Sample Supporting Statements
For Students and Newly Registered Nurses, Nursing Support Workers, and Nurses and Midwives.
The supporting statement is the most important part of your job application. This is effectively where you convince the employer that you're the right person for the job and explain why they should hire you.
This page offers sample supporting statements and a tutorial to help you. We can also offer feedback on your supporting statement via email.
Free webinar: writing supporting statements (18th June 2025 at 2pm)
This webinar is designed to help RCN members write tailored, well-structured statements for job applications. We’ll share tips on crafting a good introduction and organising your content, along with techniques to effectively demonstrate your skills, experience, and knowledge. Sign up today.
Different employers will have different instructions or expectations with regards to supporting statements, but generally they'll be looking to see if you're applying for the right reasons and that you meet the essential criteria.
If you haven't already done so, read the general advice on writing job applications and watch the Supporting Statements tutorial below.
To help give you an idea, have a look at our sample supporting statements which have been written to correlate to a sample Person Specification.
In particular, pay attention to the way the sample supporting statements:
- Cover all the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification
- Use examples or evidence to demonstrate how the criteria is met
- Follow the order of the Person Specification as much as possible.
The sample statements should be used as a guide only. Your own supporting statement must be tailored and structured around the job and person specification you're applying for.
Top tipsÂ
- Apply for jobs that are right for you.
- Never write a 'one size fits all' supporting statement.
- Start your statement with an engaging introduction, explaining why you're applying and/or showing your passion/interest and motivation.
- Imagine you're being asked the question, "Why should we hire you?"
- Use the person specification headings and criteria to structure your statement.
- One by one, address each and every criteria from the person specification, using relevant context, examples and/or evidence.
- Talk about specific, real life examples. Use the CAR technique if needed. (Context, Action, Result.)
- Demonstrate how you meet any organisational/trust values if applicable
- Run a spelling and grammar check
Supporting Statement Tutorial Preview
Our Sample Supporting Statements are for RCN members only.
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