CPRE S RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Recruitment and Selection Process

The information below is designed to help you through the Trust’s recruitment and selection process, and to assist you in filling out the application form as effectively as possible.

The Trust’s recruitment and selection procedure is based on best practice in promoting equal opportunities. The aim of the procedure is to select the applicant whose skills, knowledge and experience most closely match the requirements of the post as set out in the person specification.

Completing the application form

We encourage you to consider the following when you complete your form:

Examine carefully the Job Description and Person Specification, and analyse how your skills, knowledge and experience match the requirements of the post. Don’t forget to consider the experience you have gained outside work through voluntary experience or leisure interests.

Please ensure that you complete all sections of the application form clearly.

CVs will not be accepted. This is to ensure that we receive the same type of information from all applicants and that you directly address the selection criteria in your application.

The section headed ‘give details of your relevant experience, knowledge and skills’ is the most important part of your application and should be used to tell us how you think you meet the criteria listed in the Person Specification. If you fail to do this you are unlikely to be short-listed. You should pick out specific examples from your past experience which clearly demonstrates that you possess the particular skills, knowledge or experience required in the Specification; it is not sufficient merely to state that you possess the skills or that you feel you can do the job. It is important that you provide as much relevant information as possible. Decisions about short-listing will be based solely on the information you provide on your application form; we cannot make assumptions about your skills and abilities – even if you have already worked for the Trust or are otherwise known to the Trust.

If you are unable to fit all your details in the space provided, you are welcome to attach up to a maximum of 4 sides of additional information. Please note that if you enclose more than this we will only consider the first four sides. Additional sheets should be clearly marked with your name and the title of the post for which you are applying. At this stage you should not attach examples of your work (unless it is specifically requested) or open references, as these will not be considered by those short-listing.

Submitting your application form

If you would like to apply for this post, applications can be submitted by email or by post.

Via post:Return your completed application form in an envelope marked For the attention of HR (Confidential) addressed to Avon Wildlife Trust, 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol BS8 1DR

Via email: Completed application forms to be sent to .

Please ensure that you also return the completed Equal Opportunities Form and, if applicable to this post, the Criminal Convictions Declaration Form.

Short-listing and interviews

After the closing date, applications are short-listed by at least two people and an assessment is made of how each applicant’s skills, knowledge and experience relate to the essential selection criteria in the person specification for the post. Candidates who appear to meet these requirements most closely will be invited for interview. The Trust is only able to contact those candidates selected for interview; if you have not heard from the Trust by two weeks after the closing date, you must assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

Please do not apply if you are unable to attend for interview on the date specified in the job advert.

The interview panel is normally made up of two or three people. The purpose of the interview is for the panel to ask questions to expand the information that you provided on your application form. This helps them make a judgement on the extent to which you meet, or exceed, the selection criteria for the post. The Trust aims to do this objectively and fairly, and the questions that the Panel ask will be specifically aimed to test the selection criteria. In order to provide the Trust with as much information as possible about each candidate’s abilities, you may be asked to prepare a short presentation to make to the Panel during the interview. You will be given advance notice of this, should it be a requirement.

The panel will keep a record of their assessment of each candidate so that their reasons for their decisions are clear and justifiable. Candidates will be informed of the outcome of the interview as soon as possible after the interview. If panel members feel that they need to obtain further information before making a final decision about the appointment, you may be asked to attend a second interview.

References

The Trust will only seek references for a candidate after he/she has been offered the post, and with the candidate’s prior knowledge.