Your application
To apply for a position you must complete the online application form and submit it ahead of the deadline as stated in the job advert. After this time, it will not be possible to submit the application even if you have already started it.
Please read the job advert and job profile carefully before completing the application form. When completing the application form you should answer the questions, and wherever possible please include examples of your skills and experience to demonstrate how you meet the key requirements for the job.
Your completed application form will be vital during the recruitment process, at the short-listing stage, and at the interview. Please ensure that you complete the form clearly, accurately and in full. We do not accept CV applications, either on their own or accompanying application forms.
If you are selected to attend for interview we will let you know approximately 5 working days before the interview date. In the event that you do not hear from us by this date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
As part of the application form we ask for monitoring information. Please remember to complete this section as it is essential in enabling the Council to monitor the effectiveness of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy. This information is not passed on to the recruiting managers during the application process (it is retained in Human Resources for monitoring purposes).
At North Herts Council we are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and we guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum requirements for the job.
Recruiting managers select candidates for interview without access to the first two pages of the application - we call this blind shortlisting. This means the managers will not know any personal information about you including your name, address, and age. This helps to ensure that each application is shortlisted based solely on information relating to your suitability for the job.
Your interview
We appreciate that interviews can feel daunting, so here are some tips to help the process run as smoothly as possible for you:
- Take a look at the website to get a feel for the Council and what we do
- Use the job profile document to prepare examples of how you meet the key requirements for the job
- Think about any questions you might want to ask the interviewers
- Consider using the STAR technique to respond to interview questions
Situation: Describe the situation to give context to the interviewer
Task: Explain the problem, task or challenge
Action: Describe the actions you took personally to reach the end goal
Result: Explain the outcome or results
We use structured interviews to ensure our selection process is fair and consistent. This means that all candidates are asked the same questions and everyone has a fair chance of success.
Reasonable adjustments
We can arrange reasonable adjustments or additional support during the recruitment process for applicants who declare a disability or are neurodivergent. Adjustments might include nearby parking, someone to meet you at the entrance to the building, preferred type of seating, accessible interview room or additional time for selection tests. Please email recruitment@north-herts.gov.uk so we can make the necessary arrangements.
Pre-employment checks
Right to work in the UK: All applicants should have a right to work in the UK and you will be asked to provide evidence as part of the recruitment process.
References: For successful candidates, once you have accepted the job, we take up references with your current or most recent employer (with your permission) and require references to cover the last three years. We use an external referencing company to take up references on our behalf and a link will be sent to you by email.
Health questionnaire: As part of our onboarding process, successful candidates are sent a short health questionnaire to assess their fitness for work. This assists us in identifying if the candidate has any health issues that we need to support in the workplace, and allows us to consider where reasonable adjustments may be needed. Occasionally, the assessment is further supported by our occupational health provider.
DBS: Some of our jobs require a check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). You will be required to provide documentation to support this check, and will be contacted once your job offer has been accepted.
Ask us!
If you have any questions or require assistance, please email recruitment@north-herts.gov.uk and one of our team will respond to you.