Guidance on completing your application form
Please read these notes carefully before completing the application form. This could save time in the long run.
It is essential that you read the job description and person specification before completing the application form.
It is useful to have these to hand when completing the form. Shortlisting will involve assessment of the details provided on the application form against the criteria outlined in the person specification provided.
If you have to break off from filling in the form make sure you ‘Save progress’ as you will then be able to return to it later.
Make sure that the form is completed in full and that all information is accurate. All fields marked with (required) must be completed and you will not be able to submit if not filled.
You can reuse a previous application if you have previously applied for a role with us. Remember to adjust the information to be relevant to the role you are applying for.
We advise you to save the job description and person specification on your PC or memory stick as once the job is closed they both disappear.
This is the information that we need to contact you.
You should include as much detail as possible, including:
- your full name
- address
- postcode
- National Insurance number
- contact telephone numbers (mobile and if possible, home number)
- which language you would like for future correspondence
The council welcomes correspondence in Welsh and corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.
Employment history (starting with most recent)
List the details of all your employers in date order, starting with the most recent.
Remember to state your:
- job title
- date of employment
- brief description of duties
You should also state all periods in which you were unemployed, raising a family or other caring responsibilities, working voluntarily or any other career breaks.
Educational and qualifications history
List here any educational institutes that you are attending or have attended. Include details of your:
- secondary education (school or college)
- further education (college or university)
- higher education (college or university)
along with attendance dates.
Give details of your educational and vocational qualifications.
Emphasise the qualifications which are relevant to the post which you are applying for.
Remember to list:
- start and completion dates (if you do not remember the exact dates, give details of the month and year)
- the establishment where you received the qualification
- the subject
- the type of qualification (such as GCSE, A-Level)
- the grade you achieved
Proof of qualifications
You must bring proof of your qualifications and proof of identification with you to the interview.
Waiting for your results
If you are yet to receive your results, please say the date you expect to receive them. With all appointments, we will await confirmation of results before appointing.
Courses and other qualifications
Give details of other courses you have attended, or qualifications you have gained which may not be full qualifications. This could be training which is relevant to the job you are applying for, or evidence of continuous personal development.
If the post requires a professional qualification as an essential or desirable requirement and you already have the qualification (or you are working towards it), list the:
- membership body
- type of membership
- qualification title
- date you completed the qualification
If you have a professional qualification that is not listed in the person specification, use this section to include it if you believe it is relevant.
Professional memberships
If you are a member of a professional body (such as CIEH) please note the:
- association
- level
- membership number
Disability Confident
Isle of Anglesey County Council is a Disability Confident employer.
We guarantee an interview for disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria as stated on the job description and person specification.
The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as a person that has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day to day activities.
Tell us in the application form if you consider yourself to have a disability in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and also if you require special facilities or adjustments for the interview.
This section asks you to confirm whether you hold a current full driving licence, car ownership, whether you require permission to work in the UK and your relation to any elected member or employee of Isle of Anglesey County Council.
Please provide details if applicable. Canvassing of or failing to disclose a relationship to an elected member or employee may disqualify you from the recruitment process.
Language skills
You will be asked to state your ability to communicate in Welsh and English, verbally and in written form.
Your language requirements will be assessed during the interview, relevant to the level noted in the job description.
Criminal convictions
Isle of Anglesey County Council is committed to protecting and safeguarding the most vulnerable people in our community. We carry out rigorous pre-employment checks for all appointments as part of our recruitment and selection process.
Give details of any convictions or charges outstanding of all offences (or alleged offences) including driving offences.
If you disclose a conviction, which is regarded as ‘spent’ it will be ignored, unless they are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020.
If the post you are applying for includes working with children or vulnerable adults (regulated activity) the post is classed as an exempt post under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020. It will be subject to a disclosure and barring check (DBS), as noted on the job description.
You must therefore disclose any convictions, bind-over orders, cautions or charges pending, whether current or spent.
Failure to disclose this information is a criminal offence and could result in dismissal, disciplinary proceedings, or rejection of your application.
All staff who are newly appointed to the council will have to pay for any DBS check. This will include annual registration with the online DBS Update Registration Service.
A criminal record will not necessarily stop you from working for the council. This will depend on the nature of the job and the circumstances and background of your offences.
If you fail to give us relevant information or give false information this may result in any offer of employment being withdrawn. If you are already employed, it may lead to disciplinary action and dismissal.
Why apply?
This is the most important part of the application form.
If the section is not filled in well, it may affect whether or not you are invited to attend an interview.
This section gives you the opportunity to explain why you should be appointed.
Before completing this section, look carefully at the job description and person specification. Think carefully why you believe you are suitable for the opportunity.
Link your skills, knowledge and experience to the requirements of the post.
You should then go through the person specification criteria point by point, writing clear examples of how you are/have been able to achieve each element.
The example you give may be from your current job or from an activity you have done in the past.
For example, if one of the criteria on the person specification is good communication skills, it will not be enough to just say “I am an effective communicator.”
You must back this with evidence, such as “I recently delivered a presentation to some of my colleagues, in order to ensure I got the key message across. I spoke with several staff beforehand to gauge how they might react to the messages, anticipated questions and prepared some notes. The feedback I received was excellent.’’
You should answer each point in the person specification in the order it appears on the specification. This will help when short listing.
Make sure that you include all your relevant experience and skills. We will not assume anything from your job title.
Word count
It is a good idea to save a copy in software such as Word before submitting your application. The first box has a word count of 4000 characters however there is an additional 4000-character box if this limit is exceeded.
Equality monitoring
Equality monitoring enables employers to understand the structure of their workforce.
It is used to highlight the experiences of different groups of staff during the employment cycle, for example at recruitment stage or access to training.
Monitoring these equality categories helps us to identify, tackle and prevent discrimination against staff by indicating where there may be inequalities that require further exploration.
You are under no obligation to provide this information. Please use the ‘prefer not to say’ option if you do not want to give any information.