NHS interview help, particularly communications and PR

[Commsjobseeker25]

Morning, I have been invited to interview for the NHS for a role in the communications department at a local NHS trust.

I’m just wondering if anybody has any advice - in terms of type of questions?

I’m across their social media and have noted down how different platforms could be utilised and improved, the NHS Trust values I’ve started to embed in my answers - do I also need to discuss the wider NHS values as well as the specific trust ones would you suggest? If so, how much attention should be given to each set of values?

If you have any experience around NHS interviews, and even better if it’s for a communications role, I’d appreciate any hel.

Just to add that I passed the first stage which was a writing task, so this is the final stage of the process.

Thank you!

Congratulations on getting to this stage.

I guess it depends on the job description but I have worked in same area for NHS and interviews tend to concentrate on scenarios such as "Describe a time when you had to challenge a way of working? What was the outcome?" or "How would you measure the success of xyz (campaign, media interview etc ..)"

I'd work on about half a dozen examples of experience or situations where you can talk through STAR interview techniques (situation, task, action, result)

If it's digital also look at mentioning outcomes, metrics and evaluation same for marketing.

If it's comms/press work look at examples of prioritising demands, managing expectations and knowledge of social and traditional media. Understanding of stakeholders, politics and wider health system (ICBs, NHSE etc) also useful.

Good luck!

Thank you for the response, this is really helpful for my preparation. I’m sticking to the STAR formula - it’s a Band 4 role.

Be diplomatic in your thoughts on their current work! We had an interviewee slate some social campaigns… the ex campaigns lead was in the room as she’d been promoted to manager and we were filling her role 🙈

I like people to talk about using a storytelling approach and celebrating the amazing work of colleagues, engaging with public through this. It might be helpful if you know about the accessible information standard (AIS) and WCAG 2.2 (although not essential for b4 imo).