How to go about looking for jobs
Congratulations on completing your degree! You’ve done so well to get to where you are now. The hard work and the long hours – you should be very proud of what you’ve achieved! Now it’s time to put your studies into practise and get your first physio post.
Building a professional profile
Starting from the time you begin your physiotherapy qualification, we strongly recommend that you build a professional network and be active with it. LinkedIn is a great place to create a professional profile and connect with other professionals. Make sure you link with other physiotherapists you met during your placements, ask for recommendations and post/like/comment/share content relevant to your profile and aspirations.
Same goes with Twitter. Get inspiration from other physiotherapy tweeters and follow accounts that you like the look of. Each individual’s Twitter page shows the accounts they are following so you can find out more and follow those accounts too. Don’t forget to follow the CSP!
We encourage our members to embrace social media in a productive, safe and professional manner. We have produced a social media guide to help you. It is aimed mainly at those who are new to social media or looking to develop their activity, but it also provides guidance on professional issues that may be useful for those who are more established.
Browse job boards
There are several places you can view current jobs available and set up alerts to receive them directly into your inbox. These include:
- Physiotherapy Jobs, the CSP job board
- HealthJobsUK, an independent UK health jobs site
- PhysioBob
- Job ads in Frontline, the CSP's monthly magazine
All four countries also have web based NHS job sites in where vacant posts are advertised:
England
The NHS Jobs site will enable you to search for vacant posts in England. In addition, a special registration service has been set up in some regions for newly qualified junior physiotherapists who are looking for their first job.
You can register your profile with details such as experience gained during training. Your details will be logged onto a database which employers can search and which enables them to email details of suitable posts to those looking for jobs.
You can also access potential employers’ websites as they may have a ‘Work with us’ or Career section with their current vacancies; visit NHS Trusts and private hospitals (including BUPA).
You should consider writing speculative letters to every hospital within the area you wish to work in, requesting any information on open days, and explore community settings as the number of posts in these is growing. You could also contact independent practitioners on a speculative basis, look at the Physio First website for contact details.
Finally, a number of agencies take on new graduates as locums, and these sometimes result in permanent posts. Take a look at PULSE, a recruitment agency offering temporary and permanent roles across the NHS and private healthcare sector.
Scotland
NHS job vacancies in Scotland are advertised on the NHS Scotland Recruitment website, which should be checked regularly for new posts.
The Flying Start programme is a national development programme for newly qualified nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. It aims to support your learning and build your confidence during your first year of practice in NHS Scotland.
Wales
The NHS Jobs site will enable you to search for vacant posts in Wales. Welsh university graduates who have benefitted from an NHS funded place through the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme (BOSS) are required to be employed in Wales for two years following their graduation/qualification.
The most up to date information on the Student Streamlining Scheme can be found online.
If you have queries about this, please contact the CSP team in Wales at cardiff@csp.org.uk to discuss the most recent information and guidance. Non-NHS funded graduates do not have to meet this requirement and can decide to work in any country following graduation.
Northern Ireland
Jobs in health and social care in Northern Ireland are advertised on the HSC Recruit website. There is a regional rolling recruitment process for band 5 jobs in Northern Ireland: when more than 5 roles need to be advertised, this triggers a new round of recruitment which is notified on the website and in the Belfast Telegraph.
For more tips on finding your first post as well as how to apply and nail your interview, download the Final Year Student Handbook.