How shortlisting works
Most NHS vacancies are shortlisted by the recruiting manager using a simple scoring grid. Each essential criterion is marked as met, partly met or not met. If an essential criterion isn't clearly addressed, you're usually out, however strong the rest of the application is.
Tips before you submit
- Use the same wording as the person specification so the shortlister can tick it off quickly.
- Back each claim with a real example: what you did, and what changed as a result.
- Read the draft aloud. If it doesn't sound like you, edit it until it does.
- Keep within the character limit on NHS Jobs or Trac. Check before pasting.