Guidance notes on how to apply
Guidance Notes - Applying for a job
At Servite we are committed to having a high-quality recruitment process to help us choose and recruit the right person for the job and offer equality of opportunity.
These guidance notes will help you fill in your application form and also provide information on how we will deal with your application. We hope you find them useful.
How we choose staff
For every job which we advertise there is a list of qualities (skills, experience and qualifications) needed for that job. Some of these qualities will be essential - you must have them to do the job, others will be desirable. We assess all applications against the qualities we have asked for so that we can decide who we will invite for interview and to help us choose the successful applicant.
To allow us to assess your application you should include all the information which shows that you are suitable for the job. To help you do this you should read the job advert, job description and any other information available.
If you are asked to come for an interview there will always be more than one person interviewing you. Members of the interview panel will have been trained to make sure no one is treated more or less favourably than anyone else.
When filling in the application form
• Please use black ink or type - this will help us to photocopy your form.
• Use the form we provide - please do not send in a CV instead of, or as well as, our form. We cannot accept CVs.
• Fill in all sections of the form. If some parts are not relevant, write/type "Not applicable" or N/A in that space.
• If necessary, continue answers on a separate sheet - make sure the separate sheet is marked clearly with your name and the job reference.
• Give details of two referees who can give us information about you which is relevant to your application.
The equal opportunities monitoring form attached to the application form helps us monitor how effective our equal opportunities policies are. The information is used to produce statistics. Please help us by filling in the form and returning it along with your application. You can be reassured that the interview panel will not have access to this information.
Choosing referees
Please make sure one of your referees is your current or most recent employer or manager - your second referee may be a previous employer or another manager from your current employer.
If you have not been in paid work, your referees could be from an educational establishment, or someone you have done unpaid or voluntary work for. Please avoid using friends or people you know socially.
We will only contact referees once we have decided to offer you the post. An offer of employment will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references.
What to do with your completed form
Completed applications should be sent confidentially to:
The HR Department
Servite Housing Association
118 Strathern Road
Broughty Ferry
Dundee
DD5 1JW
You may also e-mail your application to humanresources@servite.co.uk
Applications received after the closing date will be discounted. For posted applications please ensure that you use the correct postage as this may affect timely delivery.
Acknowledgement of your application
We would like to acknowledge all applications we receive, but unfortunately, as a registered charity, we cannot do this because of the costs involved.
When you will know if you are getting an interview
The job advert may detail a pre-planned interview date, however it may not always be possible to do this. As a general rule, we send out invitations to interviews within three weeks of the closing date for applications. So if you have not heard within this timescale after the closing date for applications you must assume that your application has been unsuccessful.
If you are invited to an interview
• We will give you at least 1 week's notice by sending you a letter with details of the arrangements.
• We will make appropriate arrangements to meet any special needs you may have for the interview.
After your interview you should be told of the outcome within two weeks. If you do not get the job and would like to know why, you can ask for an explanation.
If you get the job
• We will confirm your appointment in writing.
• We will help you settle into the job as quickly as possible - our induction programme will help introduce you to us and your job.
Disclosure Scotland Checks
Many of the jobs in Servite are subject to being or becoming a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme or may require successful applicants to apply for an Enhanced or Standard Disclosure through Disclosure Scotland. We comply fully with Disclosure Scotland's Code of Practice and treat all applicants without discrimination on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed.
The job advert and further particulars will clearly state which type of Disclosure Scotland check is necessary for the post.
PVG scheme membership applies to jobs that are classified as regulated work with vulnerable adults. It is an offence for Servite to employ anyone who is barred from doing such work. Any offer of employment will be conditional on receipt of the appropriate check. Depending on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence(s), a decision may be made to withdraw a conditional offer of employment. However, a final decision will only be made after discussions with the applicant. Having a criminal record will not necessarily debar you from working with Servite.
For more details on Disclosure Scotland checks, please refer to full the policies in the section entitled "Relevant Policies".
Eligibility to work in the UK
It is a criminal offence for Servite or any company to knowingly employ a person who does not have the right to work in the UK. You will be asked to produce documentation which evidences your right at the interview stage. Offers of employment will not be made until this is established.
For more details please refer to the section "Eligibility to Work in the UK".
Your personal information
We will use the personal information you have provided for the purpose of assessing you for the job you have applied for. We will release your information only to those involved in the recruiting process.
We will use the information you provided on the equal opportunities monitoring form to monitor equal opportunities.
We will hold the information securely and will treat it as confidential unless the law says we must release it. Servite Housing Association is the data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. This means we are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of all information we receive.
If you think you have been treated unfairly
We hope you will not need to complain. However, if you do, we will take the matter seriously. We aim to investigate all complaints and give a written response within four weeks. If you want to complain about the recruitment process, please write to:
Corporate Services Manager
Servite Housing Association
118 Strathern Road
Broughty Ferry
Dundee
DD5 1JW
