Doctor Angela, who is new to the United Kingdom, has just gotten her license to practice. She’s ecstatic and can barely contain her excitement because now she thinks her problems are over. She has been looking forward to this day for a long time. She sends out tens of applications and sits back to wait for the inevitable call for an interview which she gets in a short time. However, when she gets a job offer, the pay is not what she expects, the location is remote, away from friends and family but she feels forced to take the offer because it is the first one, and she is running out of savings. Doctor Angela hurriedly takes the job and quickly settles into a career with mediocre pay. The above scenario is bound to play out a lot, considering the thousands of international medical graduates that come into the United Kingdom annually.
After spending time crossing all the necessary hurdles to get your license to practice as a foreign-trained doctor, it is easy to jump at the first job offer that comes your way for many reasons. People often spend months applying, and when the first offer comes, they do not see a reason to negotiate or decline it.
In this post, I will share essential tips and tricks to getting your first NHS job. Hopefully, it will be a job that offers competitive pay, bonuses and in a location of your choice.
There are some key questions you need to ask yourself:
- Do I need a job simply to earn a salary?
- Am I looking for a long-term career?
- What location is best for me?
- Are IMGs well supported in that hospital?
Answering these questions can help you tailor your applications to suit your purposes. A few things to consider in your application are:
Person specification:
Read the job advert very clearly, especially the person specification. In the person specification, the employer will state what they seek in an individual. For example, they want someone who is proactive, hardworking, and can work well in a team. Therefore, your application must highlight these skills and show where you may have applied them in the past. It is essential to pay attention to the little details.
Job specification:
Just like the person specification, you should read the job specification carefully. What particular skills do they want? Do you have the required qualifications or experience in that field? For example, they may state that they want someone with some experience in minor surgical skills. They may also state that the ideal candidate must be ALS (Advanced Life Support ) or BLS ( Basic Life Support) certified. Ensure that you include these certifications in your application. If you do not have the required skills and hope to get them after the job advert closes, you can indicate when you intend to get the said certification in the future. Put a time frame and not a specific date because you will be held accountable for that. Again every detail matters.
Skills:
Ensure that you showcase your skills. Every skill that you possess shows your strength and increases your employability. For example, you may include all your projects and audits, even though they wer from medical school. If you have experience in minor injuries or surgical procedures, do not forget to state them clearly, especially for accident and emergency unit jobs. Every skill or knowledge is useful and may come in handy anytime.
Cover letter:
If a job requires you to send your resume via email, merely attaching it to the email is not enough. A cover letter is essential to an email application as it is supposed to tell a story supporting your resume. In effect, it is like a love letter to your love interest, where you get to tell why they should choose you. You can purchase a guide to a perfect cover letter here. In the guide, I included an example to help write an ideal cover letter. https://berrysmotivation.co.uk/products/nhs-jobs-personal-statement-guide Describe yourself in the first paragraph of your cover letter, state your strengths and what you enjoy doing, and conclude by saying why you love the job you are applying for and that you are looking forward to joining the team.
Job Contact:
Most job adverts will contain the contact number of the human resource manager or the job poster. Be proactive and call the number to ask questions about the role. For example, ask to tour the department to familiarize yourself with the team and environment. That way, you have an edge if you get to an interview stage. In a later post, I will talk about how to handle different job interviews. All the best with your job applications, and if you get stuck and need guidance, you can book a 1-to-1 consultation with me. A consultation will allow me to give you an indepth guide on how you can apply for and get your first job. https://berrysmotivation.co.uk/products/career-consultation
Best Wishes
Dr Mute'