How easy is it for graduate pods to find employment in the UK?

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Hi all, I am new to this forum and have been looking around for any relevant threads but couldn't seem to find any.

I am a final year student due to graduate this summer and am wondering what my chances of actually finding work are. I regularly check the NHS jobs website and the amount of jobs which come up at grade 5 seem to be very few and far between.

I am from Cornwall and would love a job there or in Devon but as there are the Plymouth uni graduates, competition for very few jobs in that area will be fierce. The pods who graduated from my uni last year have not all got jobs after 5 months of being registered. The ones that are employed seem to be doing locum work for local trusts, are working for scholl in different cities or are trying to make it as private doms. It has left me feelign a little worried about whether these 3 years of hard graft and debt are going to be for nothing?!

I have decided that in the interests of my career I am prepared to move pretty much anywhere with the intention of avoiding London and similar cities. Luckily my husband has agreed to move with me!
Working in private practice or in the NHS would be fine by me but I would not to be self employed as a new graduate.

Anyway I seem to have rambled a little there! Can anyone give me any advice on my chances of employment? If I am willing to relocate do you think I'll have much trouble? Any thoughts, advice, tips etc would be greatly appreciated

 

Having qualified over two years ago, I myself was worried about the apparent lack of opportunities within the NHS in my area. However, jobs became advertised towards the end of the course (I was lucky enough to get one) and early autumn.

I'd say a that out of 25 qualifiers about a 1/3 had the opportunity of NHS employment within 3 or 4 months. If people were willing to relocate I'd imagine that this ratio would be much higher.

Of course there were a number of opportunities within private practices which would at the very least be good experience. I wouldn't worry too much yet. Oh, and good luck!

 

Hello Suzy-Wozy,
I don't wish to be a "Dame Doom" but you might be interested to read the thread about Podiatry Asistants/Assistant Podiatrists that I posted recently.
I feel that with the job market as it is you may need to relocate to obtain your first position in the NHS.
However, if you want pp then the world's your oyster!
Dido

 

We have just had a few Band 5 NHS jobs advertised in our area (Wiltshire/Bath) which have now been filled - if you see one, you could apply before you actually graduate, then some NHS trusts will save the job until you do. You are probably more likely to find one if you are willing to go anywhere though. I know when I graduated 7 years ago, I commuted to the nearest job to home (64 mile round trip), got some experience etc until a higher banded job came up in my prefered area. Good luck with your finals!

Ella

 

Further to my last post - I have just had a quick look at the NHS jobs website - I saw some Band 6 positions that say "newly qualified/qualifying graduates who can demonstrate the skills required for this job are encouraged to apply" - so check the blurb of each job carefully, you never know!

 

Hi Suzy wuzy,

I graduated last year and am now working in Australia. Plenty of jobs over here. Process is quite straight forward.

 

Hi
I have never found it difficult to get work in the NHS
Just make it clear to the trusts you have done your placements at that you would love to work there. And send your CV round now to as many trusts as possible so that they have your details on file for when they get a vacancy available. Not all jobs get advertised externally so having someone in the know is a bonus, do you have friends at any trusts,? But if they are aware of you they will inform you when any jobs become free. Some trusts take on bank / locum pods so look into that, as they say once you have your foot in the door.....
But be aware that with the changes with banding and the AFC some trusts will now take pods on at band 5 with no promise of you progressing to band 6 unless a vacant post appears.
Staff are always moving around from trust to trust so there are jobs available. Keep checking www.jobs.nhs.uk and also look at the individual trusts's websites for those posts that are only advertised internally.
Don't be tempted to take on a pod assts job. You have studied too long n hard for that. Unless you are extremely desperate for money, in which case I would advise doing some private work first and only do a pod asst job as last resort, you dont want to de skill yourself.

Good luck

 

Hi and thanks everyone for the valuable tips and advice.

I will definitely send my cv to some trusts and keep my eyes open for NHS positions which come up.

There are a couple of posters on the board at uni advertising jobs in private practices in Dublin. This would mean changing to the euro etc and looking on the net, I see that it is an expensive city both for rent and in terms of higher housing prices. I did email the private clinic and was told that they have problems finding qualified podiatrists for their clinics and are having to recruit from England. The problem I am having is the clinic has asked me what sort of salary I would be looking at earning for a full time position including saturdays. This has stumped me a bit as I have no idea what to say but know that it'd need to be quite a meaty salary based on the cost of living there. Any ideas?

 

Well as a band 5 in the NHS you'd start on around 18K I think. I'd want at least that for a position in private practice in Dublin at a bare minimum, and a good chunk more if it's a six day week! If they are desperate for qualified Podiatrists don't be shy in asking for a higher amount. Imagine what they'd be paying for locum work (aswell as they may be fed up working so hard whilst being a Podiatrist down) .They may turn you down but at least you can take it from there. Just make sure they know that you are serious about the possibility of working for them.

Good luck whatever you do.

 

Hiya just checked NHS website and band 5 starts at £19,683, in London this is £23,619.
Dublin seems to have comparable living costs to London in terms of property rental and then food costs are even higher in Dublin, 10% higher in fact. So I was thinking that realistically the pay would need to be a lot higher than 18k, you couldn't live in Dublin on that wage unfortunately.

I was thinking more along the lines of asking for atleast 26k at the very mimimum taking into the account the cost of living and the fact it includes Saturday working, although it is a 5 day week not 6 days. When I was in my first year we had some jobs on the board for Dublin and I remember they were offering 25k at the time and that was two years ago......

It's tough really, I don't want to make a pay offer than is much lower than what they were willing to pay but at the same time don't want to appear greedy!! But if I am going to relocate to Dublin I need to have a comfortable standard of living, there's no point going and having to pay £850-£1000 each month for a flat and paying the 10% higher food prices than the UK if I am not getting a wage to reflect this!!

 

I think 26K seems a reasonable request, particularly if the cost of living is high.

 

You'd need 26k to just exist in Dublin.

I would ask for at least 30k (your doing a 6 day week remember). It's not worth it for anything less IMO......to be sure.

 

TRUE! Lots of jobs in Australia, under 30? Come on a working holiday for a year. If you like it, apply to stay, if your boss loves you, he/she will apply for you. carole

 

Hi and thanks for the Australia tip. I am not far off 30 so the working year would be out of the question.

I would love to have year or two there in the future though but not for another 5 years or so. Me and hubbie will be in our mid 30s then so may be considered too old??!!

An update on the jobs, I have been checking the nhs website and have applied for a couple of jobs recently. As Ella quite rightly said, mainy of the band 6 jobs accept new graduates. Other students on my course have got job offers in the NHS and lots have been offered work in Australia.

I have registered with a couple of agencies and have had some contact from a couple of them...mediplacement and pulse and they were helpful and keen to find me work. I tried to fill out pinnacles online registration but it seems to have an error and after emailing them twice they have not got back to me at all. So not too impressed with them!

Have been offered work by scholl but not too keen as I'd have to relocate, which i don't mind doing but they pay 19k and it involves weekend working and selling. If I am going to relocate I either want to work for the NHS or if I am working for a private company and doing weekends etc I want a little more than 19k.
Not to go off on one about scholl but I found it quite annoying that they charge £30 a patient, you see 14 patients a day which equates to £420 in the till each day and all they can pay is 19k!! Just over £73 a day...Grrrrr.......No wonder they can't get staff in many of their stores.

 

I would love to have year or two there in the future though but not for another 5 years or so. Me and hubbie will be in our mid 30s then so may be considered too old??!!

Hey Suzy Wuzy

I came out last year at the ripe old age of 34.

Your qualifications get you the points you need to get into Oz, whatever way you apply. I.e. working visa or Full residency