1 Introduction and Policy Statement

/ / Version 2.7
Issue: April 2008

CONTENTS

Page
1 / Introduction and policy statement
1.1 / Introduction / 3
1.2 / The recruitment and selection process / 3
1.3 / Policy statement / 3
1.4 / Staff relationships / 4
1.5 / Job share / 4
1.6 / The recruitment team / 4
2 / Vacancy authorisation and advertising
2.1 / Reviewing the vacancy / 5
2.2 / Preparing and updating the job description / 5
2.3 / Preparing and updating the person specification / 6
2.4 / Assessment methods / 7
2.5 / Posts with access to children and vulnerable adults / 8
2.6 / Genuine Occupational Qualifications / 8
2.7 / Job Evaluation / 8
2.8 / Writing the advert / 8
2.9 / Completing the Vacancy Request Form / 9
2.10 / Redeployment / 10
2.11 / Advertising / 10
2.12 / Politically restricted posts / 10
2.13 / Merton talent pool / 10
2.14 / Modern Apprenticeships / 11
3 / The short listing stage
3.1 / Distribution of application forms to candidates / 12
3.2 / Killer questions / 12
3.3 / Short listing for interview / 12
3.4 / The short listing process / 13
3.5 / Posts with access to children and vulnerable adults / 14
4 / The interview stage
4.1 / Interview correspondence / 16
4.2 / Interview preparation / 16
4.3 / Preparing the questions / 17
4.4 / The interview / 18
4.5 / Making the selection decision / 19
4.6 / Informing the candidates / 20
4.7 / Arrangements for secondments / 20
5 / Pre-employment clearances
5.1 / References / 21
5.2 / Medical clearance / 21
5.3 / Proof of identity/permission to work in the UK / 22
5.4 / Qualifications / 22
5.5 / Criminal Records Bureau / 23
5.6 / Driving tests / 23
5.7 / Overseas applicants / 23
5.8 / Withdrawing a job offer / 23
5.9 / New employees who will be responsible for managing contracts / 24
5.10 / Relocation expenses / 24
6 / Access to Work
6.1 / The Access to Work scheme / 25
6.2 / The local Disability Employment Adviser / 25
6.3 / Types of help available / 25
6.4 / How needs are assessed / 26
6.5 / How arrangements are made / 26
7 / Executive search and selection
7.1 / When to use executive search and selection / 27
7.2 / Agencies / 27
7.3 / The process / 27
8 / Complaints
8.1 / Introduction / 28
8.2 / Complaints procedure / 28
8.3 / Complaints where special procedures apply / 29
8.4 / Enquiries that are not complaints / 30
8.5 / Complaints performance – monitoring and reporting / 31

1 INTRODUCTION AND POLICY STATEMENT

1.1Introduction

Recruitment plays a fundamental and crucial role in the functioning and development of the council. Our ability to adapt to the changes and challenges facing us is dependent on the recruitment of employees who have the appropriate level of skills, knowledge and experience that will identify with the objectives, values and aims of the council and make a positive contribution towards them.

Making the wrong recruitment decision can be costly, both in terms of salary, quality of work, efficiency, and training and also in terms of Merton’s reputation as a good employer. It is essential that a high quality recruitment service, with great concern for customer care, is provided to all applicants. Although a candidate might be rejected for an appointment it is important that she/he retains a favourable impression of the council.

The council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and other vulnerable people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The recruitment and selection process therefore aims to enable the attraction, recruitment and retention of staff committed to providing quality and safe services to all sections of the community. Robust and comprehensive recruitment and selection directly links to safer staff management processes, including induction, probation, supervision, appraisal, codes of conduct and practice standards.

1.2The recruitment and selection process

The purpose of this document is to describe the recruitment and selection process and to provide a set of operating guidelines for hiring managers. It cannot cover every eventuality and is intended to complement, not replace, the council’s Recruitment and Selection training. Any member of council staff who is likely to be involved in recruitment should ensure they receive this training.

Laid out in the following sections is a step by step guide to the councils’ recruitment process. The recruitment team and your departmental HR team will be able to advise you at any stage during the recruitment and selection process. In particular, please approach your departmental HR section if you wish to reorganise/restructure your team as other relevant employment policies and procedures will need to be considered.

1.3 Policy statement

Our employment policies and procedures provide a framework within which candidates are given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities regardless of their ethnicity, gender, age, disability, religion/religious belief, sexuality or employment status. The council strives to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to promote diversity and equality of opportunity throughout the recruitment process.

This procedure applies to all appointments made by the council, with the exception of schools who have their own procedure.

This procedure applies to all appointments, both internal and external, excluding acting-up opportunities. All managers are required to follow the policy to achieve consistency of practice across the council. Word of mouth recruiting is not acceptable.

Equal opportunities considerations are included at every stage of the recruitment process. This not only embraces the council’s Equality and Diversity Policy but also all relevant Equal Opportunities legislation, codes of practice and specified legal requirements with which our recruitment and selection procedure must comply. A consistent, systematic approach giving Equal Opportunities highest priority will lead to equality of access and treatment and the selection of the most suitable candidate for each post. The ultimate aim is to build a highly skilled and well-motivated workforce that reflects the diversity of the local community.

1.4 Staff relationships

In the interest of the council’s service provision and for reasons of public confidence, the council shall not make employment appointments in circumstances which would lead to an employee having a managerial or close working relationship with another employee to whom they are related or with whom they have a close personal relationship.

1.5 Job share

The council operates a job share scheme, which enables the sharing of duties and responsibilities of a post between two people. The scheme applies to all full time posts, unless there is a specific and demonstrable reason why it cannot be applied to a specific post.

Applications for a post on a job share basis will be accepted with or without a job share partner.

1.6The recruitment team

The service is provided by a small team within Merton, with our advertising agency, Barkers.

The in-house team is your first point of contact for all recruitment enquiries. They will assist you with any policy or procedural issues and keep you updated on the progress of your vacancies.

2VACANCY AUTHORISATION AND ADVERTISING

2.1 Reviewing the vacancy

Before you commence the recruitment and selection process you should consider the following:

Does the post need to be filled, or is there an opportunity to reorganise/restructure to improve efficiency?
Could the duties be covered as an acting-up arrangement or secondment?
Are there going to be future changes to the team/job and, if so, how can these be incorporated into your recruitment plans?
Have you obtained authority to fill the post and ensured there is budget available?
Could the post be filled through the talent pool?
Could the post be adapted for a Modern Apprenticeship?

Having decided on your options for filling the vacancy you can begin planning the recruitment and selection process.

2.2Preparing and updating the job description

Every post must have an up to date job description which clearly defines the responsibilities of the job. You must review the job description each time a vacancy occurs to ensure that the contents are relevant and accurate. This is particularly important since the job description provides the essential information on which to prepare the person specification, advert and interview questions.

The job description should:

explain the purpose of the job and its role within the organisation
specify the objectives, main accountabilities and responsibilities of the job
define performance objectives
reflect the council’s core aims
state any budget and supervisory responsibilities
be user friendly and avoid jargon

All job descriptions should contain the post holder’s responsibilities for health and safety, equal opportunities, data quality and customer care. A template of the corporate style of job description, along with more detailed guidance about drawing up a job description, can be found on the intranet.

If you are recruiting for a job role for which a CRB disclosure will be required in connection with the protection of children, the following statement must be included in the job description, person specification and advertisement:

“The London Borough of Merton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.”

An appropriate clause relating to the CRB requirements for the post should also be inserted into the job description.

2.3 Preparing and updating the person specification

The person specification may be defined as a statement that identifies the essential criteria, or minimum requirements, for someone to be able to do the job. The essential criteria will include the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience required of a candidate to ensure the optimum performance within the job. Under no circumstances should you use any ‘desirable’ criteria.

A person specification must accompany every job description and be based upon it. It is important to update the person specification after you have updated the job description and before you write the advert. Accuracy is essential as inaccuracies or ambiguities will be carried through to the final decision. When specifying the requirements of the job, you should ensure they relate directly to the responsibilities and accountabilities of the job. The criteria must be able to be applied consistently to all candidates throughout the selection process to ensure the decision made is not discriminatory or unfair.

A template of the corporate style of person specification, along with more detailed guidance about drawing up a job description, can be found on the intranet.

When drawing up the person specification, ensure that the criteria are:

relevant
justifiable
objective
specific
measurable

You should avoid:

jargon
discriminatory language
over- or under-specifying the job

There are typically five sections that are used in a person specification. You may not want to use all these sections, as this will be dependent on each particular job:

Experience

the type of experience required
relevant experience may be gained from the private or voluntary (unpaid) sectors, leisure interests or home environment, such as raising a family
experience is transferable from one area to another
consideration should be given to education/training and experience jointly, as experience can serve as an alternative to formal qualifications and vice versa

Knowledge

knowledge required to do the job must be specific
knowledge can be gained formally or informally, for example from education, training, experience or awareness

Skills and Abilities

skills can be described as practised abilities gained through study or experience
abilities can be explained as the ability to develop a skill

Training and Qualifications

do not set higher educational requirements than are necessary for the safe and effective performance of the job

Special Requirements

relate to the requirements of the post which might impact on personal circumstances
only include these if they are absolutely vital or where there may be some degree of flexibility to accommodate individual circumstances
consider the need for such requirements against any discriminatory effect

Examples

if attendance at evening meetings is essential, then specify an approximation of the frequency and the reasons why the post holder must attend
if it is essential that a car is required for work purposes, then provide an explanation to prevent discrimination on the grounds of disability

“The London Borough of Merton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.”

2.4Assessment methods

You also need to decide at this stage how the criteria will be assessed. Some criteria may be tested by a combination of two or more methods, for example:

Interview
Tests or practical exercises
Presentation
In-tray exercises
Group exercises
Psychometric testing
Personal interviews for posts with access to children or vulnerable adults

Candidates should be told in advance of the type of test they are expected to take. Where possible, candidates should be given a sample of the type of test they are going to be required to undertake.

If you indicate you wish to use a test or exercise the recruitment team will liaise with the diversity team in order to ensure the test/exercise can be justified in terms of appropriateness to the role, and that it can be fairly applied to people of all backgrounds. You should take account of this when scheduling interviews as extra time may be required between the date you short list and the interview date.

More information about assessment methods is available on the intranet.

2.5Posts with access to children and vulnerable adults

These posts must have additional criteria added in the person specification, for example:

Ability to form and maintain appropriate professional relationships and boundaries with children, young people and other vulnerable adults
for managers’ vacancies: Ability to ensure staff observe the requirement above
Ability to understand written information subject to a written test
Working with other people’s children; empathy and understanding of looking after other peoples’ children from a range of backgrounds
Ability to understand the difficulties and pressures associated with caring for children/vulnerable adults and demonstrate appropriate coping mechanisms

2.6Genuine Occupational Qualifications

It may be appropriate in exceptional situations to recruit a person from a specific gender or race where there is a genuine occupational qualification as defined in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 or Race Relations Act 1976. If you are unsure as to whether the job requires a Genuine Occupational Qualification please contact your departmental HR team.

2.7Job Evaluation

Finally, once you have written or reviewed your job description and person specification, you must ensure that it is evaluated using the council’s Job Evaluation scheme. This is to ensure that the grade for the role is appropriate and your departmental HR team will be able to help you with this.

2.8Writing the advert

The objective of advertising is to produce the maximum number of possible suitable candidates in a cost-effective manner. The advert should therefore:

present a positive image, selling both the job and, if space permits, the council and the area
portray a clear and accurate description of the post
be in plain language so that applicants can determine their own suitability
be drawn directly from the job description and person specification
be free of bias and discrimination

When writing an advertisement include the following key information:

job title
pay and additional allowances
main purpose of the job and key elements of the job description
most important requirements from the person specification
job location (if you wish)
contact person who can give further details about the post (if you wish)

The recruitment team will add the following information:

closing date
interview date (if you wish)
how candidates can apply

“The London Borough of Merton is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. An enhanced CRB check is required for this role.”

2.9Completing the Vacancy Request Form

When you have completed your job description, person specification and advert, you should complete a Vacancy Request Form. This is available on the intranet and must be completed for each different vacancy. If you have a number of posts which all have the same job number you can complete one form for all of them but you must make clear how many vacancies you are recruiting for and how many of them (if any) are part time.

You are responsible for collecting the necessary signatures to authorise the recruitment to your vacancy. When your form has been signed by your Director and departmental Finance Manager, send it to your departmental HR Manager who check the grade/allowances for the post are up to date and then forward it to the recruitment team. At this stage please also email the job description, person specification and advert to your departmental HR Manager and the recruitment team. The recruitment team will return incomplete Vacancy Request Forms so please ensure that the form has been fully completed before you send it off.

2.10Redeployment

All authorised vacancies at the council are first subject to a redeployment check. This is part of the council’s commitment to its staff who are at risk of losing their jobs.

Redeployees are given 48 hours in which to make a decision as to whether they are interested in any vacancy. If no-one indicates an interest your vacancy will be signed off by the recruitment team and released for advertising, and a member of the team will contact you to make the necessary arrangements. If any redeployee indicates an interest the recruitment team will liaise with you to arrange an interview. This should take place as soon as is reasonably practicable. If the redeployee is successful at interview they will be offered the role with a trial period. If they are unsuccessful then your vacancy will be released for advertising.

The redeployment process is described in more detail in the council’s redeployment procedure, and guidance is available from your departmental HR team.