Application support
Applying for a job at the University of Central Lancashire? Here you'll find everything you need to know about our recruitment procedures.
Completing your application
Our application form is used both for shortlisting and for reference during the interview process.
Details supplied in the Equal Opportunities Monitoring section are kept confidential. All sensitive information is held by the People Team and is not seen or used by the shortlisting panel. The information is used for monitoring purposes only and forms no part of the selection process.
When completing the application form, please remember to:
- Read the job description, person specification and advertisement and any other details before completing the form.
- Use the information supplied to make your application relevant to the post.
- Use the form to explain how your particular skills, experience and qualifications align with those referenced in the person specification. The person specification is used as the basis for shortlisting.
- Complete all sections of the form; the system will not allow you to submit the form until all the mandatory fields have been completed.
- A CV is not regarded as a substitute but may be uploaded if a CV has been deemed relevant for the role that you are applying for.
If you have difficulties please contact the People Team at PeopleTeam@uclan.ac.uk or on 01772 892324.
By completing your application you are confirming that the information given is correct. If you provide false information or deliberately omit any relevant details you will not be included in the selection process.
The appointment process
You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application. If you are not shortlisted, you will receive an email confirming this. Applicants put forward for the selection process will be advised by email or phone.
Shortlisting is carried out by members of the interview panel. Shortlisting is based on an assessment of the information you have provided in your application, against criteria defined on the person specification.
UCLan graduates
If you are a UCLan graduate and you are not shortlisted, further advice and guidance can be provided by our Careers Team.
What happens if I get shortlisted?
If shortlisted, you'll be contacted for the selection process. You'll also get notified of any additional methods such as tests or presentations.
Disability declaration
If you declare a disability, indicate that you wish to exercise your right under the Disability Confident scheme, and you meet the essential requirements of the post, you are guaranteed to be shortlisted. If you provide any details of your disability, these will not be shared with the shortlisting panel or recruiting manager.
Armed forces declaration
If you declare that you are a member of the armed forces community and meet the essential requirements of the post, you are guaranteed to be shortlisted.
We'll ask you to provide details of a minimum of two persons who will act as referees. These references will be in support of your application. Where possible, one of these references should be from your last employer.
As part of our Equal Opportunities Policy, all interview panels will normally consist of at least three people. Panels will include both men and women.
If you attend a selection process, the chair of the panel will agree with both successful and unsuccessful candidates. The timeframe and method for feedback will be provided by the chair. The successful candidate will have the decision confirmed in writing as an offer of employment. Unsuccessful candidates will have the opportunity for feedback from the Chair of the interview panel on request.
All offers of appointment are conditional upon receipt of:
- Satisfactory reference
- Medical clearance
- Verification of qualifications
- Verification of eligibility to work in the UK
- Where appropriate: satisfactory Disclosure and Barring checks, prior to commencement of employment.
Applications from Non-UK workers (not including Irish citizens)
Following a review of the UK's immigration scheme in 2020, a points-based system for immigration was introduced. Replacing the Tier 2 visa route, this is now called the Skilled Worker visa.
- For a skilled worker to be successful in their application to enter or remain in the UK under Skilled Worker (general) they must have a sponsor and a valid certificate of sponsorship.
- For a sponsor (employer) to issue a certificate of sponsorship, the sponsor must be completely satisfied that the skilled worker will meet the points requirements of the Skilled Worker Visa. The worker must intend to and are able to fulfil the specific skilled job in question.
- If a skilled worker from outside of the UK is appointed to a post at UCLan, rigorous checks will be undertaken to ensure that the points based criteria is met.
- Before applying to work at UCLan, applicants should familiarise themselves with UK working requirements. Information about the Skilled Worker visa is available on the gov.uk your job page.
An employer may request a criminal record check as part of their recruitment process. These checks are processed by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
For certain roles, the check will also include information held on the DBS children’s and adults’ barred lists, alongside any information held by local police forces, that is considered to be relevant to the applied-for post.
These checks are to assist employers in making safer recruitment and licensing decisions, however a check is just one part of recruitment practice. When a check has been processed by the DBS and completed, the applicant will receive a DBS certificate.
Access to the DBS checking service is only available to registered employers who are entitled by law to ask an individual to reveal their full criminal history, including spent convictions - this excludes protected cautions and convictions that will be filtered from a criminal record check - also known as asking ‘an exempted question’.
An exempted question applies when the individual will be working in specific occupations, for certain licenses and specified positions. These are covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
More information about who is eligible for a criminal record check, can be found in the DBS eligibility guidance.
The code of practice
The code of practice is issued under section 122(2) of the Police Act 1997. Organisations using the DBS checking service must comply with the code of practice. It is there to ensure that organisations are aware of their obligations, and that the information released will be used fairly.
The code also ensures that sensitive and personal information, disclosed by the DBS, is handled and stored appropriately and is kept for only as long as is necessary.
The code of practice for registered persons and other recipients of DBS check information can be found on gov.uk.
DBS checks for transgender people
DBS offers a confidential checking process for transgender applicants.
This process is for transgender applicants who do not wish to reveal details of their previous identity to the person who asked them to complete an application form for a DBS check.
For more information about this process, email: sensitive@dbs.gov.uk or see the DBS Transgender Applications guidance.
Applicants' rights
Usually, a job applicant has no legal obligation to reveal spent convictions. If an applicant has a conviction that has become spent, the employer must treat the applicant as if the conviction has not happened. A refusal to employ a rehabilitated person on the grounds of a spent conviction is unlawful under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.
Certain areas of employment are exempt under the ROA 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, and employers may ask about spent convictions - this is known as asking an exempted question. When answering, the applicant would have a legal obligation to reveal spent convictions.
The code of practice states that information on a DBS certificate should only be used in the context of a policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders. This is designed to protect applicants from unfair discrimination, based on non-relevant past convictions. For further information about disclosing criminal convictions please see the government guidance about telling an employer, university or college about your criminal record.
