FAQ's

Before Applying

• Why should I work for you?

  Our team's core values are central to our success; we work in a friendly and supportive environment where communication and collaboration is encouraged. We respect and listen to each other and take pride in working together to achieve our goals. We value all employee contributions, regardless of the level of seniority. We are passionate about providing learning opportunities for all staff, at all levels, as we see the value of investing in team members professional development. We understand the importance of having a work life balance and strive to help our employees find a happy medium. We establish relationships based on trust and work hard to maintain an open and honest work environment.

• What is your company culture?

  Our company culture is centred around drive and development. Our team members are constantly striving to better themselves by learning new skills and developing new services for our clients, in order to provide the best possible outcomes.

  Within the team we have a good mix of employees with varying experience - from office apprentices to clinicians with over 20 years of experience. Those with plenty of experience are able to mentor junior team members and all experience new challenges in the development of new services. Everyone is very supportive and happy to help each other out. Please see our culture section to find out more.

• Why should I work for you, over the NHS?

  Our clinically trained employees tell us that two of the most rewarding benefits of working privately are having access to state of the art resources to offer to our clients and having the luxury of being able to spend more time with patients, allowing optimal intensity of therapy and the best possible outcomes. We are proud to be able to offer the newest advanced evidence based treatments and most innovative technology to our clients without experiencing the restrictions many in the NHS do. We have access to FES, saebo, hoisted treadmills, large gym spaces, hydrotherapy and offer specialised intensive CIMT programmes.

• What can you offer to junior staff?

  We offer a supportive and encouraging environment for learning. As a junior member of the team, you will be assigned a supervisor who will mentor you as you develop and gain confidence in your abilities.

• What can you offer to senior staff?

  We respect that you have gained valuable experience in previous employment roles and value the expertise that you bring with you to our company. We have a collaborative approach and encourage transparency and openness. We offer a competitive salary and flexibility where other employers may not be able to.

• How do salaries, bonuses and pay reviews work?

  The starting salary for each position varies, depending on the level of experience and or qualifications required.

  Each graduate position within the company has a fixed starting salary, specific to the role. We regularly review salaries during appraisals and expect to make adjustments as employees take on additional responsibilities and add more value to the company.

  In addition to basic salaries, all team members are rewarded with a performance based bonus twice annually.

• What employee benefits are on offer?

  Our employees work in a friendly and social environment with a warm and open atmosphere in our offices. We offer a competitive salary, a supportive learning environment and many opportunities for development. Many of our offices and clinics are in central locations which are easily accessible. We also regularly organise social activities for staff members, which take place in the evenings and weekends and are attended by many.

The Application Process

• How do I apply for a role?

  The best way to apply would be directly through our website, where a list of our current vacancies are available. To apply for any of the positions listed, please complete the online form and attach a copy of your CV to your application. We also routinely advertise vacancies on a number of external job sites; in these circumstances please follow the application instructions given by the job site.

• What is the application process?

  The process begins with submitting an application form which can be done either online, via email or by post. Whichever way you choose to apply, we will send a confirmation notification within two working days. If the role advertised has a closing date for applications, we will shortlist following this date, or if no date is listed, we may shortlist a number of weeks following your application. After shortlisting, we invite candidates for interview. This is done primarily over the phone but occasionally over email. Depending on the role, we may invite candidates back for a second interview prior to making a decision. We will do our best to inform you of our final decision within two weeks of your interview date.

  We advise applicants to regularly review their inboxes including "spam" folders and to turn on and regularly check their phone and voicemail facilities.

• What should I expect at the interview?

  Our interview questions are themed around the core competencies detailed in the job specification and job description of the advertised role you apply for. In the majority of cases, the interview process will consist of two rounds of interviews before a final decision is made.

  The first interview is designed for us to discover your understanding of the role you are applying to and the work you believe the role will entail. We aim to get to know a little about you and to discover what motivates you. We will also ask about your past experiences and may test your technical by asking you to complete a number of short online tests to assess your verbal and numerical reasoning skills.

  The second interview often involves more senior member of the team who is tasked with differentiating between the best candidates from the initial round of interviews. This interview may involve more in depth and technical questions and you may be asked to give a short presentation or demonstrate your skills.

• I'm not available to attend an interview - is there an alternative option?

  We much prefer to meet candidates in person however we accept that there are some circumstances which might make physical attendance at an interview difficult. In these circumstances, we are willing to interview candidates through skype, facetime or whatsapp.

• Do I have to apply online?

  We strongly advise that you apply online, however you do not have to. If you apply by post, we will scan and process your application online for you.

• How can I get my CV to stand out?

  As we are sure you can appreciate, our HR team receives a large number of CVs. We advise that you have a clear and concise CV that is no longer than two sides in length. The layout of your CV gives us an indication about you and how you organise information and highlight important details within a limited space. We like to see a CV that is easy to decipher and of course factually correct, without any typos or grammatical errors. It is good practice to include a short cover letter with some additional information about yourself and why you are interested in

• Should I include a cover letter?

  A cover letter is a great opportunity to provide us with additional information about yourself and to explain why you would like to work with us. It is an extra chance for you to ensure your application stands from the others. We recommend that you submit both your CV and cover letter in a PDF format to allow us to view it in the way you would like it to be seen, without being distorted if opened on different devices to your own.

• Will I receive feedback on my application?

  Whilst we are appreciative of the time you have set aside to submit your application to us, due to the high number of submissions we receive, we do not have the resources within our team to be provide feedback to every applicant. Should you progress to the stage where you are interviewed by us, we would be happy to provide feedback at this point.

• How do I contact you about my application?

  If you need to get in touch for any reason, please contact us either via email at careers@physio.co.uk or call 0330 088 7800. Please note that correspondence from us may be redirected to your spam folder, so it is worth checking here before getting in touch with us.the position you have applied for.

• Do you accept speculative applications?

  We are more than happy to receive applications for positions that may not be advertised at the moment. We will keep a record of your details and when a position we feel you may be interested does come up, we will get in touch to let you know about it.

• Who has access to my details after I apply?

  Our team involved in shortlisting are the only members of staff who will have access to your details when you submit your application. We store candidate details on a central database and they will remain here for three years to enable us to review profiles of those interested should we have another position become relevant in the future. If you would prefer for us to remove your details, you can contact us in writing to request that they are deleted.

Who are we looking for?

• What experience do candidates need?

  Our employees come from a wide variety of backgrounds. We believe that everyone has the potential to add value through their own individual experiences. We are looking for candidates who possess particular qualities rather than experience as such. If you need any specific experience to complete the role you are applying for, it will be listed within the essential criteria of the job specification for that particular role.

• What type of attributes are you looking for?

  We are looking to recruit candidates who share our vision and values. For further details, please see our vision and values page.

• Do you require candidates to have a particular type of experience?

  Our employees come from a wide variety of backgrounds. We believe that everyone has the potential to add value through their own individual experiences. We are looking for candidates who possess particular qualities rather than experience as such.

• Do I need to have qualifications to work for you?

  The qualifications required will be dependent on the role you are applying for. Some positions within the company do not require any specific qualifications, whereas others will require a degree alongside previous experience. In every case we are looking for candidates who are passionate, personable, motivated and driven to succeed. The details of our essential requirements for the position are listed in the job specification provided for each role.

Onboarding

• What is my annual leave entitlement?

  The standard holiday entitlement we give is 20 days plus public holidays. We also offer the option of purchasing extra holiday should you wish to.

• What will my working hours be?

  Standard contracted hours are worked out at 42.5 hours per week. As with any role, there may be some weeks that you work slightly more than this and some weeks when you work slightly less.

• Do you offer flexitime?

  When discussing hours, we consider each request on a case by case basis. Wherever possible, we try our best to be flexible; we respect you may have commitments outside of work and that our understanding and flexibility can make a big difference to your work-life balance.

• Will I receive feedback about my performance?

  Our employees have the opportunity to meet with their line managers on a weekly basis. This provides a forum to obtain feedback on any ongoing work, as well as address any queries or concerns from your experiences within the job. There will also be regular informal opportunities to discuss your performance and experiences from the onset of your time with us.

  Performance on a company level is formally discussed on a 6 monthly basis in an appraisal meeting which ties into our individual performance related pay bonus scheme. The appraisal process also provides an opportunity for you and your line manager to discuss how you are finding your role, what you are enjoying and if there is anything you might benefit from additional support with.

Placement Opportunities

• Do you offer internships?

  We provide a number of flexible internships lasting between 8-12 weeks. For more information, please email careers office@physio.co.uk and provide details of the type of internship you are interested in.

• Do you offer apprenticeships?

  We offer apprenticeships which combine college and working life for under 19s. For more information, please email careers office@physio.co.uk and provide details of the type of apprenticeship you are interested in.

• Do you offer university elective placements?

  We offer 5-6 week elective placement opportunities to some therapy based degree courses. For more information, please email careers office@physio.co.uk and provide details of the type of elective placement you are interested in.

• Do you offer observational placements?

  We offer observational placements lasting 1 week for candidates interested in studying physiotherapy at university level. For more information, please email careersoffice@physio.co.uk and provide details of the type of observational placement you are interested in.

• Do you offer adaptation periods?

  We offer adaptation periods for individuals requiring additional clinical hours in order to gain HCPC validation. This is often a requirement when physiotherapists have qualified outside of the UK or have had a period of time in which they have not been practicing. For more information, please email careersoffice@physio.co.uk and provide details of the adaptation requirements you are hoping to achieve.

• Do you offer sandwich / Erasmus / other placements?

  We offer sandwich / Erasmus / and other placements for degree level students, lasting between 4-12 months. For more information, please email careersoffice@physio.co.uk and provide details of the type of break up / sandwich placement you are interested in.

Career Development

• What do you do to support continuous professional development? (CPD)

  Physio.co.uk recognises the importance of investing in and supporting our employees in their continuous professional development and our core objective is to help all staff achieve their full potential. We work hard to ensure all team members receive and have access to appropriate training and development support. We believe strongly in supporting our staff to better themselves in their careers and actively encourage and often fund employees attendances at external courses and conferences, and choices to work towards additional qualifications. We also promote an internal learning environment with regular in-service training opportunities, on the job training and supervision meetings.

  Our employees work with their line managers to develop and maintain key skills and knowledge they need to be effective in their role and many CPD opportunities derive from plans made in collaboration with line managers.

  Physio.co.uk understands that the skills our staff possess are a reflection on the company and increasing and sharing knowledge and skills adds value to the company. We also recognise that, to function as a progressive health service, it is essential for us to keep up to date with the newest advances in the field of therapy. Because of all the above, we feel that the energy we put into our employee development is more than worthwhile.

• What do you offer specifically to junior therapists?

  For junior team members, we offer a supportive and encouraging learning environment, with weekly input from your line manager through supervision meetings. Our junior therapists are guided through a core competencies programme by their line manager. As a company, we value the learning possibilities from joint working, observations with feedback and peer supervision. We also allocate time for self-directed study to enhance skills. We hold regular in-service training sessions and provide opportunities to attend external training events for the public hosted by Physio.co.uk at a 50% staff discount rate. We are also willing to consider and fund courses suggested by the employee, if relevant to their role.

• What do you offer specifically to senior therapists?

  We respect the expertise our senior therapists have worked hard to develop. We offer senior weekly supervision where discussions about roles, service development and individual goals and opportunities can be openly discussed. For the following specialities, neurology, paediatrics and musculoskeletal., we provide monthly internal senior training meetings and quarterly external training.

• Are there many opportunities in terms of progression?

  We are a fast growing company, constantly adding to our portfolio and developing new services. Our team consists of motivated and driven individuals who are ready to take on new challenges and be successful in what they do. Because of this, we are able to provide our employees with great opportunities for career development and progression.

General

• Where are your clinics?

  We have clinics across the North West of England, with the majority of our staff being based either within Manchester or Liverpool.

• Do you employ part time staff?

  Yes, we value the part-time workers within our team. When a vacancy becomes available, it will be advertised stating clearly that we are recruiting for a part time role.

• Do you work with recruitment agencies?

  We have our own in-house HR and recruitment team. We have a policy not to entertain calls from recruitment agencies.