Guidance Notes to help you with your application for a job with Bolton Council

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1 Guidance Notes to help you with your application for a job with Bolton Council These notes give you important advice on completing your application form. The decision to invite you for interview is based entirely on the information you give on your application form. In your pack you have a job description and person specification, you should read this carefully as this information will help you to decide if you want to apply for the job. The job description lists the duties of the post. The person specification lists the knowledge, skills and qualification needed to do the job and the methods that will be used to assess each of these. Please make sure that your application form shows clearly how you meet each item of the person specification, which is to be assessed from the application form; we can only shortlist you for interview if you show that you meet these requirements by providing examples/experience where you can. If you are applying for more than one job, please note you will need to complete a separate application form for each job. Please use the application form enclosed, continuing on separate sheets if necessary. Alternatively you may download an application form via finding work>council vacancies> search - for the job you are interested to complete and return. If you have a disability and find difficulty in completing an application form, we will be happy to consider an alternative application e.g. audio tape or Braille. Telephone the HR Centre of Excellence on for advice. Do not send curriculum vitae, as these will not be considered. Please type or use black pen - black shows best when photocopied. Please note that due to the high volume of applications that we receive, we are unable to acknowledge receipt of your form. In addition, please put enough postage on your envelope otherwise we will not be able to accept your application. Please remember to complete the Valuing Diversity Monitoring Form. We use the information to help us in assessing the effectiveness of our Valuing Diversity Policy. We look forward to hearing from you.

2 Guidance notes for completing Application forms Post applied for Complete the full job title and the name of the department. If the post is fixed term contract or part-time please include this information. Name & Address Give your full name, address, postcode and telephone number (if you are on the telephone). If the form asks for your date of birth, we need you to declare it to comply with our Safe Recruitment guidelines only. Education, Job Related Qualifications and Specialised Training Give details of your education, qualifications and training starting with secondary schooling. Include all your qualifications and any training and short courses you have attended or are completing at present (using an additional sheet if necessary). Present/Most Recent Appointment If you are employed please give details about your present job. Previous Employment Please give details of all your previous jobs since leaving school/college in date order starting with the most recent. Any gaps in your employment history need to be explained. Use a separate sheet if necessary. References Your first referee should be your present employer or if you are not employed at present, your last employer, or if you are a student your course tutor. Your referees should, where possible, be people who are able to give information about your ability to do the job for which you are applying. To comply with our Safe Recruitment guidelines, references will normally be sought prior to interview for certain posts please read the application form carefully to check if this applies to the job that you are applying for now. For Warner Posts only - References will always be taken from your most recent employer and may not only be sought from the other named referee but also from any of your previous employers. Criminal Convictions Exemption under the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 You are advised that the post for which you are applying may be exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subject to a Disclosure Check via the Criminal Records Bureau. If so, then details of all criminal convictions, including spent convictions, cautions and bind-overs must be provided, together with relevant dates. You are asked to sign that the information you have provided about your criminal convictions is a true statement. A conviction will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining employment, but failure to disclose any criminal conviction will disqualify you from this appointment and if appointed may render you liable to immediate dismissal without notice. Disclosure checks will only be sought after a candidate has been provided with a provisional offer of employment. If you have any doubts about this question, please take advice from the HR Shared Service Centre.

3 The Criminal Records Bureau Code of Practice is available upon request. For posts that require a Disclosure to be undertaken by the Criminal Records Bureau, box 31 relates to working specifically with vulnerable client groups. To comply with our Safe Recruitment Guidelines, please indicate if you are disqualified from working with children or vulnerable adults. People with Disabilities Applications from disabled people are welcomed and a disability does not preclude you from full consideration from the job. Reasonable adjustments will be made to the selection process for candidates notifying the Council of their needs arising from a disability. The Council s policy is to give all disabled candidates who meet the essential requirements of the post an interview. If you are not invited for interview you will be given the opportunity to receive feedback if you so wish. Relevant Skills, Knowledge & Experience (final additional page) (This is only relevant for certain application forms, where indicated on the form). This is a very important part of your application form as it gives you the opportunity to tell us why you think you can do the job. Do not repeat your career history, use only the relevant examples and explain how these meet the requirements on the person specification. Give examples to show how or what you ve done to meet the item on the specification. For example, if the person specification asks you to be able to communicate effectively with customers, you might want to describe the customers you have communicated with and how you have done this effectively. Think carefully about what you have done in the past, at home, school, and leisure, paid or unpaid employment. Be specific about your skills and specify your own responsibilities. Remember you will only be invited to interview if you show that you meet all the items on the person specification where the application form is the method of assessment. Finally Check that you have answered all the questions, sign and date the application form and return it to the address in the advertisement. If there is no address specified, return to Bolton Council: HR Shared Service Centre or by hand to: Access Bolton One Stop Shop 2nd Floor Ground Floor Paderborn House Town Hall Bolton Bolton BL1 1UA BL1 1RU

4 Valuing Diversity Service Equality and Employment Policy Statement Bolton Council recognises that it has the power to reduce disadvantage experienced by people in Bolton by making it s services more responsive to different community and individual needs. The Council values the diversity of the local population. We want our services, facilities and resources to be accessible and useful to every citizen regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, religious belief, impairment, marital status, sexual orientation or any other individual characteristic which may unfairly affect a person s opportunities in life. We also recognise that our ability to meet these diverse needs is improved by having a diverse workforce which generally reflects the local population and which has the skills and understanding to achieve our service objectives. We commit ourselves to valuing diversity in our workforce and to developing and training our employees to improve their ability to meet the Council s goals. We will strive to become an organisation that: Accepts that everyone has a right to their distinctive and diverse identities Has a workforce generally reflecting the population we serve Understands how valuing diversity can improve our ability to deliver better services, and so reduce disadvantage Provides services which are responsive to the diverse needs of different individuals and communities Provides all employees with the training and development they need to enable them to achieve the Council's goals Provides a supportive, open environment where all employees have the opportunity to reach their highest potential The Council believes that both our customers and our employees have important parts to play in making this happen. We undertake to listen to our customers and to involve them in the development of services which recognise and value their diversity. The Council requires every Councillor and employee to recognise and discharge her or his own responsibility for contributing to the success of this policy.

5 Customer Care Policy Getting it Right Who our customers are Our customers are the people we come in contact with in our everyday work. They are people who live, work in or visit the Borough, and people making enquiries by telephone, letter or in person. Other customers include colleagues, employees in all Departments of the Council and employees who work for other organisations. Customer Care Policy Our policy on customer care is to provide quality services, which are local, caring, effective and fair. We will do this by: Listening - to what our customers have to say Seeing - what needs to be done Responding - to customer needs Working - with customers, their families and the community Our Commitment We aim to serve our customers, as we would wish to be served ourselves. We will be courteous and positive, if customers are not satisfied with the way they have been treated, they can ask to see the Manager responsible for the service.

6 General Information Employees on monthly terms & conditions Departments may offer variations or additions to the following conditions. These may be confirmed at interview. Conditions of Service The appointment in which you are interested is subject to the National agreement on pay and conditions of service of the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. In addition the Council has drawn up a number of conditions over and above the national minimum and these are found in the Scheme for Supplementary Conditions of Service. Superannuation Under the terms of the Social Security Act 1986, all employees are required to indicate a choice of pension arrangements. You will automatically enter the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, unless you choose to make alternative pension arrangements. Employees contributions are 6% of salary with benefits provided including annual pensions, widows/widowers benefits, children s allowances, ill-health retirement and death grants. Medical Assessment All appointments are subject to the successful applicant satisfying the Council as to his/her medical fitness for the duties of the post. Probationary Period Regardless of previous local government service, all new entrants to Bolton Council are required to serve a probationary period of not less than 6 months. Salaries You will be paid by credit transfer on the 18th of each month or the previous banking day if this is a Saturday or Sunday (which is two weeks in arrears and two weeks in advance). Salary Scales Bolton Council currently operates an incremental scale. Increments are payable on 1st April each year, or on completion of six months service, provided you have not reached the top of your scale or a qualification performance bar. Annual Leave All grades receive a full years entitlement of 20 days annual leave which rises to 25 days after 5 years continuous service. In addition all employees receive 2 extra-statutory days leave. Sick Pay All employees are entitled to sick pay in accordance with national conditions.

7 Pay and Grading Review In common with other Local Authorities new pay and grading arrangements will be in place by the end of Hours of Work The Council has a flexible working strategy which enables employees to operate a range of working patterns, including hours and place of work. The standard hours of work for full time employees are 37 hours per week. Child Care Voucher Scheme The Council operates a child care voucher scheme which enables parents to make savings on the cost of their registered or approved child care provider. Training Bolton positively encourages employees to undertake personal and professional developments. Personal development planning is conducted in all departments of the Council. Travelling and Subsistence Allowance Where it is necessary for an employee to use his/her car on Authority business, a casual user car-allowance is payable. Certain posts are designated Essential Car User Posts and are paid accordingly. Subsistence allowances are paid to employees incurring expenses on meals and accommodation whilst on official duties. Car Purchase Loans The Council operates a loan scheme for car purchase for employees travelling a substantial mileage on official duties. Details are available in each Department. Notice The periods of notice required by the Authority are as detailed in the Conditions of Service. Chief Officers have discretion to accept shorter periods of notice to terminate from employees. Canvassing Do not approach any elected member (councillor) or employee of the council in respect of your application. However, there is no objection to an elected member or employee giving a written testimonial about you. Interview Expenses Candidates attending for interview will receive out of the pocket expenses in accordance with the Council s scale of allowances. In the event of a candidate withdrawing his/her application or refusing an offer of employment on grounds which, in the opinion of the appointing committee are inadequate, no expenses will be paid. The expenses of a successful candidate will not be paid until he/she takes up his/her duties.

8 Welcome to Bolton Location Bolton is a truly distinctive and diverse place, situated just 20 miles north of Manchester. It has great countryside, great characters and a down to earth approach to life. As one of the largest towns in Greater Manchester, Bolton always plays its part in profiling the region. The town staged some of the events in the 2002 Commonwealth Games and has its fair share of famous sons and daughters who are proud to say they re from Bolton. Local Population The population of Bolton is diverse, bringing with it a broad and inclusive richness of culture. Broadly the makeup is 89% white and 11% ethnic minorities. The latter include 5.2% Indian (Muslims and Hindus), 1.6% Pakistani and 0.4% Black African and Black Caribbean people. Transport Bolton has direct access to the motorway and regional rail networks, and Manchester Airport is just half an hour away. Regular bus services link the districts to the town centre hub and the wider region. Facilities: Shopping, Entertainment and Leisure There is a range of cultural attractions, from drama and comedy venues, including the nationally renowned Octagon Theatre, a vibrant museum and heritage attractions which can transport you back in time. There is a delightful mix of Victorian architecture and modern malls with great shopping and sporting venues such as the Reebok Stadium and Bolton Arena. Education and Childcare Bolton offers great schools, high quality wrap-around child care and a varied menu of activities beyond school hours. The town has a newly invested University, quality sixth forms and a community college and one of the oldest independent private schools in the UK. Housing and Accommodation Bolton has a wide range of houses and flats for sale and to rent and is on average cheaper than the national average in the UK.