What to do after submitting your NHS application?

Informal visits are one of the most powerful but underutilised strategies in the UK healthcare recruitment process. While job boards and written applications are important, showing up in person (when possible) can leave a lasting impression. 

What Is an Informal Visit? 

An informal visit is a non-interview meeting with the department or team you're hoping to join. It’s a chance to see the work environment, ask questions, and introduce yourself directly to the staff or hiring manager. In essence, it allows you to go beyond paper credentials and connect human-to-human—something that can tip the scales in your favour. 

Why Do Informal Visits Matter? 

• Make a Strong First Impression: A face-to-face visit shows initiative, confidence, and genuine interest in the role. 

• Understand the Workplace Culture: Seeing the department in action helps you evaluate whether the role is the right fit for you. 

• Build Early Rapport: Meeting the hiring team before interviews can make you a memorable applicant when shortlisting begins. 

How to Arrange and Ace an Informal Visit 

Start by emailing or calling the contact listed on the job advert. Be polite and professional. Introduce yourself, express your interest in the role, and ask if it would be possible to arrange a brief informal visit to learn more about the team and department. 

If you’re currently overseas, don’t worry—you can still take advantage of this strategy. Instead of visiting in person, send a professional email introducing yourself and asking thoughtful questions about the role or department. This still demonstrates proactivity and can initiate meaningful dialogue with potential employers. 

Final Thoughts: Integrate Informal Visits into Your Strategy

Informal visits are not just optional extras—they can be the difference between your application getting noticed or overlooked. Employers value initiative, interpersonal skills, and enthusiasm. An informal visit gives you the chance to show all of that before formal interviews even begin. 

Whether you're applying from abroad or already in the UK, make informal contact a regular part of your job-hunting routine. It’s a strategy that can open doors, build valuable relationships, and help you secure your ideal healthcare role in the UK. 

Next Steps

We hope the next step after your informal visit would be an interview invitation! Our article has exclusive information on the types of questions you may be asked and how to prepare for interviews.

Important Message

We hope you find this article useful. If you are interested in our experts guiding you through the NHS application process, you may be interested in our service.  

Ready to turn this advice into a real NHS application?

The HealthHire Portal helps you create tailored supporting information for NHS roles in minutes, with NHS-focused logic built around essential criteria, Trust values, and evidence-led writing.

You also get interview prep tools, expert guidance, and lifetime access for a one-time payment.

So instead of spending hours rewriting every application manually, you can apply faster, stay consistent, and give yourself a better chance of getting shortlisted.

Get full Portal access today and start applying with a system built for NHS jobs or fill this form out and our team will be in touch with you.