getting a job in a hospital

10

hey, i'm looking for a hospital job right now. is the only way to do this through the nhs website? i've sent a few applications for the past month or so but no success so far unfortunately.

all i have are gcses and A levels. i just want a hospital job during my gap year for more experience really. i don't have an nvq or anything like that. the only job i can apply for is as a healthcare assistant isn't it? any others with my qualifications?

also, i don't know if you're reading and you're familiar with the nhs website application procedure but there's a section where you write something like a personal statement. do i just include why i'm suited to the job and what experience i've had?

thanks. i really need this. i've even mentioned it in my ps as something i'm hoping to do this year so if i'm lucky enough to get interviewed and they ask me how that went, i'm going to look a complete plum if i tell them it didn't work out.

Reply 1

BabyGirl

do you only want HCA type jobs? or are you ok with more admin work? i've got a job as a receptionist in a hospital, applied for it through NHS website. there's another thread about gap years and working http://thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=466186

where I've given a bit more details if you don't mind temping, agencies are always looking for med secs!
Also other ways are directly contacting hospitals, GP surgeries ANYWHERE and asking about vacancies!
PM if you want any more info though :smile:

Reply 2

Revd. Mike

17

Bank work is really good if you're interested in doing HCA type stuff, apply through NHS Professionals.

Reply 3

ph9

OP

10

hey babygirl, yeah i don't mind doing admin work i suppose if it's the only thing i can get. thanks for that link :-)

revd mike, i keep seeing the 'bank' word tossed about in job descriptions. what does it mean? *embarrassed* and also, what do they mean when they say band 1/2/3/etc? they're grades right? for what though? how qualified you are? so i should be looking for band 1/2 type jobs maybe?

finally, does anybody know if it's any use seeing my gp about helping me find a hospital job? or will he just tell me to go into the nhs website? our gp is quite a good friend of the family so he might have 'contacts' perhaps?

thanks :suith:

Reply 4

BabyGirl

AFAIK, I think the band is in terms of pay not qualification. And yes just contact your GP! There is nothing wrong with it, every little helps!

Reply 5

ph9

OP

10

hehe, thanks for your replies :smile:

Reply 6

Becca-Sarah

19

Some hosp jobs don't come under the main hospital 'umbrella' - like a receptionist or lab assistant in pathology was advertised in the local paper round here.

Reply 7

Renal

17

Becca-Sarah

Some hosp jobs don't come under the main hospital 'umbrella' - like a receptionist or lab assistant in pathology was advertised in the local paper round here.

But, to be fair, if you're happy with those, you'd be happy with any other non-clin job.

Reply 8

Elles

17

Hmm, I think there can be something more to be gained from doing non clinical jobs in a hospital as opposed to anywhere else.

I got my hospital admin jobs by speculatively contacting HR (covering letter + CV, though the benefit of post work experience contacts) - but they were 'short term contract' (summer jobs) rather than permanently... might be worth a try anyway?

Reply 9

No Future

17

ph9

hey, i'm looking for a hospital job right now. is the only way to do this through the nhs website? i've sent a few applications for the past month or so but no success so far unfortunately.

Probably not the only way, certainly the easiest way. I sent many applications in before I got any interviews. I had several rejections.

ph9

all i have are gcses and A levels. i just want a hospital job during my gap year for more experience really. i don't have an nvq or anything like that. the only job i can apply for is as a healthcare assistant isn't it? any others with my qualifications?

Yeah, me too. Many people out there don't have A Levels or decent GCSEs. I have no NVQs. I got a few interviews and got the job I wanted. Just look at the job requirements and it will say what qualifications are essential.

ph9

also, i don't know if you're reading and you're familiar with the nhs website application procedure but there's a section where you write something like a personal statement. do i just include why i'm suited to the job and what experience i've had?

Yes. Read the job specification and tailor it to that.

Don't worry about it so much. Just apply to as many as you can.

Reply 10

AEH

8

Try just walking into the hospital, asking for personnel at the front desk and just finding out how. Don't expect an answer from the first person you meet, you just find out how to get an answer and a name and address to write to. You can usually get more out of asking the right person one question than pestering about three dozen others.

Reply 11

!Dermeister!

You can go to the NHS Jobs website and make an account if you want to work in a hospital. Search for Band 2 Jobs such as: Health Care Assistant, Phlebotomist, Medical Clerk, Housekeeper, Receptionist, et c. I think you will get interviewed before you get the job.

Good luck!

Reply 12

bright star

1

it's a total lottery the nhs website for job hunting. they rarely get back to you properly plus if you want to apply for more than one job you need to keep writing in your details. it's very very annoying....

Reply 13

icapturethecastle

16

^oh really :frown:

i was hoping it wouldn't be too bad (completely new to job hunting lol)

Reply 14

bright star

1

i'm sure it works better if you have some perseverance. i've only ever applied properly for one job.... when i opened up the next one i wanted to apply for and found that it hadn't kept ANY of my details i gave up.... so maybe if you apply for more than one job, you might have more luck!! i'd advise having some sort of word document you paste answers into once writing them so you don't have to write new answers over and over again.

Reply 15

ph9

OP

10

mine kept the info, hmm. maybe it's something to do with cookies?

anyway, i got a reply and have an interview at the end of this month :biggrin:

sorry to be irritating but what sort of questions you reckon i'll get asked? the ward manager and staff nurse are on the panel. anything like a medschool interview? lol probably not...

thanks for all these replies people

Reply 16

mrs_bellamy

18

ph9

mine kept the info, hmm. maybe it's something to do with cookies?

anyway, i got a reply and have an interview at the end of this month :biggrin:

sorry to be irritating but what sort of questions you reckon i'll get asked? the ward manager and staff nurse are on the panel. anything like a medschool interview? lol probably not...

thanks for all these replies people

What job is it? I had an interview for a hospital receptionist last week. Have you had a job before? Basically all the qs they asked me where about the job I have now, and how I can adapt my skills from that to working in a hospital. If you haven't had a job before, talk about your work exp. I had an excel test aswell, have you gotta have any sort of test? If you do, don't worry about it, I spent ages learning how to do loads of stuff on excel and the test was really easy lol. Good luck!!

I'm quite impressed with NHS jobs actually, it kept my details after I sent the first application, so I've been able to apply for looooooads of jobs pretty quickly. Just hope I get something soon, my current job is driving me nuts!!

Reply 17

ph9

OP

10

Marvi

What job is it? I had an interview for a hospital receptionist last week. Have you had a job before? Basically all the qs they asked me where about the job I have now, and how I can adapt my skills from that to working in a hospital. If you haven't had a job before, talk about your work exp. I had an excel test aswell, have you gotta have any sort of test? If you do, don't worry about it, I spent ages learning how to do loads of stuff on excel and the test was really easy lol. Good luck!!

I'm quite impressed with NHS jobs actually, it kept my details after I sent the first application, so I've been able to apply for looooooads of jobs pretty quickly. Just hope I get something soon, my current job is driving me nuts!!

yeah kept all my details too, wasn't expecting that so that was a nice surprise. i applied to about 20 jobs one night lol. anyway, the role i'm being interviewed for is that of a healthcare assistant. eek, sort of worried. i don't think i have to do any tests but if i do they haven't mentioned it. hope you get the job, let me know :biggrin:

xx

Reply 18

No Future

17

tami*

^oh really :frown:

i was hoping it wouldn't be too bad (completely new to job hunting lol)

Nah, I found it easy to use to apply for many jobs. Easier than applying to many shops/bars etc.

Reply 19

No Future

17

ph9

yeah kept all my details too, wasn't expecting that so that was a nice surprise. i applied to about 20 jobs one night lol. anyway, the role i'm being interviewed for is that of a healthcare assistant. eek, sort of worried. i don't think i have to do any tests but if i do they haven't mentioned it. hope you get the job, let me know :biggrin:

xx

HCA in which department? I'm an HCA and didn't have to sit any tests. I applied to a few HCA jobs but attended only two interviews one for each job (got an offer after the 2nd). Both times I had two interviewers and both were nursing staff, usually quite senior e.g. a matron (manager types) and sister.

Weirdly the 1st interview went really well and they seemed to like my answers and I thought I'd got the job! Never heard back though...

The 2nd interview was tougher and they seemed to push me a bit, but I got the job :smile:

I can't remember the exact questions, but examples of the kind of things I was asked:

- Why do you want to be an HCA?
- What is your understanding of what your responsibilities will be?
- Are you a team player? How would you deal with conflict?
- What is good teamwork?
- Why is good teamwork important?
- Are you squeamish? (to which I replied: Um no, not really. Their response: what do you mean, 'not really'?? lol)
- You seem to have quite good exam results, why do you want to be an HCA?
- Are you flexible? Can you work nights, weekends etc?
- What are your career aspirations? Do you want to go into nursing?
- How long do you intend to work here?

Good luck!

getting a job in a hospital

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