PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION
FORM
Thank you for your interest in working for the
Borough Council. An application form and further details relating
to the post are enclosed. Your completed form is our only basis for
considering your initial suitability for a post and the following
advice should help you to complete the form as effectively as
possible.
Job Description and Person Specification
Read the job description carefully and start to think about
whether or not you think you can do the job, whether you are
interested in it, and why. The person specification is very
important. It tells you what we are looking for, in terms of
skills, knowledge, experience, personal qualities, etc. This is the
most useful document for helping you to decide whether you might be
a suitable candidate.
Application Form
Before starting to complete the
application form, refer to the job description and person
specification and begin by making notes of what you feel is
relevant. It is advisable to produce a rough draft of your whole
application and ask someone to check it for spelling, etc. before
you transfer it to the actual form.
Make sure that in your application you clearly show how you meet
the job requirements and include all the information you wish us to
know. This is the only way that we can assess you and you will only
be shortlisted for interview if you meet these requirements.
Do not copy the same application for a series of jobs and please do
not enclose a CV. We ask that all applicants complete an
application form for consistency and ease of selection, and the
form has been designed to cover all the details that we want to
know at this stage.
In order to process your
application the following information is required and is clearly
shown as headings on the form. Make sure that you complete every
section, writing 'none' or 'not applicable' where you have no
information to provide.
Vacancy details:
This should normally have been
completed before the form is sent to you, however, if this is not
the case please fill in this box using the information on the job
details.
Personal details:
We ask for these basic details so
that we can easily contact you. If we are required to telephone you
at your current place of work, this will be done with the utmost
discretion.
Present/most recent employment:
Please delete whichever is not
applicable and clearly show the details requested. When we ask
about employment we are equally interested in voluntary work and
work experience, either paid or unpaid.
Membership of professional bodies:
This refers to professional
institutes or associations which usually require you to possess
certain qualifications or experience in order to join.
Training:
Please include any relevant
training and development activities you have undertaken, including
any general training such as customer care, time management,
etc.
Education and
qualifications:
List all formal and informal
qualifications, including any for which you are awaiting results.
We may need to assess whether you meet the required qualifications
(if any) for the vacancy.
Previous
employment:
Please state all the jobs you
have had, starting with the most recent. Again, we are equally
interested in casual, voluntary, unpaid work and work experience.
Please account for any breaks in employment, for example, as a
result of returning to study, travel, unemployment, etc.
Experience:
This section is your chance to
sell yourself by expanding on your qualities, skills, experience,
education and training, demonstrating to us why you are a suitable
candidate. Remember that you may be in competition with a number of
other applicants so make sure that you use the person specification
and try to illustrate your skills, experience, etc., through
examples of your achievements.
You do not have to fill the whole
space provided. Alternatively, you may wish to use additional pages
if necessary, although these should not be excessive. It is not
important how much you write but that you include all the
information you want us to know.
References:
When choosing your referees
please ensure that they are people who know about your skills and
capabilities. One of these should be your present or most recent
employer, or a college tutor if you have just left education. If
you are unable to give two such names, you may choose someone who
knows you in a personal capacity and can tell us about your
character, personality, honesty, etc. These should only be provided
if no other referees are available, should not be related to you,
and you should state how you know this person, e.g. neighbour,
priest, family friend.
It is our usual practice to obtain references after interview, for
the person to whom we are offering the job. Occasionally, however,
we may decide to approach referees for all or some candidates at an
earlier stage and you must let us know if you would not wish us to
do this without your prior knowledge. Please do not provide
pre-written references or testimonials as we wish to ask the person
about your ability to do this particular job.
Canvassing:
You must tell us if you are
related to a local Councillor or senior member of staff who is
already employed by the Council. It is important that you do not
try to use this in any way to further your application or you will
be disqualified.
Additional
Documentation
Equal Opportunities
Monitoring Form:
We have a policy that no employee
or prospective employee will be treated less favourably on the
grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin,
sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, trade union
activity, age or religious or political beliefs. We ask that all
applicants assist us in monitoring the effectiveness of our policy
by completing this form, which will not be seen by those
responsible for drawing up a shortlist for interview.
Police Check Statement of
Policy:
The post for which you are
applying may involve substantial access to children. If this is the
case, you will be provided with information explaining that before
we are able to offer you the job your background will be checked
with the police for any previous criminal activity.
General Information and
Conditions of Employment:
This form provides basic details
of the conditions of service attached to the post in which you are
interested. Further details may be provided at interview, or can be
requested at any stage.
The Appointments Procedure
- Only applications received before the closing date will be
considered.
- After the closing date, all application forms are passed
forward for shortlisting purposes.
- Shortlisting is carried out by members of the interview panel
and is based on an assessment of the information you have provided
on your application form against criteria defined on the person
specification. Only candidates who meet the essential criteria can
be selected for interview.
- If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted and invited to
attend for interview. If there are any special arrangements
associated with the interview process, e.g. tests or presentations,
you will be informed accordingly.
- If you attend an interview you will normally be informed of the
outcome within one week of the selection process being finalised.
The successful candidate will have the decision confirmed in
writing as an offer of employment. Unsuccessful candidates will
have the opportunity for feedback from the interview panel on
request.
- All offers of appointment are conditional upon receipt of
satisfactory references and medical clearance and, where
appropriate, satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau check.
- If, at any stage of the appointment process, you feel aggrieved
at the manner in which your application has been dealt with, you
should write to the Human Resources Manager at the address below
:
Human Resources Manager
Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council
Delamere House
Delamere Street
Crewe
Cheshire
CW1 2JZ