10 tips for a great NHS junior doctor CV

How CV shortlisting typically works (quick overview)

  • Application platforms: Most junior doctor posts recruit via Oriel (national recruitment) or occasionally NHS Jobs/Trac for local trust-level roles.
  • Portfolio & evidence: Many specialties use a self-assessment portfolio scored against defined domains (e.g., audits/QI, teaching, leadership, research, postgraduate exams, courses). You claim points upfront and later evidence them at interview/verification.
  • Scoring: Exact rubrics vary by specialty and can change yearly. Typically:
    • Qualifications/exams/courses (e.g., MRCP(UK) Part 1, ALS): points for relevant, completed achievements.
    • Quality Improvement/Audit: points scale with impact (closed-loop, dissemination, patient outcomes).
    • Teaching & Education: points for structured roles, curriculum development, feedback, and training in teaching.
    • Leadership/Management: committee roles, projects with measurable outcomes.
    • Research/Publications/Posters/Prizes: peer-reviewed output and national presentations score higher.
    • Additional skills: e.g., simulation, digital/clinical informatics, service development.
  • Verification: Interviewers check that your evidence matches your claims. Inflated/self-assessment errors can lead to downgrading.

Action point: Always read the current Applicant Handbook/Person Specification for your specific specialty and recruitment round, then tailor your CV and evidence exactly to those domains.

1) Mirror the person specificationโ€”line by line

Take the latest spec and convert each essential/desirable criterion into a heading in your CV/portfolio (e.g., โ€œTeaching Experienceโ€”meets โ€˜evidence of regular, structured teachingโ€™โ€). This makes it effortless for assessors to award points.

How to do it:

  • Use the exact wording from the spec.
  • Put the highest-value, most recent items first.
  • Add a one-line impact statement under each item (e.g., โ€œDelivered 8-session near-peer teaching programme; median feedback 4.8/5; content adopted by dept.โ€).

2) Quantify everything and show impact

Assessors reward outcomes, not effort. Replace vague descriptions with numbers and results.

  • Audit/QI: โ€œ2-cycle VTE assessment audit; compliance improved from 68% โ†’ 94%; poster at regional meeting; change embedded in ward checklist.โ€
  • Teaching: โ€œ12 hours small-group OSCE prep; 48 students; median feedback 4.6/5; created reusable slide deck & question bank.โ€
  • Leadership: โ€œRota lead for 18 juniors; cut locum spend by 12% by redesigning on-call swaps.โ€

3) Curate, donโ€™t dump

A long CV isnโ€™t a stronger CV. Use selective depth:

  • Cap each section at the most point-scoring items.
  • Move older, lower-impact items to โ€œAdditional experience (selected)โ€.
  • Keep to 2โ€“4 pages for the CV (the portfolio holds the evidence).

4) Make evidence packs assessor-friendly

For each self-assessment claim, prepare a single PDF (โ€œTab 3โ€”Teaching.pdfโ€) with:

  • A cover sheet summarising the claim and claimed score.
  • Key evidence in order: certificates, feedback summaries, letters, emails, programme outlines.
  • Highlighted passages and filenames that match the wording in the self-assessment.

Pro tip: Use consistent filenames like 03_Teaching_Summary.pdf, 03.1_Feedback_Aggregate.pdf.

5) Close the loop on QI/audit

Closed-loop QI almost always scores higher.

  • If your project is mid-cycle, schedule data collection and dissemination before interviews.
  • Add a brief PDSA summary with graphs and a one-page poster.
  • If possible, embed change (policy update, EPR order set, safety huddle checklist) and document it.

6) Turn informal teaching into points

Casual bedside teaching becomes high-value once itโ€™s structured:

  • Create a teaching series (title, objectives, schedule).
  • Collect attendance and feedback (simple Google Form).
  • Obtain a supervisor letter confirming regular delivery and quality.
  • Add โ€œTraining in teachingโ€ (e.g., Teach-the-Teacher, PGCert modules) if your specialty awards points for it.

7) Showcase leadership with measurable change

Common examples: rota coordination, junior forum chair, guideline rewrite, simulation lead, wellbeing initiatives.

  • Evidence with meeting minutes, role description, before/after metrics, testimonial from clinical lead.
  • Phrase outcomes in terms of patient safety, training quality, or efficiency (e.g., โ€œbleep rationalisation reduced escalation delays by 20%โ€).

8) Presentations, publications, and prizesโ€”package smartly

You donโ€™t need an RCT to score.

  • Posters: aim for regional/national meetings; include acceptance emails and conference programme pages.
  • Publications: PubMed link or DOI; brief line on your contribution.
  • Prizes: trust/regional awards countโ€”attach citation/announcement.

9) Professional courses & examsโ€”be strategic

  • Include ALS/ILS/ATLS/APLS/NLS (as relevant) with current validity dates.
  • If your specialty awards points for Part 1 exams (e.g., MRCP(UK), MRCS), clearly show pass date and candidate number (if requested).
  • Prioritise courses with clear clinical relevance to your target post.

10) Design matters: make it skimmable

  • Clean, consistent headings; 10.5โ€“11pt font; ample white space.
  • Use a two-column achievements panel on page 1 (e.g., โ€œClosed-loop QI x2 | 2 national posters | 120+ teaching hours | Rota leadโ€).
  • Keep contact details and GMC number simple; avoid photos, dense blocks, and jargon.

Common portfolio scoring domains (and how to lift your score)

  • Audit/Quality Improvement: Run at least one closed loop with demonstrable change and dissemination.
  • Teaching & Training: Structured programme + feedback + supervisor sign-off; add training in teaching.
  • Leadership/Management: Hold a named role; deliver a project with outcomes.
  • Research/Academic: Aim for at least one peer-reviewed output or regional/national presentation.
  • Courses/Exams: Relevant life support + any Part 1 exam if points are available.
  • Prizes/Distinctions: Include trust/regional recognitions.
  • Additional contributions: Guidelines, pathways, simulation, digital/innovation.

Note: The weighting of each domain differs by specialty and year. Always cross-check the current roundโ€™s guidance and donโ€™t over-claim: verification will adjust scores down if evidence doesnโ€™t match.


Interview-day tips (portfolio stations & clinical/communication stations)

Before the day

  • Rehearse aloud: 60โ€“90 sec answers for common promptsโ€”โ€œTell us about yourself,โ€ โ€œMost impactful QI,โ€ โ€œA time you led change,โ€ โ€œManaging a difficult colleague,โ€ โ€œSignificant clinical error and learning.โ€
  • STAR and SPIES frameworks:**
    • STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for achievements.
    • SPIES (Seek info, Patient safety, Initiative, Escalate, Support) for probity/dilemma scenarios.
  • Know your portfolio cold: If you claimed it, you must discuss it confidently. Create flash cards for each claim (what you did, why it mattered, lesson learned).

On the day

  • Set-up: Test your tech (for virtual), have PDFs open and labelled; for in-person, use a slim, tabbed folder.
  • First 30 seconds: Clear introduction, smile, steady pace. Anchor answers to patient safety, teamwork, and NHS values.
  • Portfolio station: When asked, summarise the claim then point to the evidence. Use โ€œheadline โ†’ proof โ†’ impact.โ€
  • Clinical/ethical stations: Prioritise safety and escalation. Share thought process and guidelines youโ€™d consult (e.g., NICE/Trust policies) without getting lost in minutiae.
  • Timekeeping: Aim to finish 10โ€“15 seconds early; if interrupted, pause, acknowledge, and land your key message.
  • Closing: Prepare a 15-second โ€œWhy this specialty/trust?โ€ aligned to local priorities (teaching opportunities, QI culture, patient population, research themes).

Mindset & communication

  • Be authentic and reflectiveโ€”own gaps and show a plan (e.g., โ€œHavenโ€™t led simulation yetโ€”joining the sim faculty next rotationโ€).
  • Keep language non-defensive (โ€œIn hindsight, Iโ€™d escalate earlier to the med reg and involve sepsis nurseโ€).
  • Professionalism signals: punctuality, camera at eye level, neat background, clear file naming, and knowing the interviewersโ€™ titles.

Quick checklist (copy/paste)

  • CV matches current person spec; domains mirrored as headings
  • 2โ€“4 pages; strongest evidence on page 1; metrics everywhere
  • Evidence packs: single PDFs per domain; cover sheet + highlighted proof
  • At least one closed-loop QI with sustained change
  • Structured teaching series + collated feedback + supervisor letter
  • Named leadership role with measured outcomes
  • Poster/paper/prize included with acceptance proof/DOI
  • Life-support course(s) current; relevant Part 1 exam where helpful
  • Interview answers rehearsed with STAR/SPIES; portfolio flash cards ready
  • Tech checked; โ€œWhy this specialty/trust?โ€ mini-pitch prepared

Final word

Think of your CV and portfolio as a scoring document first and a narrative second. Make it trivial for assessors to see how you meetโ€”and exceedโ€”the criteria, then back it up on the day with structured, patient-centred answers.

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