Recruitment process

There are 7 stages during our application process. Throughout your application you will get emails from our e-recruitment system TRAC. These will tell you what you will need to do and what will happen next.

Job application webinars

We have monthly free webinars which go through the application process in detail.

We will talk about what we are looking for and how to present the best version of yourself at interview. We hold these on the first Friday of every month from 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

To book, email ccs.trainingandeducation@nhs.net

Step 1: Submit your application

To apply for a job at our Trust, you will need to create a Trac account. Trac is an e-recruitment system. We process all job applications through Trac. Once you have registered for Trac, your details will be saved for future applications.

When you have found a job you would like to apply for, you will need to complete and submit an online application. We use the information in your application to decide whether you move onto the next stage.

Equal opportunities

We are required to gather equality information on all applications received. Equal opportunities information will only used for reporting. We use it to understand the effectiveness of our equal opportunities and valuing diversity policies.

This information will not be given to the shortlisting or interview panels. It will never be used to decide who will be offered the job.

Disability confident

Reasonable adjustments

Reasonable adjustments are changes made to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to your disability. You can request reasonable adjustments if you have a disability. For example, a long-term health condition or neurodiversity.

We will be able to make reasonable adjustments for:

applying for a job
interviewing
any tests needed as part of the selection process

In the personal information section, there should be a question about your reasonable adjustments. If this does not appear in your application, please email EMAIL@EMAIL.COM

Examples of interview reasonable adjustments:

Bringing an interpreter to the interview, for example a BSL interpreter if you are deaf.
Changing the environment like being in a quiet area and dimming the lights.
Having the interview at a specific time. This can be helpful if you need to take medication or struggle using public transport during rush hour.

Access to work

Access to work is a government scheme to help you get or stay in work.

You may be eligible for communication support at a job interview if:

you’re deaf or hard of hearing and need a BSL interpreter or lipspeaker
you have a physical or mental health condition or learning difficulty and need communication support

Find out more and apply for communication support at a job interview.

Please note, Access to Work will not pay for reasonable adjustments.

For more information visit Access to Work or call 0345 268 8489.

References

You will need provide a list of references that cover at least three years. Make sure you fill out all the reference contact details. They should be up-to-date and accurate.

If you are working, your first reference should be your current employer. This should be your head of department or your human resources department. Your other references should be from your previous employer, school or college.

If you have not worked for some time or have never worked, your references should be someone who can comment on your ability to do the job. This could be a teacher, course tutor or a volunteer organiser. Do not use friends or family as your reference.

We cannot accept non-professional email addresses for work-related references. For example, we cannot accept a professional reference if it ends in @hotmail or @gmail.

We will accept non-professional email addresses for character references.

Let your reference know if a reference request will be sent to them. This will speed up the process and avoid delays to you starting your new job.

Please be aware, most of our communication will be by email. Sometimes our emails go into junk or spam folders. Please check your spam or junk folders throughout the process.

Application tips

Tips for completing your application:

Take your time and include as much detail as possible when filling out your application.
Make sure all your information is honest and accurate.
Read the person specification carefully. You should tailor your application to the person specification of the job.
In the 'Supporting information' section, explain why you are the right person for the job. This section lets you explain your skills and knowledge. You can include relevant information that was not covered elsewhere on your application.
Explain how your skills, abilities and experience meet the person specification criteria. We use this to help us pick applications for interviews.
If you are applying to more than one role, adapt each application to each role.

Step 2: Shortlist

Shortlisting is when you make a large list of candidates or applications into a shorter list.

We shortlist applications based on how well they show they meet the criteria for the job. The criteria is in the person specification. We use this to check if you have the relevant skills, abilities and experience.

Applications that meet the person specification criteria will be shortlisted.

We will invite the shortlisted candidates for an interview. This can take up to a week after the application window has closed.

The interview invite will be by email. Make sure to check your junk or spam folders regularly.

Nurse writing notes in notebook on their lap in a living room

Step 3: Interview

We will email shortlisted applicants to invite them for an interview or assessment. This email can be caught in junk or spam filters. Make sure to check your junk or spam folders regularly.

The invite email will have a link to book a time for the interview or assessment. Pick a time that is suitable for you to attend. Once you have submitted your preferred date and time, you will get a confirmation email.

In-person interview email

If you are having an in-person interview or assessment, the confirmation email will include:

date and time of your interview or assessment
interview or assessment centre location
where to report to when you arrive
who will be interviewing you (the interview panel)
information about any tests that are part of the interview (if relevant)
information about forms of identification you will need to provide
interview questions sent in advance

Virtual interview email

If you are having a virtual interview or assessment, the confirmation email will include:

date and time of your interview or assessment
who will be interviewing you (the interview panel)
information about any tests that are part of the interview (if relevant)
information about forms of identification you will need to provide
interview questions sent in advance
instructions on how to access the video platform (this is typically Microsoft Teams)

You may receive the instructions on how to access the video platform after the confirmation email.

We use a variety of selection methods to help us choose the right person for the job. Depending on the job you applied for, you may need to complete some tests as part of the process. This may include a presentation, a written exercise, role play or a short case study. Any assessment you complete will be relevant to the job you have applied for.

For senior or specialist roles, we may ask you to complete a psychometric test or take part in an assessment day. This will help us assess your suitability for the job.

Helpful interview tips

Read our tips on preparing for an interview.

Download our interview tips PDF

Plan your journey

Research the job

Preparing for an interview can help you feel confident during the interview.

You can prepare by:

researching our Trust
researching the department you are applying for
reading the job description and person specification
re-reading your application form

We are likely to ask questions that relate to the job description and person specification. Think about the questions we may ask and prepare your answers in advance.

You are allowed to use notes during the interview.

Prepare questions

Dress professionally

Step 4: Outcomes

You will receive a phone call from the recruiting manager. They will tell you if you were successful in your application.

If you were successful, you will be offered the job over the call. After the call, the recruitment co-ordinator will send you an email with a conditional offer.

If you were not successful, you can ask the recruiting manager for feedback. This may help you for future applications.

Step 5: Conditional offer

A conditional offer is a type of job offer where certain requirements must be met. You will need to pass the pre-employment and identity checks.

If you do not pass the pre-employment and identity checks, we may withdraw your job offer.

The conditional offer will include the details of the job. It will explain the next steps of the recruitment process.

Step 6: Pre-employment and identity checks

We need to complete several checks before giving you an unconditional offer. These are pre-employment checks.

In the conditional job offer email, we will invite you to complete these checks. To avoid delaying your start date, please complete these as soon as possible.

We will contact you if we need any documents or supporting information.

If you need employment details, use the HMRC app. You can get your employment history, income (within the last 5 years), National Insurance number and tax codes. If we have requested this information from you, you can print or download it from the app.

You will receive email reminders to encourage you to complete the pre-employment checks.

Identity checks

We need proof of your identity and right to work in the UK. For this, we need 3 forms of ID, including proof you have the right to work in the UK.

We will typically ask for:

1 photo ID such as a passport
2 proofs of address such as a household bill

For proof of your right to work in the UK, we will accept:

UK birth certificate
passport
e-visa share code
biometric residence permit

Convictions

Qualifications

Professional registration