Guidance for applicants
Applying for a vacancy
Once you have found a position you wish to apply for, you should contact our HR team on 01980 636526 for an application pack. This will include the Person Specification and Job Description. It is important that you pay close attention to both these documents. The Person Specification forms the criteria against which your application will be measured and the Job Description outlines the roles and responsibilities of the post. If you do not, or can not demonstrate how your skills and experience match those described in these documents, you application is unlikely to be successful.
In the interests of equality and fairness we do not accept CV’s. If you have a CV, you should use the information from it to demonstrate compatibility with the information in the Personal Specification and Job Description.
Spend extra time on the ‘statement in support of application’ section. This is where you need to demonstrate your suitability for the post against the criteria outlined in the Personal Specification. Take each element of the criteria and provide evidence of how your skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience match it – all applications are scored against these criteria. Don’t pad this section out unnecessarily, keep it relevant and to the point. It will help if you keep a clear picture on your head of the job for which you are applying and how you match the requirements.
Remember to complete all fields – unexplained omissions will invalidate your application – and do a final check for spelling and grammar before submitting.
Preparing for interview
If your initial application is successful, you will be invited for an interview. This is likely to be at your intended place of work, or at regional/national head office depending on location and type of role. Your interview will usually be conducted by your prospective line manager and a member of the Human Resources team. You will be advised prior to your interview who you will be meeting and what to expect on the day.
Interview is a two-way process. It is for us to find out how you might fit into the organisation and carry out the role and for you to see if you like who we are and how we operate. By following the advice below, you will be giving yourself the best possible chance of securing the position:
- Make sure you can talk confidently about everything you have written on your application form; bring a copy with you so that you can refer to it if necessary.
- Try to envisage what type of questions your interviewer might ask and prepare some responses and be ready to elaborate on them. Get a friend to ask you the questions so you can practice answering in front of somebody to give you confidence.
- Learn as much about the company as you can so you can demonstrate your interest and commitment. This website is a good place to start!
- Prepare some questions – what do you want to know from us? These should be intelligent, not previously answered and help you assess if the role and Landmarc are right for you.
- Always be positive and focus on your capabilities – do not dwell on any weaknesses you may have. If you feel there are gaps in your competencies – demonstrate how you intend to overcome and improve on these.
Assessment process
Every individual will be assessed according to his/her personal capability to carry out a given role. All candidates compete in fair and open competition for vacancies. Selection is on merit and those who are successful must demonstrate their suitability for appointment according to pre-determined job related selection criteria.
Accepting an offer
At your interview you will be told of the timeframe in which to expect a response. Any offer made at this stage are conditional on pre-employment checks. If for any reason your plans have changed and you have decided not to join us, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can give someone else the opportunity.
Pre-Employment Checks
Once we have indicated that you are the right person for the role, your offer of employment is subject to satisfactory references, medical and security checks. You will also likely have a probationary period whilst these checks are made and both parties are content with the way your employment is working out.
Medical checks are based on the candidate’s completion of a medical questionnaire. From the information provided we ensure that the candidate is suitable for the type of role applied for and it allows us, as employers, to consider any reasonable adjustments to make working-life more comfortable.
Security clearance provides a level of assurance at a point in time, as to an individual's suitability to have trusted access to sensitive information or work at sensitive sites. Our security checks follow HM Government Vetting Policy and include a check against Criminal Records.