Applying to join us
Thank you for your interest in working for Test Valley. It is our people that make the council a brilliant place to work. We are a friendly and ambitious organisation which values inclusive thinking and ways of working, and understand it is the variety of perspectives and experiences our people bring which enriches our work environment. We positively encourage applications from people from the broadest range of diversity groups and backgrounds.
Our recruitment process is designed to be fair and open, creating equal opportunities at all times. We look to appoint people who embrace our values and have the skills, attitude and behaviours to successfully contribute to the delivery of key council outcomes and in doing so improve the quality of life for our local communities.
We understand that you may hesitate to submit an application if you consider you don’t meet all of the criteria on the person specification. If you’re enthusiastic about joining us and possess the majority of the skills and experience, we encourage you to proceed with an application.
This guide has been developed to assist you through the application process. If you would benefit from any assistance including applying in another format, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the HR team at: jobs@testvalley.gov.uk
How to apply to work with us.
- Use the search and filter fields to find all available roles.
- Read the job profile and take time to review the job description and person specification criteria to assess whether this opportunity is for you. You will be assessed against the criteria set out throughout the application process.
- Click apply to complete the application form. Ensure you refer to the job advert, job description and person specification. In the personal statement section this is your opportunity to set out how you embrace our values and show how your skills and experiences correspond with the criteria set out, providing examples from your working and/or personal experiences.
- You can submit your application until the time stated on the closing date or the end of that day if no time is stated. We personally read and review all applications against key criteria in the job description and person specification as part of our short-listing process.
- To find out more about working at the council including the benefits, please go to our website: www.testvalley.gov.uk/greatplacetowork
What do I include on my application form?
We want you to submit the best application you can, so when writing your supporting statement think about
what the recruiting manager is looking for in a successful candidate. The recruiting team can only assess
you against what you include in your application, the personal statement section provides opportunity for
you to set you how you embrace the council’s values and meet the key criteria set out in the job description
and person specification.
Why do we ask you to complete an application form?
We ask those interested in working for us to complete an application form to ensure that our recruitmentprocess is fair and open. By providing a template application form, this provides applicants theopportunity to include all the information we need to shortlist.
How do I request reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process?
If selected for interview, you will be asked if there anything we can do to assist you to ensure you canthrive at the interview.
We want everyone to be able to excel through the recruitment and selection process and encourage youto contact us if you would benefit from adjustments to the process to support you with a disability,including where this may not be formally diagnosed. You are encouraged to contact the HR Team, on jobs@testvalley.gov.uk as soon as you are able to discuss any additional requirements, they will deal supportively and sensitively with any requests. If selected for interview, you will be asked if there anything we can do to assist you to ensure you can thrive at the interview.
Guaranteed interview scheme:
As part of being a ‘Disability Confident’ employer, we offer an interview to candidates who declare that they have a disability in their application, and demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job.
Definition of disability:
Under the Equality Act 2010 a person has a disability if she/he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to-day activities.
What can I do if I don’t have access to a computer or smartphone to complete the application form?
Our local libraries in Andover and Romsey have computers that you can access on a free of charge basis. Alternatively, please contact our recruitment team on 01264 368106 or jobs@testvalley.gov.uk and they will do their best to help you. Things we can do to help include, send you a paper application form to completeor a large print application form.
What are ‘Right to Work’ checks?
To comply with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, we are required to check all potential employeesbefore they start work, to ensure that only those who are able to work legally in the UK are offered employment.If you’re invited to interview, we ask you to bring your original documents (not copies) with you that enableus to complete these checks. Your invite will explain which documents to bring.If you’re from overseas and already working in the UK on a relevant visa, we’ll still need to apply to theHome Office for you to change roles or employers. This may also apply if you currently work for Test Valley Borough Council and are changing roles. For certain EU countries (e.g. Croatia), you may also stillneed a work permit or a registration certificate to work in the UK.
What is a DBS check and will I need to complete one?
A Disclosure and Baring check are independent checks that an employer can request to check the criminal record of someone applying for a role. This is only requested where the role you have applied for meets the DBS criteria for support and interaction with children or vulnerable adults, or confidential information about them, or is a position included in the Exceptions Order 1975 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If your role requires a DBS check this is normally included in the job description and person specification and will be requested as part of our pre-employment checks.