The recruitment process

Please find below an overview of the recruitment process for the current campaign which closed for applications on the 12th of December.

How to get started

Your application will be managed online. Simply click on the Job or the Apply Here button and you will be able to apply for the roles from the 21st November until Monday the 12th December at 23:59. You can complete your application form using a mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop.

You will need to create an account and tell us some basic information about yourself. You will then be asked a series of questions to ensure you are both eligible and understand key information from the Candidate Information Pack. You will be presented with a list of statements to read and agree to. It is really important that you read these carefully. False declarations may result in your application being rejected or your later dismissal.

Next, you will be asked to tell us about your last three years history either in employment or education. And finally you will be asked to provide us with a 250 word statement on the key competency for this job; Delivering at Pace. Please refer to the Candidate Information Pack for further information and guidance on how to best complete your statement.

What happens next? Online Tests

After completing your application form, if you have confirmed that you meet the essential criteria for this job, you will automatically be directed to four online tests. You can either complete these tests straight away or come back to complete the tests any time before the close date on Monday the 12th of December at 23.59.

We will detail the exact time you have available to complete the test when you are invited to complete it. You can take each test in separate sittings. There are sample questions available at the beginning of the test however there are NO practice tests, you will not be allowed to re-sit the test(s) so please ensure that you follow the instructions carefully.

What to Expect
You will be asked to complete four separate skills tests which demonstrate the key and essential criteria for this role to include:

• Attention to detail
• Following instructions
• Numerical Reasoning
• Verbal reasoning.

What happens next? Shortlisting

We will review the scores you achieve in each of the online tests. The top scoring applicants from the online tests will be invited for an interview. If you do not meet the minimum score in the online tests we will send you an email to let you know that we will not be progressing your application.

Please note: Any applicant who has applied under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme will be progressed to the next stage if the minimum score has been achieved. Please see the Disability and Guaranteed Interview page for further information.

On hold: Dependent on the number of applications received in each location, we may place your application on hold if you pass the tests yet are not in the top scoring applications. This means that you could be invited to progress your application at a later date if further jobs become available. If further jobs do not become available within three months we may not be able to progress your application and your application may be withdrawn.

What happens next? Interviews

If you are shortlisted to attend an interview we will send you an email and this will allow you to book a time and date online.

We will provide you with full details once you have booked your interview online including what you need to bring on the day, what to expect and how to best prepare.

If you need to change your interview, you can do so using the online system up to 72 hours before your interview. If you need to make any changes or are unable to attend within 72 hours of your interview you must email us.

What to expect at Interview

You will need to allow yourself around one hour for the interview to include:

• 30 minutes to be greeted and for us to verify all of your documentation and identification;
• 30 minutes interview.

During the interview we will ask you to tell us how you demonstrate the key competencies for this job. We do not consider your employment history, any part of your application form such as experience or qualifications. We will only consider the answers you give on the day. All applicants will be asked the same questions which are designed to cover the key competencies for this post, which are:

We will send you guidance on these competencies when you book your interview, including hints and tips on how to best prepare.

What happens next? Offers

If you attend an interview the answers you give will be scored and ranked.

If you are in the top scoring applications we will email you and advise you have been successful in the interview and make you a provisional offer. This means that subject to successful completion of the appropriate pre-employment checks, we will be able to make you a formal offer of employment.

If we have more successful applications than jobs; we may place some applicants on the reserve list for three months to see if any further posts become available. This list is managed in strict merit order which means that applicants who score the highest at interview will get offered a job first.

If you do not pass the interview we will also let you know via email. We are sorry however due to the volume of applications we expect we will not be able to tell you why or provide any detailed feedback, you will however be provided with the score and rating you achieved at interview.

Please Note:

• We will offer successful applicants a job in merit order based on the first location preference detailed in your application;
• Please also note we may issue some provisional offers before the interviews have been finalised to top scoring applicants, therefore not all applicants may hear the outcome on the same day;
• It is likely that you will not hear the outcome of the interview until all applicants have attended an interview. If you are one of the first applicants to attend an interview, it may take some time;

We will only offer you one job. If you refuse this job we will remove you from the list.

What happens next? Checks

You will need to either already hold or pass the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check; this is the basic clearance process for any role in Government.

We will also ask you to complete various forms such as medical and pension questionnaires; these do not form part of the checks yet are required before we can provide successful applicants with a formal offer.

The BPSS check includes but is not limited to:

• Right to works checks;
• Identity checks;
• Employment history (you will be asked to supply character reference/s for any gaps over four weeks in your application form);
• You will be asked to provide information for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check*.

Please visit this website for more information on BPSS: www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-baseline-personnel-security-standard

*If you are a Civil Servant working in another government department you will be asked to provide proof of your identity and right to work, you would not complete the full BPSS process. If you work for HMRC today the above process will not apply.

Overview of the BPSS clearance process

The documents you provide at your interview will be sent (securely) to our dedicated Pre- Employment Clearance Team. Our team will check that all of the required documents have been included to allow us to start your clearance process. If any documents are missing we will contact you.

Please Note: If a document is not presented at interview and you are not able to present the document within a certain time period, we reserve the right to withdraw your application.

Subject to us receiving all required documents, we will send you an email to ask you to confirm that you would like to accept the provisional offer. We will then send further emails to cover the pre-employment checking process. Please ensure that you complete any requests as quickly as you can to help us speed up the process.

Once we have received satisfactory responses to all of the enquiries, we will issue you with a formal offer of employment. Please do not hand your notice in until you have received a formal offer of employment.