. So for example, if your role involves supporting a clinical team dealing with cancer patients you can reference the need for sensitive communication in your answers.

Forgot to add, it’s vital that you rehearse the NHS values.

I recruit for NHS admin roles quite frequently OP from Bands 2-5, and the thing is, NHS experience is simply pretty much always going to be an advantage. It's a not a pre-requisite, it's not that you can't get a band 3 job without NHS or health experience, otherwise like you say why would they be shortlisting you, it's just that if it comes down to 2 equally good candidates, at the end of the day the person with NHS experience will usually just have that slight edge (not always though, sometimes there's no NHS candidates or the NHS candidates are less good than the externals). We do usually interview at least 3 or 4 candidates for each position, all of whom on paper are perfectly capable of doing the job so the majority of people are going to be disappointed, but that doesn't mean they can't ever get a job at that level. People do seem to get so disheartened if they get rejected after even one interview but even 4 or 5 no's in a row is within normal statistical variance and just bad luck really rather than meaning someone's useless or unappointable.

I'd say at least 25% of my hires come from non NHS candidates so keep plugging away OP, Band 3 is a bit of a pinch point I'd say, at band 2 most candidates aren't currently in the NHS unless they've worked on bank or as an apprentice or something (as Band 2 is the lowest substantive band so less incentive for people to move around once in), and by Band 4 or 5 you expect a bit more specialist knowledge or expertise which sometimes is better gained outside NHS. Whereas for Band 3 there are often a lot of good experienced band 2s available and it is usually easier to bring in someone already familiar with the systems, lingo and processes... But like I say that doesn't mean you won't get there, please do keep trying!

Thankyou,I do appreciate this.
Well, in any case I will keep you updated regarding any feedback that I get (should get some today and tommorow) and let's see what they say!

Are you currently in employment? If not, most NHS Trusts will have an internal admin and clerical bank, which basically works like an agency for temporary roles, but you're employed directly by the Trust.

They have it earmarked for someone else and the interview is a formality. Have you tried applying for the bank? That's a way in.

@Indu29 If you had NHS admin experience then I'd definitely interview you but I'd say half of the people I invite to interview are people without NHS experience and I've appointed non-NHS over existing NHS staff on more than 1 occasion because they were the best candidates

Keep going op, I had extensive non NHS admin experience but I managed to get a band 3 job without applying for a band 2 first.I work in a team of band 3's and there are only a couple that came in with previous NHS experience. I had to interview twice for the same job though and got it second time round.

I've sat in on a few admin interview panels in the NHS and I can tell you now that just because you have previous NHS experience does not necessarily mean you'll get the job. Always always ensure you research the department you are looking to work in, it's unbelievably surprising the amount of candidates I see who do not know or only have a vague idea even though it only takes a quick search on Google to find out.

Even the best NHS trusts are now so weird that without previous experience you will struggle. Could you afford to look for an apprentice role maybe? You will get better support (at least you SHOULD get better support).

Oh and just a PS - many, many Trusts have been sucked in to the NHS Professionals thing because they've been told it's going to save loads of money. I have my doubts since over a decade ago they managed to make the trust I was at lose hundreds of thousands. Of course they could have reformed their spots post COVID and be absolutely brilliant now though that isn't the tale I've heard from many former loyal staff who can't get shifts on wards they served for many years.

It is currently the only way you seem to be able to temp at many Trusts though.

Why would you choose the NHS to work in as admin when there are so many other organisations? It's inefficient, it's poorly resourced, the staff around you are stressed. There's too many to list!

I got a band 4 NHS role without any previous NHS experience. So it is possible. It's all done on points, so if you hit enough points on your application you will get an interview and then the candidate who gets the most points during interview will get the role.

I was desperate to get in the NHS, I lasted 6 months and then left, it wasn't for me. Where I was I felt there was less stress and more money to be made in the private sector. I hated the bureaucracy and hierarchy.