Trainee Stories: blog and social content request

Please email your blog, images and contact details as requested below to [email protected]

• Full name, specialism, cohort, region: note that we’ll use your first name only on the blog & all other comms
• 350 word blog including an ‘about me’ paragraph: that’s the optimal word length, slightly longer/shorter is fine. You can see examples of ‘about me’ paragraphs in the blogs links below.  
• A clear photo of you: landscape format, as high res as possible. A selfie taken on a mobile phone is fine.  We want a mix of headshots, wider shots – so format is up to you, as long as your face is clearly visible and you’re smiling.  Most users will be viewing on mobile and smiley faces are more engaging. 
• Additional images: optional but great to bring your blog to life if you have them e.g. you in-role on placement, at a GMTS event, showing something mentioned in your ‘about me’ section.  These need to be landscape format and informal images are preferable, as people want to get a sense of you and your life on GMTS. 
• Social media handles: include these if you want to be tagged in any social posts used to promote your blog on GMTS social channels

Suggested content – your blog could focus on one or several of the suggestions below:

• specialism – explain your placement role, successes, challenges
• region – what it’s like to work in your region
• motivation for applying and your experience so far – highlights, challenges etc. 
• contribution you’ve made to the success of the NHS
• ambitions for your NHS career
• support on GMTS – peer network and/or GMTS
• advice to graduates thinking of applying – or about to do their VAC

Example blog posts: Daisy Finn Kemi Ciaran

Please email your Q&As, images and contact details as requested below to [email protected]

• Full name, specialism, cohort, region: note that we’ll use your first name only on the blog & all other comms
• Q&A format content with 6-8 Q&As: aim for around 500-600 words in total, including an ‘about me’ paragraph.  See current blog posts for an email of ‘about me’ e.g. Kemi’s blog  
• A clear photo of you: landscape format, as high res as possible. A selfie taken on a mobile phone is fine.  We want a mix of headshots, wider shots – so format is up to you, as long as your face is clearly visible and you’re smiling.  Most users will be viewing on mobile and smiley faces are more engaging. 
• Additional images: optional but great to bring your blog to life if you have them e.g. you in-role on placement, at a GMTS event, showing something mentioned in your ‘about me’ section.  These need to be landscape format and informal images are preferable, as people want to get a sense of you and your life on GMTS. 
• Social media handles: include these if you want to be tagged in any social posts used to promote your blog on GMTS social channels

Question suggestions – use, amend or create your own

• What was your motivation for applying to GTMS? 
• What do you think people should know before applying – now you’re a trainee?
• How should candidates prepare to apply for GMTS?   For VAC?
• What was the recruitment process like? What kind of support did you get along the way?
• Can you describe a typical day in the life of a GMTS trainee?
• What has been better than expected or unexpected since joining GMTS? 
• What’s the most rewarding part of being a trainee?
• What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced on GMTS so far?
• What is your biggest success or what have you felt most proud of achieving as a trainee?  
• What are you most looking forward to as a trainee – on-scheme or after graduation? 
• What’s your NHS career ambition? 
• What song best sums up your experience on GMTS so far? 
• GMTS in 1 word (that isn’t ‘GMTS’!) 
• What’s something not many people know about you?

Example – this is a demo and doesn’t include an image or ‘about me’ para.  It shows the format style.  Trainee Story: Emily – Graduate Management Training Scheme (demo85.com)

Please email your video or clips and and contact details as requested below to [email protected]

• Full name, specialism, cohort, region: note that we’ll use your first name only on the blog & all other comms
• 1-3 minutes of video content: edited as a final video or as separate clips for us to edit together.  Please shoot in landscape.  People want to see you, your personality and what life on GMTS is like.  So informal video shot on your phone is perfect. ‘Day in the life of a trainee’ is always very popular video content.
• Description: a short description for your blog page, that will encourage people to watch your video
• Social media handles: include these if you want to be tagged in any social posts used to promote your blog on GMTS social channels

Example – this is a demo for illustrative purposes only

Trainee Story: Isi – Graduate Management Training Scheme (demo85.com)

GMTS social media followers love trainee-generated content. 

As a candidate, it might have been what you visited our social channels to find. Trainee content is credible, informative and engaging. Even better if it can be interactive, such as an Instagram takeover for a day or responding to questions on LinkedIn or Twitter for a couple of hours.

We’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in creating social content for GMTS.  

We’ll use your content to create social media posts using templates and designs that follow GMTS brand guidelines, tailored to the different format requirements across all channels.

Please email photos, videos (landscape format) and quotes for use on social media to [email protected]. Include your name (first name only will be used in posts), specialism, cohort and region in your email. Want your personal account to be tagged? Please include your handle. 

Use the blog sections above for content ideas.  Blog content will be used to create social content (unless requested otherwise) so you don’t need to submit the same content as a blog and for use on social media.  

Instagram: video needs to be 90″ max and shot in portrait format. If you’re thinking about using interactive tools such as questions or poll stickers or want to host a ‘trainee takeover’ for a day, please get in touch. You can see examples of recent trainee takeovers as Highlights on our Instagram channel.

Twitter: @ the GMTS Twitter account @nhsgradscheme when you tweet about GMTS so we can retweet you.  

Linkedin: Longer in-depth articles for use on LinkedIn are very welcome e.g. detail about your placement or flexi-placement experience. 
Please note that some trainees have reported receiving a high volume of direct contacts on LinkedIn, asking for support during the application process. Trainees are not obliged to offer individual advice and we encourage you to signpost enquirers to resources on the GMTS website.  

GMTS social channels

Instagram @nhsgraduatescheme

Linkedin NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme (GMTS)

Twitter @NHSGradScheme

Facebook @NHSGraduateScheme

Youtube NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme

Submitting content implies consent for GMTS to use the content to help promote GMTS, in the understanding that content may be used across various GMTS channels including, but not exclusively, its website, publications, social media channels and marketing communications and that the content may be viewed by public audiences.

Content may also be used on third-party websites used for GMTS attraction communications campaigns. Third-party websites are usually graduate recruitment listings websites e.g. Prospects or Target Jobs.

Content will not use any individual’s last name.

Consent for use of content can be withdrawn or content can be amended by emailing [email protected]. Please include an image of the content and / or a URL for its location with your withdraw or amend request.

Please email [email protected] to submit content or to discuss ideas and suggestions.