Recruitment process
The recruitment process for our staff roles can seem long and does have a number of different stages, see our overview below to understand what to expect at each stage.
Throughout the process we will keep in touch with you and let you know at each step whether you’ve been successful and are able to proceed. You can also log in to view your application status. If you haven’t received an email, remember to check your junk mail/filter settings in case our emails have ended up there.
All applicants must be a UK Citizen, EU Citizen with EU Settled or Pre-Settled status, a Commonwealth Citizen or Foreign National with no restrictions on your stay in the United Kingdom. Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should have lived here for the three years immediately preceding your application.
You must declare any previous spent and unspent convictions and have a basic background check to get Security Check level clearance. Applicants with cautions, convictions or reprimands, other than some motoring offences, may not be accepted.
Once you’ve found the role for you on our careers page, take time to review the details and criteria. Consider the closing date and give yourself time to prepare your responses.
Ensure to provide us with accurate and up to date information when providing personal details. Take a look at our application guidance for advice on submitting your best responses.
After the vacancy has closed, all applications will be reviewed against the shortlisting criteria. Once this has been completed, you’ll receive notification via email to let you know if you have been successful or unsuccessful at shortlisting. Due to the number of applications that we receive, we are not able to provide feedback at this stage of the process.
Our interviews are held by panel members who manage or work within the department your applying for, so they have a strong idea of the skills and experience needed for the role, therefore it is important to familiarise yourself with the job description and the competency and values framework. We advise taking a look at our interview preparation guide for some top tips on how to get ready for your interview.
The interview is a competitive process, not everyone can be offered a job, even if they all interview well, so it’s your goal to let the interviewers see you at your best. The more comfortable and familiar you are with the demands of the role you’ve applied for and how you can personally add value to it, the better you’ll come across at interview.
You will be notified of the outcome of the interviews within 5 working days of the last interview. You will be provided with feedback at this stage no matter the outcome.
If you have been successful at interview, it is important to remember this isn’t a formal offer of employment.
A formal offer will only be made once you have cleared all pre-employment checks. This includes:
- Right to work checks
- Vetting background checks
- 3 years of employer references
- Medical checks
- Substance Misuse Screening
Is it important to complete all forms promptly as vetting checks can take a number of weeks to complete, and any delays will impact your start date. All forms should be filled out in as much detail as possible, ensuring to be open and honest.
Our recruitment officers will keep you updated throughout the pre-employment check process and notify you when all checks are cleared. A contract of employment will only be sent at this stage and will outline the terms of the role.
It is important to return your signed and completed starter documents as promptly as you can.