Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to be fair and non-discriminatory. We provide training and equal opportunities to all staff throughout the process.

Online applications

Once you have found a job you want to apply for, you will need to fill in our online application form. If you cannot complete your application in one go you can save it and log back in to complete it later.

Remember, all our job adverts are open until midnight on the closing day.

Find more information on completing your application form

After applying

Once you have submitted your application you will receive an automated confirmation email stating you have successfully submitted your application and that you will receive progress news soon.

Review and shortlisting

The recruiting manager and another panel member will go through your application form and score it relating directly to the person specification provided with the advert. Make sure you include all relevant skills, experience and qualifications so that that we can score your application effectively.

Our recruitment team will then email you to let you know if you have been selected for an interview or unsuccessful on this occasion.

Selection process

We use a variety of assessment methods, depending on the job we are recruiting for. These include interviews, assessments, presentation and in-tray exercises, as well as online tests.

To help you understand the process, be confident and prepare for your interview, read our applications and interview advice.

Offer

After your interview, you will receive a phone call or email from the recruiting manager. They will give you their feedback, let you know their decisions and make any verbal offers of employment (conditional to checks).

Checks

Once you have been verbally offered a job, our recruitment team will commence pre-employment checks including reference checks, medical clearance and DBS checks if required.

Once the checks are completed your manager will be in touch to agree your start date at which point a contract of employment will be sent to you.

Rules we follow when recruiting

• If you are currently a Councillor for Colchester City Council or have been within the last 12 months, then you are disqualified from applying for and being appointed to any paid appointment with us. This is detailed in the Local Government Act 1972 (2-264).
• As the council is a public authority, you must not ask any Councillors or council employees to help you get the job, or try to influence them, or ask anyone else to do this for you. If you do, you will be disqualified.
• As a large employer, situations may arise within the council where relatives could be employed within the same team, service or work area. Such situations can potentially have issues around conflict of interests. We need to avoid any possible conflict of interests or accusation of bias, favouritism or prejudice so, if you think this situation may apply to the post you are applying for, you should contact the HR Service Centre before you apply.
• If you are successful in receiving an offer of employment for the job you have applied for and you are not an existing employee of the council, you will be asked to complete a confidential medical questionnaire and may in certain instances be asked to undergo a medical examination by our Occupational Health Team.
• If you are not an existing Colchester City Council employee, you will be asked to provide two referees. Make sure you provide details of your most recent employer and one other professional referee. If you are not currently in employment, provide details of your last employer or someone who knows you in a professional capacity (for example, doctor or teacher) or someone you have worked for on a voluntary basis. We are unable to accept personal references.