Searching and applying for your first Band 5 Job
Published: 15/11/2021
Updated: 09/12/2021
These are my hints and tips for creating a search strategy for Band 5 jobs and how to fill out your application form.
Job Search Strategy
Firstly, decide upon the type of Band 5 job you would like, a Rotational role or a Static role. Then decide upon the type of trust that would provide you with the best experience to develop your skills (e.g. acute trust or community).
Next, decide upon the geographic areas you would be happy to work in. This will help with setting up job alerts.
Factors I considered when deciding upon the geographical areas I would like to work in
- How long it would take me to travel to visit my close family (as family is important to me)
- Areas I would definitely NOT like to work (to create your exclusion list)
Create job alerts
I used the following websites
- HealthJobsUK (can set up "jobs by email" alerts to send either weekly or daily for specific geographic areas)
- NHS jobs (can set up daily email alerts)
I decided that I would like to work in a University Hospital due to their integration of research and commitment to high-quality teaching. I used a website called University Hospitals Association to create a list of Hospitals I would be interested in. The University Hospitals Association lists any University Hospital in the UK as any University Hospital has to become a member before receiving their 'University Hospital' status from the Department of Health and Social Care.
Draft a CV before filling out application forms as this will provide you with a summary of placement experience and training which you can include in the application form. Keep this CV up to date (as you never know when it will come in useful in the future).
What a CV should include the following (written in order that your CV should be structured)
- Name
- Address and contact details (email and phone number)
- Short statement about yourself (basically a sale pitch)
- Placement experience (hospital/centre, department, how long and dates of placement. Also include any skills and knowledge acquired on the placement, try to keep to 2 to 3 sentences long.)
- Employment (employer, how long you have worked for them and dates)
- Relevant work experience or volunteering
- Education/qualifications (include A-levels, GCSEs, mandatory training and any additional training you have undertaken etc)
- Awards received
- Interests e.g. sports
Filling out your application
Before even starting to fill this out you need to research the Trust. Find out about any specialist centres or services the trust provides, their values, any research the trust is involved in etc and watch any trust promotion videos they have. This will help you to explain why you were attracted to the trust.
Supporting information/Personal Statement
The supporting information/Personal statement is a 1,500-word statement about why you would be right for the role and why you are interested in working at the trust you have applied to.
This is how I structured my supporting information/Personal statement.
- Reasons I applied to this trust (what specific departments or services that attract me and why they are important to me)
- Relevant experience (placements, paid employment and voluntary)
- What I would bring to the role (including any personal attributes and interests)
When writing this section read the Job description and Person Specification carefully. You need to make sure that you have demonstrated how you satisfy the Person Specification essential criteria to have a successful application.
Before submitting
- Check all the information is correct
- Check the grammar and punctuation (use free sites like Grammarly or ask a family member or friend for their opinion)
- Check your supporting information/personal statement against the trust Person Specification to make sure you have provided evidence for all the essential criteria.
Good luck with your applications! Keep applying and don't give I promise you will get a job but it may take a few months.
See my Band 5 Interviews Blog post for preparation tips and information about how to use interview feedback constructively
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