Learners
Getting started
Is there a career for you in Health and Social Care?
The Health and Social Care sector offers the widest range of career opportunities in the NHS. We are proud to say we have a very diverse workforce - people from all walks of life who have very different skill sets.
Of course there are many frontline roles, which involve delivering care to patients and families, but there are also scientific roles, media specialists, accountants and more! Whatever their job, all Health and Social Care staff are committed to delivering the best possible service to people. If that’s something you’re passionate about, we have a place for you here.
If you’d like to talk to one of our team directly then don’t hesitate to contact us at careers.hub@mft.nhs.uk
Finding a Job
Are you eager to start your career? Find out what’s currently being advertised and think about starting some applications.
Look on NHS Jobs
NHS Jobs is a great starting point for anyone looking for a role in the NHS. Quickly find current vacancies you’re interested in using relevant keywords and your location, and find pages upon pages of advice for job seekers.
Searching Tools
As well as the keyword search and location finder, NHS Jobs allows you to search for jobs based on a number of other factors: minimum and maximum salary, what date the job was posted, whether it’s a part or full time job and more. Try a different combination of filters to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Save and Repeat Applications
You can add different vacancies to your ‘job basket’, and you can also save applications and return to them later. Once you’ve completed an application, the website will automatically fill in the necessary information on the next one you make, but be sure to adjust the name of the employer and the specific role you’re applying for each time!
Email Notifications
Another key feature of the NHS Jobs website is the ability to save a particular search you’ve completed and setting up email notifications, so you’ll know the second a vacancy appears that you might be interested in. This guide tells you how to set up those notifications.
Struggling to use the NHS Jobs site?
If you are new to the NHS Jobs site then this handy guide will help you to understand how the site works. Our applications might look a little different to other employers’, so it’s worth taking the time to understand.
Train
What do you need?
If you have a role in mind, head to the Health Careers and Skills For Care websites to find out what you need to do in order to complete a successful application. Many roles involve training or securing a qualification, though not every one, and Health Careers is split into clear sections explaining what is required of you.
Try searching on the NHS Jobs website too, the jobs currently being advertised will have a section on essential skills and experience.
Do your own research
There will be a lot of things you don’t already know about the Health and Social Care sector (even we’re still learning).
Take the time to do some research and look at a range of information. Committing to one path is a big decision, so make sure it’s the right one.
Find a course
If you know which qualifications you need, head to the Health Careers website and use their handy course finder tool to see where your training providers are. Once you’ve found a provider, look into the entry criteria for the course.
If you have any questions, such as whether you would qualify or what financial options might be available, don’t be hesitant to contact them.
Volunteering
Volunteering, Apprenticeships & Training Schemes
Whether you’re applying for jobs, apprenticeships or education and training, volunteering can make a big difference to the strength of your application and you’ll find it rewarding for many other reasons, too. Find out more about volunteering in this section of our hub.
Find a role
There are many Health and Social Care roles to choose from and you can narrow them down based on your skills, experience and, most importantly, what you think you’ll enjoy. The first step is finding out what types of jobs are available and whether or not you’re interested in them. There are lots of ways you can do this, and we’ve added some useful pointers below to get you started:
Making an application
Applying for jobs in Health and Social Care is a little different to most other employers’ application processes, so there are some specific things you might want to consider when making an application:
Read the job description
The job description tells you what the roles and responsibilities will be as well as working conditions such as pay rate and normal hours. It may also involve useful information about the department; where it sits in the organisation and any key initiatives or projects they’re involved in. This can be very useful background information for your application and interview.
Read the personal specification
The personal specification sets out what the essential and desirable criteria are for the vacancy. This is important information; it will tell you what experience to mention on your application and whether you are likely to be offered an interview.
Tell them why you are right for the job
When applying, you want to let the employer know why you’re the best person for the job and how you meet their criteria. After you complete the ‘supporting information’ section, be sure to impress them by detailing the relevant skills and experience you have.
Find out about them
It’s important to find out about an employer prior to making an application and even more so before an interview. Find out what services they provide, what their values are and what their key projects or initiatives are. Try and find ways to mention what you can bring to these projects or examples of where you’ve shown the same values as them in your application or at the interview.
Get feedback
Sometimes applications or interviews are unsuccessful, but don’t let it stop you from trying again. Instead use it as a learning opportunity - ask for feedback from the person or people who made the decision. Knowing why you weren’t successful can help you to make changes to future applications, get more relevant experience or even decide on a different career path.