Our Recruitment Process

Step 1:
Our job adverts

Estimated time:
There’s no set time limit to when our adverts close. You will always be able to see the closing date on the listing, but vacancies can close early if we get enough applicants.

All Swansea Bay UHB job adverts will appear on NHS Jobs. Adverts will include information about salary, base, and feature a job description/person specification document in the attachments section. This will provide detailed information about the roles and responsibilities of the job, and what the successful candidate needs to have with regards to skills/experience.

Step 2:
Apply

Estimated time:
Our online application can take from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the amount of information you wish to include. It is possible to save and use the same details to apply for different roles, so you don’t have to enter your personal information twice.

To apply for a vacancy, an online application form will need to be completed. We don’t accept applications via email, or CVs as we ask all applicants to go through the same standardised process in order for us to ensure selection is fair.

The application process requests information such as contact details, qualifications, your work history, and references. There is also a ‘supporting information’ box which we recommend filling out with information around why you are a good fit for the role, trying to match up to the skills/experience outlined in the person specification.

Step 3:
Shortlist

Estimated time:
Up to two weeks from the day the vacancy closes.

Once a vacancy has closed, all applications are shortlisted by a recruitment panel and applicants are reviewed against the same essential and desirable criteria to determine who might be suitable for the role. At this stage, all applicants are anonymous to the panel, no names/contact details are visible until after shortlisting has taken place. If you are successful in the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend an interview.

Step 4:
Interview

Estimated time:
interview date and time is always suggested by our team, but we can be flexible if you can’t attend the interview on the suggested date.

To prepare for an interview, you may want to try anticipating some of the questions that may be asked and how to impress the interviewers on the day. Interviewers may want to know:

• Why you want to work for SBUHB and why you are interested in that particular role
• Your skills and strengths, particularly those that are outlined in the job description/person specification. It is important to come prepared with examples, and follow the STAR method to lay out your answers.
• How your values align with that of the organisation.

Once all interviews have been conducted, the successful applicant will receive a provisional conditional offer of employment, subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Step 5:
Pre-employment process

Estimated time:
4-6 weeks, this process varies as it involves the timely input from the applicants.

All SBUHB applications and pre-employment checks are managed through the Trac System. Pre-employment checks verify that an individual meets the preconditions of the role they are applying for. There are six NHS Employment Check Standards that outline the type and level of checks employers must carry out.

Verification of Identity
An applicant’s identity must be verified in order to confirm that the identity relates to a real person and is being used legally. This will be done via an online app called Trust ID, using an in date digital passport, they are no longer conducted via a meeting (unless there is no other option for the candidate).

Occupational health
A medial screening is carried out, which is completed by submitting the required forms which are dependent on the role.

References
Employment, education or training history that has been undertaken in the past three years may be checked. A minimum of 2 references are also required for external applicants, and these should include your current or most recent manager. These referees will be contacted after an offer has been sent, so that references can be obtained.

Qualifications and professional registration
Original relevant educational certificates and verification of registration are required if outlined as a requirement for the role.

Criminal Record Check
Depending on the post, a DBS check will need to be carried out, which is done via an online application form.

In order to commence in the post, the applicants must prove their Right to Work in the UK. This can be done using a UK passport, a biometric residence permit, or share code depending on the applicants’ immigration/VISA status.

Step 6:
Ready to start

Estimated time:
To be agreed with hiring manager.

Applicants will be notified when all checks have been completed and they are in the ‘Employment checks ok’ stage. At this point our recruitment team will carry out a final file review before moving the candidate into the ‘Ready for start date’ stage. Once the applicant has been moved into this stage, they will receive their unconditional offer and the manager will be in contact to agree a suitable start date. Applicants can only start after all their checks are successfully completed, so it is important to return the requested forms quickly, as not to delay processing.