Applicant Guidance

Applicant Guidance notes for applying for jobs at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Thank you for your interest in our vacancies.  These notes have been prepared to help you complete and present your application in the best possible way.

The application form is the only information that we have about you, therefore, you should complete all sections providing as much detail as possible.  If a section of the application form does not apply to you, please make this clear on your application form.

Please note that CV’s will not be accepted, all applicants are required to complete an application form.

If you apply for a vacancy via NHS Jobs/Trac, the post will close at 12 midnight on the closing date.  If you complete a paper application form, this will also need to be received by the closing date.  If your application form arrives after this date, we cannot guarantee that it will be considered.  Please note that on occasions, posts may close earlier than the closing date due to a large number of applications being received.  Early applications are therefore advised.

Following the closing date, shortlisting will be undertaken by the Recruiting Manager.  Once this has been finalised we will contact all shortlisted candidates via Trac (or letter if appropriate) with details of the interview.  All unsuccessful candidates will be notified via Trac - please check your account on a regular basis.

Our Values have been developed by our staff and are very important to us.  We now recruit all members of staff via a values, behaviours and attitudes interview (also referred to as values-based recruitment or VBR).

The purpose of a values, behaviours and attitudes interview is to measure whether your attitudes and behaviours align to the Trust’s.  We only want great people.

We will only interview and recruit individuals who demonstrate our values in their application form and behaviour.  Details of our values and VBR can be found here.

This section should be completed in full by all applicants.

This section gives you the opportunity to list all qualifications gained through formal education.  Please list them starting with the most recent first.  For some positions qualifications are essential but not all, the person specification will tell you what qualifications are required.  Selection will be based on the qualifications that are actually required for the position as listed in the person specification.  Please note that you will be asked to provide original certificates for your qualifications.

Please list membership of any professional bodies which are relevant to the position for which you are applying i.e. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).  You will be required to provide evidence of current registration if you are offered the post.

You should provide full employment history.  Any gaps in employment history should be explained in your application form.  If you have been out of paid employment, have never been in paid employment or you are undertaking voluntary work, please provide details of this as it may be relevant to the position for which you are applying.  If you have been self-employed, you will be asked to provide evidence of your self-employed status should you be offered the position.

This section is where you provide us with relevant information on why you are suitable for our vacancy.  We will be assessing your application against the criteria listed in the person specification therefore when completing this section you should refer to the job description and person specification provided.

Ensure that you list all of your past experiences and provide evidence of your relevant skills, knowledge, and competencies whether gained in a work or personal environment. 

Once a conditional offer of employment has been verbally accepted, references will be taken up for the preferred candidate.

You should provide the name, addresses (and email addresses if possible) of two referees who have agreed to provide a reference on your behalf, these should cover a minimum period of 3 years previous employment history.  Both referees should be in a position to comment on your suitability for the post and one must be your present or most recent line manager.  Colleagues, friends or relatives are not acceptable for referees.

  • Take your time with your application – don’t rush
  • Read the advertisement, job description and person specification carefully
  • Ask yourself whether you are truly interested in the job, can you demonstrate the Trust Values?
  • The supporting information is the most important section of the application form.  Don’t forget to mention how you meet the requirements of the person specification – sell yourself!
  • Read your application carefully and check for errors and omissions.  False declaration or omission in support of your application will disqualify you from appointment.  If you are appointed and false information has been provided, this may lead to disciplinary or legal action being taken against you.

We look forward to receiving an application from you.

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