How to Apply

Information about our job applications process.

Making an application

Once you have submitted your application you should:

  • Receive an email PDF of your application. Please check that this is accurate to what you have inputted in the form.
  • If you do not receive an email, please contact our HR Team.

Application Form Guidance Notes

Thank you for your interest in a job with Broxtowe Borough Council. Please read these guidance notes carefully as they will help you complete the application form.

Please read the guidance notes before you complete this form. The form has several stages and it is important that you complete all the boxes. If you don’t complete all the sections you risk not being shortlisted. 

Completing the Application Form

The purpose of using a form is so that information about all the applicants is presented in a standardised order.  This helps to guard against discrimination and allows the recruiting managers to find information (e.g. essential qualifications, required skills or key experience) quickly.

Applications in different formats

If you want to complete a paper version of the application form, please contact our  Business Support Team on 0115 3372 and they will be able to send you a form. Another person may complete the form on your behalf, but you should state who this was on the form. The Council also welcomes applications via a sound recording or a video if you are unable to complete a written application form.

Disability Question

We ask the question about disability to help us comply with our policy to offer interviews to all applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the job, and we also ask a question about what help you need to attend an interview.

You may not consider that you have a disability, but you may still require some help if you are asked to attend an interview e.g. large text, text on coloured paper, someone to read for you, hearing support, written rather than an oral test or vice versa, visiting the location in advance, interviewers speaking slowly, more time to consider your spoken answers, more time for tests, ground floor access, if you prefer not to use a lift or anything else which we can do to help you.

Essential completion tips

You must complete all sections of the application form as clearly and fully as possible or you risk not being selected for interview.  If a section on the form does not apply to you put a dash, Not Applicable or N/A in the box so that we know you have seen this section and you have nothing to include.

The recruiting managers are only able take into account what you have written on your application form, so this information needs to be based on your skills, abilities, experience, knowledge and qualifications which match the requirements set out in the person specification. Recruiting managers are only to give consideration to what you actually write on the application form and you cannot expect them to and they will not ‘read between the lines’ and make any assumptions about your skills and abilities.  For example, if you’ve previously worked in an office you cannot assume that the recruiting managers will realise that you are competent at writing letters and using ICT, and so you should specifically state what your experience is.

Other general points to note

Read the job description and person specification carefully and decide whether you meet the requirements of the post. You do not have to meet all the criteria listed, but the more criteria you meet, the more likely it is that you will be shortlisted.

Before making a start on completing the form, gather all the information together from the advert, job description, person specification and any other information contained in the information pack or from any other source e.g. the Council’s website.

Make a rough draft of your application. This allows you to make alterations, check spelling and punctuation before completing the final version.

Check that any dates are correct and in the right order. You may want to ask someone to check it for you.

You will not be excluded on the basis of poor handwriting, spelling or punctuation, unless accuracy is an essential criterion on the person specification, but if you handwrite your form the recruiting managers do need to be able to read what you have written.

Please note that Sections 1 to 4 (pages 1 and 2) of the application form will be detached prior to shortlisting to eliminate any possibility of discrimination occurring, and to ensure that all applications are considered on merit.

Employment History

In this section, you are required to provide information on your present employment. If you are unemployed, then include the information on your last employment. You should provide a brief description of your duties and responsibilities and include your reason for leaving if applicable.

Employment prior to your present employment should be listed with correct dates with your most recent employment first. It may be relevant for some posts to list the experience and skills gained outside work through community, voluntary or leisure activities or work that you have done at home. It is also important not to undervalue any unpaid work experience.

Qualifications, Training and Professional Membership

If a Person Specification states that it is essential for you to have a particular qualification (e.g. GCSE Math's and English at grades A-C/4-9 or a professional qualification) then it is unlikely that you will be called for an interview if you do not have the qualification(s) specified. If you do not have GCSEs at grades 1-C/4-9 the Council accepts other Level 2 functional skills as equivalent. 

If it has been a while since you were at school and your GCSE or A level results are not relevant to the post you are seeking, you are able to summarise e.g. 8 GCSEs levels including Math's and English 1996, 3 A levels 1998.

When you come to your interview you will be required to produce your original certificates/documentation for any qualifications you state you have achieved.

Additional Information

In this section you need to tell us the reasons why the Council should employ you and you should read the Job Description and the Person Specification and explain how you meet the knowledge, skills, behaviours and competencies required.  It’s important not to leave this section blank.

This section should include information you consider to be relevant to your application which expands on your skills, abilities, experience, knowledge and qualifications and which relate to the essential criteria contained in the person specification. It is helpful if you go through the person specification in order, select the criteria headings that you meet and explain how you meet them.  If you don’t meet a criterion, then leave it out.

Referees

Your referees will not be contacted until we have made you an offer to employment.  You must give the names and addresses of two referees and the first one must be your current or last employer. If your manager at your current or last employer has left the organisation then put the contact as ‘HR Department’.  If you are also able to provide a referee representing a voluntary organisation you have worked for.  Ideally you should provide an email address as this should mean we are able to contact and receive a reply from your referees quickly. 

If this is your first job then a referee from your school, college or university would be appropriate.

It is good practice to contact your referees to ask their permission to name them as your referees and at the very least, you should warn your referees to expect the Council to contact them. 

At the interview you will be asked to sign a declaration saying that the Council has permission to contact your referees.  The recruiting managers must be satisfied with your references before you can be formally offered the position and sent a contract. 

Dates/times you are unable to attend for an interview

You are able to tell us when you are not available to attend an interview and we will try to arrange a suitable date to see you, but we cannot guarantee being able to offer you an alternative date outside the planned interview schedule.  If you are not able to attend an interview in person on a particular date, please indicate if you could attend an online interview instead via Teams.

The selection process

  • All applications are shortlisted for interview based on merit, to ensure the person with the best skills and abilities is selected.
  • Once the shortlisting process has taken place, the successful candidates will be invited for interview.
  • Appointments are subject to our vetting procedure. (.pdf) (156KB) (Opens in a New Window)
Contact
Human Resources
hrd@broxtowe.gov.uk
tel: 0115 917 3567 / 3760
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