We support ex-armed forces throughout their application to work at Mersey Care.

Your recruitment journey with Mersey Care shows the different stages of your application.

How do I search for a vacancy?

All of the job vacancies at Mersey Care are advertised on our jobs page

You can also sign up for alerts when a particular type of job or work location is advertised - simply follow the instructions below!

Before starting your application, be sure to read the job advert, job description and person specification, so you know the essential and desirable criteria for the role you’re applying for. 

More information about how NHS jobs compare to a role in the armed forces.

On every advert there will be a contact name, email address and/or phone number. Where possible, try and contact the recruiting manager to discuss the role before you apply. This will give you a better understanding of the role and can answer any specific questions you may have. 

Set up an account on Trac

Trac is an online application system used by the NHS to help people apply for jobs and keep track of where their application is up to. You will get emails from Trac or trac.jobs rather than Mersey Care so look out for them in your inbox or junk.

To apply for any job with Mersey Care, you need to set up an account on Trac.  This can be done on Mersey Care’s website by clicking on the ‘Jobs’ link on our home page.  

To set up a Trac account you will need to provide your name, postal address and email address.  You will also need to set up a password to access your account in the future. Once you set up an account, you can search and apply for jobs. You can also log back into your account to check where your application is up to at any stage. Make sure you choose a password you can remember so that you can log in and out of your Trac account and keep uptodate with any applications.

Your personal details including your name, address and date of birth are not shared. Trac keeps applications anonymous until you are shortlisted for an interview.

Set up a job alert

Use your Trac account to set up a job alert, which notifies you as soon as certain roles are advertised. In your Trac account, click ‘Jobs-by-email’. You can select types of jobs, geographical locations, the band or salary you are looking for. Job adverts that match the information you have specified will be emailed to you. This can be changed or stopped at any time.

Sign up to hear more about our virtual information sessions by emailing: applicant.support@merseycare.nhs.uk 

Tips for completing your application on Trac

  • Some sections, such as qualifications, can have multiple answers. Use the add another button to add more answers
  • It is possible to save your application form without submitting it, then return to it later by logging into My Account
  • We recommend that whilst completing the form, you save it every ten minutes in case of internet problems. There is a 'save' button at the bottom
  • Make sure your application is written in mixed case.  Applications written in all lower case or all capital are harder to read
  • If you leave your application in draft, it will be available on your account for up to 90 days after the closing date. After that time, it will be deleted automatically. You can also log in to delete it at any time 
  • Some Equal Opportunities questions may be obligatory because large employers have a legal duty to monitor recruitment and selection processes to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly. The information is used for statutory monitoring only and is never used in the selection process

Filling in your application form 

Applications are assessed by a scoring system based on the requirements listed in the person specification for the role. Make sure you include examples of how you have experience of meeting these requirements on your application in order to score highly and be shortlisted for an interview. The section for ‘supporting information’ is an opportunity for you to include how you may meet specific requirements from your experience in voluntary roles, training, qualifications hobbies or other life events.

Employment history

This part of the application allows for a maximum of 10 previous employers.

For this section, start with the most recent job role you have held and work chronologically backwards - that means, start with your most recent occupation!

When describing your duties and responsibilities, think about what you did or achieved that may help you with the role you are applying for now.

If there are any gaps in your employment when you were not in education or training, you will be required to account for this time.  Example may be ‘taking care of my children’ or ‘unemployed during this time’.

Supporting information

The supporting information section of the application is one of the most important sections to describe how you meet the job requirements. This is your opportunity to explain your best attributes, detail any skills that you may have not yet had the opportunity to mention and convince the recruiter why they should want you on their team.

To fill this section, refer to the personal specification attached to all job adverts (often found at the end of the job description attachment).

Explain how you possess each of the qualities, skills and experience that are both essential and desirable. It is very important to give examples of when you have displayed these skills, not just say that you have them. Give examples of how your previous experiences have given you the ability to do the job you are applying for.

Double check what you have written to make sure it is easy to read and understand.  You have a 1500 word maximum on this section, so use it wisely!

Top tip:

Write the heading from the person specification and then complete underneath how you meet it.  For example:

Experience of taking accurate minutes at meetings. 

I have regularly taken minutes at meetings and then typed them up in Microsoft Word to be circulated to the attendees. I ensured they were accurate by using spell check and proof reading everything closely.

Top tip:

A technique that may help structure your answer is called the STARR Method.

  • SITUATION           
  • Explain the situation you found yourself in, think of this as setting the scene. Provide the interviewer with a bit of background and context.
  • TASK                    
  • What did you need to do? Build on the background you have already provided and explain the task, specifically your involvement. What were the major tasks you needed to do?
  • ACTION                
  • What specific action did YOU take and how did you do it? Remember this is about you and the actions that you personally took.
  • RESULT                
  • What was the outcome? What difference did this make?
  • REFLECTION        
  • What did you learn from the situation? What would you do differently next time? Don’t be afraid of including difficulties or failure; all jobs involve difficulties, the key is to explain how you handle them.

References

These references should cover the past three years ideally. If during the last three years, you have any periods in which you have not been in either employment or full-time education, please provide details of someone who can provide a character reference for you to cover this period. Character references should be provided by a person of standing in the community such as a teacher, health care professional (for example a doctor, physiotherapist, registered nurse), minister of religion, police officer or solicitor. Character references should only be used in exceptional circumstances to cover periods of time when you have not been in either employment or education.

Finishing your application

At any time you can save your application without submitting it. Once you have completed your application form and are ready to submit it, simply click the submit button.

Don’t forget, your application form is always saved. So the next time you come to complete one for another role, the majority of the work will already have been done!

‘Bossing’ your interview with Mersey Care

Job interviews at Mersey Care are based on ‘values based’ interview questions, which relate specifically to the values and behaviours that are expected from all our employees.

You can learn a bit more about who we are as a Trust here.

The interview questions aim to discover how you have reacted or dealt with certain situations. The logic is that how you behaved in the past will likely predict how you will behave in the future. They will also indicate your personal values and attitudes because of the behaviours you displayed. The interview panel may ask follow-up questions to find out more information from you.

Sample values-based interview questions

Value: Continuous Improvement

  • Describe the most challenging work related issue you have come across
  • Tell me about a time you made a difference to someone’s day
  • Tell me about when you last asked for feedback on your own performance.

Value: Accountability

  • Tell me about a time you made a mistake
  • Explain a time when you had to deliver a quality service under difficult circumstances
  • Tell me about a time you faced competing priorities.

Value: Respect

  • Tell me about a time where you felt it was necessary to treat a patient or colleague differently to accommodate their background or personal beliefs
  • Tell me about a time you needed to handover important information to a colleague
  • Tell me about a time when you were asked to do something you didn’t agree with or felt was wrong.

Value: Enthusiasm

  • Tell me about a time you felt disappointed by your own poor performance
  • Describe a time when you were concerned about a colleague / staff members approach with a colleague/client/service user/patient
  • Tell me about a person you provided care or support to.

Value: Support

  • Describe a time you needed to offer emotional support to another person
  • Describe a time when you provided feedback to someone
  • Tell me about a time when you were concerned about someone who was upset at work.