Application process and guidance

To apply for a vacancy, you will need to register with our eRecruitment system. If you wish to apply for any further roles, you can log in with these details. If you are unable to use our system, you may request an application form by emailing hr@csp.org.uk or calling 0207 306 6666.

To avoid unconscious bias, all application forms are anonymised prior to shortlisting by removing candidates' personal and sociodemographic details. For a small number of roles, we accept CVs. In these cases, we will work with employment agencies to ensure recruitment is anonymised where possible. These steps help to ensure that a candidate’s suitability is based solely on the strength of their application.

The shortlisting process

During the shortlisting process, we consider the information you provide in your application, excluding the information mentioned above. We pay particular attention to the personal statement section, so please ensure you provide clear evidence of how you meet the person specification for the role. The strongest applications provide examples from the applicant's previous experience that demonstrate how they meet each criteria point within the person specification. 

On the application form, you can select if you are applying as part of the Disability Confident scheme. If you are applying under this scheme and meet all the essential criteria in the person specification, you are guaranteed to be shortlisted for an interview.

When will I hear from you?

If you are shortlisted for interview, you will usually be invited by email to log into the eRecruitment system to book an interview timeslot. You will also receive details about the interview process, including any assessments, tests or presentations and any documentation you need to provide at the interview.

You can log into the eRecruitment system at any point during the application process to check the status of your application.

If you are unsuccessful after the application stage, you will be notified by email, usually about one week before the interview date.

The interview process

You will receive either all the interview questions or a subset approximately 48 hours before your interview.

We strongly encourage you to limit your answers to 3-4 minutes each, as the interview panel will ask follow up/probing questions.

The purpose of providing the questions in advance is to allow you to prepare for the interview and carefully consider your examples to ensure they align with the person specification for the role.

Rather than reading fully scripted answers to the interview panel, we would suggest that you prepare bullet points for each question and use those as prompts if you wish to.

Please note that you will have the opportunity to ask the panel questions at the end.

Top tips from the HR team

1. To shortlist, the panel will start by transferring the person specification into the shortlisting form. They will then read your application and score each criteria within the person specification based on how well you have demonstrated your knowledge and/or experience. Therefore, we would encourage you to structure your personal statement according to the person specification, providing examples for each of the criteria.
2. We recognise that not everyone will be able to fully evidence something for every point in the person specification. Please don't let that discourage you from applying – just try to provide clear and strong examples for as many of the points as you can.
3. The personal statement has a maximum word count of 16,000 characters with spaces. This is the maximum number of characters, not a target, so please keep that in mind when drafting your statement.
4. Our values and commitment to equity, diversity and belonging are at the core of everything we do, so we suggest considering these principles when selecting examples for your personal statement and interview if you are shortlisted.
5. If you have any questions about the role, please don’t hesitate to contact the hiring manager listed in the advertisement. They can provide an overview of the role and answer any queries you may have.