How to Write an NHS CV That Passes the Person Specification Sift

The NHS Jobs portal processes over 1.5 million applications every year. With 15,000+ live vacancies at any time, competition is fierce — and most candidates never make it past the sift stage.

The single biggest reason NHS applications fail? They don't properly address the person specification.

What Is an NHS Person Specification?

Every NHS job advert includes a person specification document. It lists essential and desirable criteria under categories like Education & Qualifications, Experience, Skills & Knowledge, and Values. Each criterion is assessed independently — if you don't address it, you don't score.

How to Match a Person Specification

For each essential criterion, write a specific statement showing how you meet it. Use the same keywords from the person spec. For desirable criteria, address them if you can — they can make the difference between shortlisted and rejected.

NHS Values: The Six Core Principles

The NHS constitution outlines six core values: Respect & Dignity, Commitment to Quality, Compassion, Improving Lives, Working Together, and Everyone Counts. Your CV should explicitly reference these values and demonstrate them through specific examples.

CV Human Can Help

Our NHS CV Builder maps your experience directly against person specifications, checks for NHS Values keywords, and ensures your CV is formatted correctly for the NHS Jobs portal. Try it free.