Guidance Notes for Application form

Please complete your application and submit it no later than the closing date and time referred to in the advert.

We do not accept CVs, instead the application form plays a part in our recruitment and selection process. We use the information you provide about your skills, experience – both volunteering and paid work, training and education history to decide whether or not to invite you for an interview.

It is important that you complete the application form as fully and accurately as possible, ensuring that you give specific examples which demonstrate how you meet each point on the person specification.

This is a key section of the application form which allows you to provide evidence of your experience, knowledge, skills and abilities that are relevant to the role as described in the role profile. Selection is based on an assessment of the evidence you provide against the requirements of the role as set out in the person specification. It is important that you tailor your response to clearly demonstrate how you meet each requirement. No assumptions will be made about your achievements and abilities.

Please provide one example for each requirement. You should choose examples of past experience that clearly demonstrate what we are looking for, and be precise about what you did, how you did it and the outcome or result of your actions.

A useful guide might be S.T.A.R:
Specific – give a specific example
Task – briefly describe the task/objective/problem
Action – tell us what you did
Results – describe what results were achieved

Please provide recent work examples wherever possible. However, do remember that relevant examples from other aspects of your life, for example: voluntary or unpaid work, school or college work, family or home responsibilities, can also be given.

Please include your current and previous employment, including job training schemes, voluntary work, community activities, school placements, time caring for dependants etc.

The add button below allows you to add more roles. Please put in date order, starting with the most recent experience. We recommend putting 4 past experiences down, however you have the option to add up to 10.

Please give details of your educational and professional qualifications and training – starting with the most recent first, including level and grades where applicable.

A job offer will be subject to confirmation that you are permitted to work in the UK in accordance with the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. You will be asked to provide evidence of your entitlement to work in the UK if you are successful and an offer of employment is made.

Please note that Citizens Advice Northumberland does not hold a sponsor licence and, therefore, cannot issue certificates of sponsorship under the points-based system.

Anyone who applies to work within Citizens Advice Northumberland will be asked to disclose details of unspent convictions during the recruitment process. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working for Citizens Advice Northumberland – much will depend on the type of job you have applied for and the background and circumstances of your offence.

However, we are not able to employ anyone with a conviction for a sexual offence against a child or vulnerable adult, regardless of when the offence took place. All other convictions will be considered on an individual basis. An offer of employment will be subject to a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Please let us know if you require any adjustments to be made to the application process or would like to provide any information you wish us to take into account when we are considering your application.

If you are selected for an interview, we will ask you to let us know if you have any access needs or may require reasonable adjustments to the interview or assessment (if applicable) at that stage. Please be assured that we will be supportive in discussing reasonable adjustments with you at any stage of the recruitment and selection process.

Citizens Advice Northumberland values diversity and promotes equality. We encourage and welcome applications from suitably skilled candidates from all backgrounds. Monitoring recruitment and selection procedures is one way of helping us to ensure that there is no unfair discrimination in the way that we recruit people.

To do this we need to know about the diversity profile of people who apply for posts at Citizens Advice Northumberland. This information is given in confidence for monitoring purposes only and is not seen by anyone responsible for making recruitment decisions.

However, if you would prefer not to answer any of the questions we ask, please click ‘No’ on the ‘Do you wish to complete the diversity monitoring form’ question.

All job offers are subject to the receipt of two satisfactory references: one should be from your current or most recent employer or line manager (if you are employed through an agency), or your course tutor if you have just left full time education. The other should be someone who knows you in a work related, voluntary or academic capacity. Both referees should be able to comment on your suitability for the role.

References will only be taken up for successful candidates following the interview.