Applying for a role

Once you have found a vacancy with us that you are interested in, you can start your application.

Read the job advert, job description and person specification thoroughly before starting. Make sure the role is everything you expect it to be so you know that you are the right fit for the job description. You will also have a better idea of what kind of questions you might be asked during the interview.

Take your time with your application. You can complete it in stages and save as you go. Once you are ready to submit, check that you have answered all the questions on the application form. If you do not, your application may not be considered.

Make sure you submit before any closing date. Be aware that some job adverts may close early, so it is best to submit your application as soon as possible. 

If you would like more information about the role, contact the Recruitment Manager by using the contact details provided in the advert.

View our jobs board to find details on the latest job listings.

• Give details - You will be asked to provide information about your education and qualifications including your employment history and your personal information. Include as much information as possible and write things out in full (the shortlisters might not understand abbreviations). 
• Tailor your application - Use the Person Specification and Job Description documents to tailor your answers and supporting information to the specific vacancy you are applying for. This shows your interest in the job and demonstrates to the hiring manager that you have understood the role. 
• Supporting information - Be sure to spend time completing the supporting information in your application. This part of the application form is your opportunity to explain how your experience makes you worth considering for the role. We want you to tell us how you think you meet the criteria for the role. You could use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to do this.
• Tell us about you! Include in your supporting information your reasons for applying. Take the opportunity to highlight your particular strengths, motivations and relevant experiences. If you don’t have direct experience, you could explain how your skills and experience are transferrable. You might find it easiest if you use the criteria within the person specification as headings and provide examples of how you meet these criteria underneath those headings.
• Grammar check! Be sure to do a final spelling and grammar check for any mistakes before submitting your application.

North Bristol NHS Trust currently recruits overseas Nursing staff through an NHS Trust Supplier and we adhere to the NHSE Code of Practice in relation to applicants from Red List countries. This means we cannot accept any direct applications from candidates who are not already based in the UK.

If you do not have right to work in the UK and require sponsorship via a tier 2 visa, we can only accept your application if you apply for a role on the Skilled Worker visa, shortage occupations list and meet all eligibility criteria. Visit Gov.UK Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations to see the list of relevant occupations.

Once a vacancy closes, all applications are sent to the Recruiting Manager to review and shortlist. At this stage, the Recruiting Manager will review each application against the person specification. We will keep your personal information anonymous to ensure we maintain a fair recruitment process for all candidates.

If we shortlist you, we will invite you for an interview. 

We aim to contact all of our candidates with an outcome of their application, however there are times when this is not possible. If you do not hear from us within three weeks of the application closing date this means that you have not been successful in your application. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the Recruiting Manager listed on the advert.

At the bottom of every advert, you will find a section called “Person specification”. This section will give you a good indication of the criteria that Recruiting Managers will be scoring against when shortlisting candidates applying for the job role. See example below:

You will notice that these are split into Essential criteria and Desirable criteria. Based on these, you will need to tailor your application and specifically highlight those criteria on your Supporting Information section of your application. 

For example, if the job role requests for a “Full UK Driving License” as an Essential criteria and you do not currently possess one, it would be advisable to consider whether this would be the right role for you, as there would be a high chance that you would not be successfully shortlisted.

When criteria are marked as desirable, these are a “nice to have” for the recruiting Managers. Try to explain how you meet these criteria as they will help to support your application further.

You should use examples of how you match these criteria to give the best chance of being successfully shortlisted. For example, the essential criteria above “Experience of working in an admin role” – simply stating you have worked in an admin role might not be adequate for you to be successfully shortlisted. However, explaining what your previous admin duties were and what admin experience you gained in these roles will give you a higher chance of being shortlisted for the role.