How are NHS job applications scored?

The recruitment process for NHS staff is made up of many smaller processes. One of the most important of these smaller processes is application scoring, which is often called shortlisting.

Application scoring often takes 1-2 weeks from the job advert closing, as application volumes have grown significantly in recent years – with most roles now receiving more than 100 applications.

Who scores NHS job applications?

Usually, NHS job applications are scored by a panel of two staff. One of these is typically the hiring manager, and the other may be a colleague from the same team or (for more junior roles) a member of the HR team.

These shortlisters will be people who have a good understanding of the job you are applying for and a clear idea of the type of person they want to join their team.

How does the NHS application scoring process work?

In simple terms, the scoring process used in the NHS compares the content from your application against a selection of the requirements set out in the person specification for the job.

The person specification is a table within the supporting documents for the job, often within the downloadable job description. A typical example of this person specification table is shown below:

For the majority of jobs, a selection of some of the requirements are used for scoring against, rather than using all the requirements. Often, the requirements which are prioritised will be hinted at in elements of the job advert – so it is worth reading the advert text thoroughly.

For each of the chosen criteria, scorers review your application and assign a score (usually either 0-2 or 0-3, where 0 is no evidence that you fulfill the criteria and 2/3 is exceptionally strong evidence). The scores are then added up for each candidate and the shortlisters will then usually meet to compare scores and decide how many candidates to take to interview.