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Frequently asked questions

Need a work permit? Not sure which jobs to apply for?

 
 
  • Students and graduates

Select a question to view our advice for candidates:

 

General enquiries:

Can I apply for any roles outside the UK, and what's the procedure regarding work permits/visas? If you are interested in a role outside the UK, you will need to review the web pages for the specific country in which you are interested, and search for opportunities These webpages will also provide details on work permits/ visas.

I have checked the web pages and the vacancies but there do not seem to be any specific opportunities relevant for me. What should I do? If there are no relevant vacancies it either means that some vacancies have been filled already or we do not have any opportunities at the moment.

All UK vacancies for our graduate and undergraduate programmes are advertised via this website, so please revisit the site regularly to see if new vacancies have occurred. If you are a postgraduate or an MBA, please also search for general job opportunities.

If there are no relevant vacancies for me, can I send in a speculative CV? We do not accept speculative CVs. However, at the top of the job search page you can sign in to create a personal account and save your searches to receive job email alerts if suitable opportunities arise. If there are no relevant vacancies it either means that some vacancies have been filled already or we do not have any opportunities at the moment. Please revisit the site regularly to see if new vacancies have occurred.

How do I apply for the undergraduate/graduate opportunities? Once you have read about our opportunities and have found one in which you are interested, you will need to follow the instructions on how to apply online (please note that all applications must be submitted online).

Where are your sites located in the UK? Please review the locations page.

I am currently at school and am looking for summer positions/work experience opportunities at GSK. Please review the schools pages for work experience opportunities.

Development programme enquiries:

When do applications for the Development Programmes close? Generally in early to mid autumn. Specific closing dates are detailed on the development programme descriptions.

Do you recruit students into the Development Programme who do not hold a valid UK work permit? You must be able to provide evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK for the duration of the programme in which you are applying to be able to submit an application.

What type of Development Programmes do you offer? Sales and Marketing, Science, Finance, IT, Purchasing/ Procurement, Production Management, Engineering, Statistics and Regulatory Affairs - this just a taster of our opportunities. See our graduate programmes pages for further details.

We also offer many other opportunities to join GSK direct into vacant roles. You can review these opportunities by going to graduate jobs.

How long are your Development Programmes? Most of our programmes are between two and three years, however the length varies depending on the programme; so please check the graduate programmes pages for details.

What type of job will I have once I finish a Development Programme? All of our programmes have a very clear end goal in sight, which will map to a certain job role, appropriate to your skills and business requirements. The structure of the programme will allow you to be able to track your progress against your development plan to ensure success on your programme.

What is a typical starting salary for the Development Programme? Starting salaries are reviewed each year and are competitive within the market sector. Please review our reward package page for further details of the overall package.

What does the selection process for your Development Programme involve? Your application form and your answers to the questions are used to make a decision whether to invite you to a telephone interview. If you perform well within the telephone interview, we will then invite you to come to an assessment centre at one of our sites. Through a series of exercises you’ll have the chance to show us how you work, both on your own and as part of a team. It’s a challenging day, but also a great opportunity to meet some of our people and sample our working environment first-hand.

When would I start work with GSK on the Development Programme? Our intakes start between July/September every year dependent on the programme.

Is there an age limit for entry onto the Development Programme? No. People of all ages are welcomed to apply for the Development Programmes.

Industrial placement enquiries:

Do you recruit students onto Industrial Placements who do not hold a valid UK work permit? If you are an overseas student studying full time in the UK for your degree course, you have automatic eligibility to a work permit for your Industrial Placement year. Please contact your careers service directly and they will be able to advise you on how to gain your work permit. You must complete the appropriate forms before you commence employment with a UK organisation.

Do you offer many opportunities that are less than one year long placements? We do offer a number of Summer Placement opportunities. These placements are typically 8-12 weeks long and will generally begin in July. Please read about our summer placement opportunities.

Please note that we cannot accept speculative CVs.

Do you provide assistance to Industrial Placement students to find accommodation? Yes - we can provide accommodation information when you have accepted an Industrial Placement, although we do not offer financial assistance with your accommodation during the placement.

What type of Industrial Placement opportunities do you offer? We have placements in many areas such as Research & Development, IT and Marketing. Further details on our opportunities and how to apply for placements can be found on our industrial placements pages.

How many Industrial Placement positions do you have in each area? Numbers can vary from year to year, we do not generally advertise the number of opportunities available.

What is a typical starting salary for Industrial Placements? Starting salaries are reviewed each year and are competitive within the market sector.

What does the selection process for your Industrial Placements involve? If you are shortlisted after applying, you will be invited to an interview - these usually take place at one of our UK sites.

When would I start work with GSK on an Industrial Placement? Our intakes start between July/September each year dependent on the specific vacancies.

When do applications for Industrial Placement positions close? Generally in early to mid-autumn; however specific closing dates will be clear when you apply.

Contact us:
If you have any specific queries regarding our opportunities, including questions on how to apply, please call 0208 047 4777 to speak with one of our representatives.

 

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