NHS Clerical jobs

crockpot

Hi

I have applied for several jobs with the NHS but heared nothing.

Any ideas or tips.

Looking at NHS as would like part time or job share work as I have 2 children and childcare costs too high for full time work at approx £6k a year.

My husband works full time so if I am working aswell we would get no help with costs.

Thanks

loisa

I think NHS jobs are really competitive, I was half way through applying for one and it closed early with no warning due to the high number of applicants.

Obviously, it comes down to your previous experience and how well you meet the person specification. Do you have OCR word processing certificates? I don't but I'm starting to wonder if it is worth doing as I have seen this come up a lot in applications. Check with your local college, they are often quite flexible about days and hours of study and you might get a fee reduction if you are unemployed and claiming benefits.

Local authority jobs often have similar working patterns so may also be worth checking out.

LondonDiva

Make sure you address the person spec in your supporting statement.
Give actual examples of how you meet the ps - ie what you use Word or Excel.
Spell and grammer check everything.
Use your duties in the previous employment section to sell yourself
Get your application in early

crockpot

I have worked as a civil servant for over 20 years and do not seem to be qualified for anything!

I have applied for the DWP jobs, still waiting to hear from interview 2 1/2 weeks ago

catz1ct

I went for an NHS interview about a month ago. I was nearly the last to go in and there were lots of internal applicants. There were about 4 of us all waiting. I eventually got my interview 2 hours after the time I was told on the letter. My time had already ran out in the car park, I was glad I didn't get fined!

I have another interview with the NHS next week, I'm not too confident I will get it as they seem to like their internal people which is unfair tbh.

Intergalactic_Floozie

What about local Doctor's Surgeries? I worked in a doctors surgery for 8 years and loved it (then stopped loving it and left!).

Also, I did an RSA Word Processing qualification in Medical Terminology, and one also in audio typing. It didn't take very long to do, and I did it at the local college in an evening.

Civilian jobs at the police also do jobshare, as do some local Council positions.

Or what about admin capacity within a school?

Also, as someone said above, go through the person spec and tailor your application to the essentials/desirables. They wont want to interview everyone who applies, so you need to make yourself as close a match as possible

bargain_hunter_2

I work for the NHS and on our vacancy notices it usually says for information contact "?" - this person will normally be sitting in on the interview. I would suggest contacting them and asking for any details on the job - your name will be remembered and it shows that your keen!
If I'm interviewing I'm usually looking out for the ones that have phoned and I've not been disappointed yet ! HTH and good luck - once your in the nhs theres lots of sideways moves until the kids are up. Thats what I did - used to work 9:30-1:30 when the little ones were in nursery - then changed it as they got up the school - just managed to get whole Mondays off to myself by working longer hours now that their both at High School.

Sporranlegion

I have a job interview with the NHS in West Lothian this Thursday (eek!) for a part time Admin Assistant post.

I have a fair idea of the questions I may be asked (been doing this for too long already methinks lol) but wonder if anyone knows of any particular questions that may arise, other than the usual competency based ones?

I also have a typing test and think this may be scaring me more than the interview itself lol

Many thanks in anticipation

catz1ct

^ That sounds similar to the interview I'm going to but mine is next Thursday for an Admin Position in Swindon.

counterfeit

catz1ct wrote: »

I have another interview with the NHS next week, I'm not too confident I will get it as they seem to like their internal people which is unfair tbh.

If that is the case then the jobs those people have at present will come up for filling so somewhere along the line there will be genuine vacancies. Finding out which is which is impossible but just keep applying for them and something will come up that will be genuine and you will be the perfect candidate for.

Just as a matter of interest a local (Leeds) agency has all the NHS jobs posted up and their website shows how many people have applied through them.

There was a vacancy about a month ago that over 200 applied for just through the agency so the amount applicants through all channels must have been enormous.

Therefore, you are already doing well just to get to interview stage.

sharkie

About the only qual that would be handy for the NHS at this level is EDCL.

If you work as a volunteer there you have a much better chance of getting a job there - unless you upset people.