Skip to content

Guidelines for applicants

The application form is the first step in the recruitment process and may lead to you being invited to interview and a possible job offer. The application form looks at:

  • Basic information about you, such as qualifications and your current role.
  • A career history with summaries of your responsibilities and achievements.
  • Evidence of your skills and competencies which match the requirements of the role.

It is essential that you complete it to the best of your ability as it forms the first impression of your application.  The guidance below may be useful to you when completing your application form.

  1.  Read the instructions on the application form carefully before completing it.
  2. Complete ALL relevant sections of the application form as clearly and fully as possible.
  3. Where possible complete the application form electronically – not everybody can read your handwriting however neat you may think it is.
  4. If you are submitting a handwritten application, please use black ink and ensure that it is legible.
  5. If you use any continuation sheets, make sure that you mark that clearly each page with your name and the position that you are applying for.
  6. The job description provides details of the purpose of the job, the level of responsibility and the duties to be performed. This will help you to understand the role.
  7. The person specification provides details of the experience, skills and abilities required in order to be able to carry out the duties.  During the short listing process, every application form will be compared against the requirements of the person specification so it is important when completing your application to remember to show clearly how your knowledge, skills and experience are relevant to the requirements of the post.
  8. The supporting statement is one of the most important parts of the form. You should cross reference your knowledge, skills and experience against the criteria listed on the person specification. Each skill should be supported by evidence to highlight when you have demonstrated this skill.  You can draw on your relevant experiences; including paid employment, voluntary work, family experiences and leisure activities as evidence.
  9. Application forms are used to ensure that the information is presented by each applicant in a standard format and that only information relevant to the selection procedure is provided.  This ensures applications are treated fairly and equally.  If you choose to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) this must be as an addition but not instead of submitting a completed application form.
  10. Please note that late applications will not be considered without good reason and certainly not once the short-listing process has commenced.