Struggling after missing band 6 role and unsure how to progress

[Boopthatsnoot]

Hello, this is part mini-vent, part asking for advice. Hope that's ok!
I'm almost 2 years qualified as a MH nurse after a long career in a different industry. My first year qualified was on an assessment ward, which I loved and got excellent feedback on but always had my eye on community nursing. I'm six months in as a band 5 CPN. I started the role at the same time as several preceptorship B5s, so have struggled to find where I fit and not entirely sure they've known what to do with me, not being brand newly qualified, but also not having the breadth and depth of experience of a 6. A couple of months ago I applied for a band 6 CPN role within my current team after being encouraged to do so by management and supported to take on more complex cases, cover clinic, etc in preparation. Cue the interview and I missed out (apparently narrowly) to a candidate coming from a band 7 community role into band 6. Feedback was that I was bang on clinically, needed to expand more on leadership side of things. Childish and slightly toys-out-of-pram, I know, but had I known who I was up against, I possibly wouldn't have put myself through it.
Anyway, two months later, I still feel dejected and just poo. The anxiety and nerves of interview day haven't left, in fact have got worse. I'm panicking in the car before work, doubting my own ability, I feel self-conscious in work that I'm just highlighting daily why I didn't get the role, and just don't know how to move on from this. Honestly, I'm shocked at how the disappointment in myself has taken hold and just tainted the job for me now. There is no space for progression unless someone leaves the team. Meanwhile, I have some increasingly complex and risky clients on my caseload under the guise of getting ready for a step up.
Are there any Band 6s here in similar roles? Is there anything I can do to now gen up on leadership and to develop into more band 6 material in the non-clinical side of things? I just feel a bit stuck and lacking in focus.
And possibly irrelevant, but I'm 44, definitely at the start of perimeopause, which is defintely starting to slowly drain me of confidence and self-assuredness, yuk.
x

I’m not a clinician but about 8 or 9 years ago I interviewed for a band 5 position and I didn’t get it. I was absolutely devastated for months and I felt so silly for putting myself forward. I remember days and days of crying, looking for roles outside the NHS as like you I felt the role was tainted. It really knocked my confidence in work and out of work.

I did stay in the same Trust, I ended up with a band 5, 6, 7 and 8a role over the last 9 years and two babies. I work in a different department now and looking back I’m so pleased I didn’t get that role. It also helps me to support others who have gone for internal progression. So that was a long way of saying this too will pass. It’s natural to feel sad and dissatisfied after a knockback.

Practical advice, can you check out the NHS Leadership Academy to see what might suit you?

i know it’s disappointing but it’s no reflection on you if the other candidate had more experience especially at a band 7.

How many nurses are in the team and how many at each band?

As a band 7 I look for problem solving skills in candidates who are looking for a band 6.

Can you remember what leadership questions you were asked?

what was your previous industry? If you had a previously long career before is anything transferable?

I don’t know about the banding but I think it’s still relatively early days if you’re less than 2 years qualified. Nothing to beat yourself up for. You still have 20 years ahead of you.

Flip it around- sounds like you were pipped at the post by someone who already had experience a whole 2 bands above the job you were working in!! If they hadn’t gone for it you likely would have got it- that’s like that video of Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce winning the mums race at sports day! It is never nice not to get something- but it sounds like you did really well.

I would consider what you can do and demonstrate within your current role as ‘stretch targets’ for yourself. Get involved in quality improvement and audit- or if there is nothing going on and there’s anything you could just do yourself, see about doing that (I did a lot of that as a 6 and it definitely helped me get a 7 role, because it demonstrated passion for the service but also not waiting to be ‘told’ what to do). Have a look at any leadership training that is available, even on e-learning for health or whatever it is that’s replaced it. If you have some friendly managers above a 6, ask them what they would be looking for in their 6s.

Please don’t let this hold you back- it’s easy to feel like it’s the only opportunity that will ever come up but it won’t be, and the NHS does need people with a bit of life experience as well as new young practitioners coming up. (B8 40-something here!)

Have a look on your trust’s internal workforce and development page. There should be lots of leadership courses on there you could do. I am in wales and HEIW have similar you can sign up for. There must be the equivalent in other nations.

When you answer the interview questions, make sure you give examples of what you’ve done, personalise your answers rather than just speaking generally

is there any coaching or mentoring available in your trust? That’s usually really valuable when you’re looking to progress

Hi, there's about to be a national review of band 5 nursing roles. You may find yours is ungraded to a band 6. There's lots of info on the RCN website. Good luck and keep your spirits up.