Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Online Applications

Transcription

1 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Online Applications The following answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are provided to support applicants using the University s online recruitment system. Topics: Issues covered Logging on to the system: Creating a User Account. Forgotten Passwords Searching for a vacancy: University Completing your application: Accessibility to the online system: Submitting your application: Closing dates for Posts: Progress and Correspondence: Interviews & Feedback: Other Information: How to search for a job at Cardiff Filling in an application and queries relating to this Paper applications, disability status and access to computers How to submit an application and how to find out if an application has been received When a vacancy closes and submitting late applications What happens when an application is submitted and how candidates are kept informed following an application Accepting an interview and rearranging unsuitable dates. Feedback following interview. Problems with the system. Working for Cardiff University.

2 Cardiff University Jobs FAQs Creating an Account and Logging in to the system 1. Do I need to create a User Account to search for jobs? 2. How do I create a User Account? 3. I m being asked to accept a Data Privacy Statement and terms and conditions statement. What are these? 4. I ve forgotten my password. How do I request a new one? 5. My log in details are not working and I am getting an invalid message? 6. I cannot remember my user name, how do I find out what it is? 7. Do I need an address to apply for positions at Cardiff University? 8. How do I change my on the system? 1. Do I need to create a User Account to search for jobs? You won t need to create a user account to search for jobs on the Cardiff University job pages, but you will need an account to apply for any of our vacancies. 2. How do I create a User Account? Click on the link click here to create a new account and this will take you to the Privacy Policy statement. You should read the statement and will be required to agree to the University s erecruitment terms and conditions of use before you are able to proceed any further in the system. Once you have clicked agree at the end of the page you will be directed to the create login page. On this page, all you will need to do is enter your address, a password, a security question and the answer to that security question. Once this has been completed, you will enter the Welcome page and may continue to search and apply for jobs with Cardiff University. 3. I m being asked to accept a Privacy Policy including erecruitment Terms and Conditions of Use. What are these? The Privacy Policy and erecruitment Terms and Conditions of Use provide you with details of what personal and confidential information the University collects and how it is used once this has been collected and stored. Further information and contact details are available if you wish to enquire further about what this is used for. 4. I ve forgotten my password. How do I request a new one? Go to the login screen and click Forgot my password. You will be asked to enter your address, and once you have done this, you

3 will receive a message directing you to your account for instruction on how to reset your password. You will receive a further confirmation, when your password has been reset successfully. 5. My log in details are not working, I am getting an invalid message? The log-in fields are case sensitive so you must enter the details exactly as they were entered. 6. I can t remember my username, how do I find out my username? Your username will be your address. 7. Do I need an address to apply for positions at Cardiff University? In order to complete the online application, you will be required to provide an address. All correspondence sent to you by the University, will be sent by How do I change my address on the system? If your address has changed you can change your details by logging in, using the details you were provided with when you originally set up your profile, and then go to the Edit Your Profile section. This will allow you to edit and update your address. Changing your address will not change your username which will remain the same. It will not automatically be changed to your new . Please note that it is important that you update your account with any changes to your account, as this will be the only way in which you will be informed of the status of your application.

4 FAQs Searching for a vacancy 1. How do I search for a job at Cardiff University? 2. How do I register my details so that I can receive notifications of future jobs which may be of interest to me? 3. I ve used the search function and have not received any results back, have I done something wrong? 4. I ve searched for vacancies and found several that I m interested in. Can I apply for more than one post at a time? 1. How do I search for a job at Cardiff University? You can search for Cardiff University vacancies by visiting the Cardiff University Jobs web pages: By clicking in the Search Openings section, you are able to view all our available vacancies. You can also refine your search to make it more specific to your requirements, by using the search function. You may search by using a Keyword, Job Title, School/Directorate, Job Category or Career Pathway. If you have seen a particular advertised vacancy and have the reference number for that vacancy, you may search by this feature also by entering the reference number into the keyword search. 2. How do I register my details so that I can receive notifications of future jobs which may be of interest to me? All you need to do to receive updates on specific vacancies as they become available at Cardiff University is to create a Search Agent. To do this you simply go to the Search Opening page, search all vacancies and click on the Create Search Agent button, This page allows you to select the criteria that you wish to search on eg Research posts and allows us to notify you on a daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly basis, of open vacancies that specifically meet your search criteria. Once you have saved the search, a message will appear confirming that your search has been saved. Search Agents automatically expire 90 days after their creation or renewal date. You can renew active search agents in the Search Agent Manager link and clicking on the renew button. Alternatively you may wish to use Job Match. To do this you will see a job match facility at the bottom of the Search Opening page. The job match will allow you to input free text or upload your ideal job description, CV, or covering letter, (with details of your specific skills and competencies). This information will be used to search against our current vacancies.

5 3. I ve created a search agent and have not received any notifications, have I done something wrong? Not necessarily, it could be that we do not have any vacancies suitable for you at this time. If you want to make certain that there are currently no suitable posts for your skills and experience, view all the University current vacancies by using the Search Openings link. Alternatively you can go back to your account opening page and click on Search Agent Manager. This will show you any searches you have created and allow you to manually run the search. 4. I ve searched for vacancies and found several that I m interested in. Can I apply for more than one post at a time? No, you must apply for each post individually. The University s erecruitment system will save all the historical information that is specific to you as a person ie your personal details, education and qualifications, work experience, equality and diversity data, referees etc. Your CV and Supporting Statements are also held. When applying for another vacancy, you can change or add information held on the erecruitment system. You should always review the information to see that it is still correct and that your CV and Supporting Statement are tailored to the requirements of the job for which you are applying. You can choose to upload new documents or amend the existing documents held within your account.

6 FAQs Completing your Application 1. How do I apply for a Cardiff University job? 2. Can I apply with a paper application? 3. Do I need to complete and submit my application in one go? 4. How do I return to an application that I was previously working on? 5. Am I able to move between screens within my application? 6. If I want to apply for more than one vacancy, do I need to complete a separate application form? 7. Will I need to fill in the same information every time that I apply for a Cardiff University vacancy? 8. Which document formats can be uploaded and attached to my application? 9. Who should I use as referees on my application? 10. I have made an error on my application. Am I able to amend it? 1. How do I apply for a Cardiff University vacancy? All applications should be submitted using the online application process. You will need to create an account to submit your application to Cardiff University. Once you have created a user profile by clicking on Create a New Account and have received confirmation that your profile has been set up, you will then be guided through the application process and be able to search and apply for vacant positions. If you have previously submitted an application, you can log in with your and password without creating another account. If you need assistance with completing the online application, please contact the Shared Services Helpdesk on , or by ing Jobs@Cardiff.ac.uk. If you prefer in-person assistance, you may also visit the Human Resources Division, 10 th Floor McKenzie House, Newport Road, Cardiff, Monday through Friday, 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. 2. Can I apply with a paper application? Cardiff University is not able to accept paper applications. Candidates must apply using the online system, which is both user-friendly and straight forward to complete.

7 3. Do I need to complete and submit my application in one go? No. You may do this if you wish, but you may also save your application as a draft at any stage, and exit from and return to your application at any time prior to the submission of the application and the closing date. Your application will remain active as a draft for 30 days. 4. How do I return to an application I was previously working on? You are able to edit and add to an application up until the point you have submitted it. Once you have successfully submitted your application, you are no longer able to make amendments to it. To edit an application you started previously, log back into the system using the account details you created for yourself. Click on the Saved Drafts link and a screen will appear with a list of all the draft applications that you have created to date. Click on the continue button alongside the required post and the system will return you to the point at which you previously left the application. 5. Am I able to move between screens within my application? To move through the pages of the application, you should use the next and previous buttons at the bottom of the page. If you move to a screen which has mandatory fields, denoted by a red asterisk, you will be required to enter information in those fields before you are able to move out of that screen. You can put a minimum amount of data into the fields and then edit it later when you are ready to complete that section. 6. If I want to apply for more than one vacancy, do I need to complete a separate application? Yes, a separate application will be required for each application that you submit. If you have previously applied for a post, the system will pre-populate information into each new application that you start. It will be necessary for you to check the information carefully before submitting the application, to make sure that the information is still correct and relevant to each post that you apply for. This will also apply to any supporting documentary evidence that you may have used previously. Once an application has been submitted, it can no longer be amended.

8 7. Will I need to fill in the same information every time that I apply for a Cardiff University vacancy? The University s recruitment system will retain historical data that is specific to you as a person, such details as Personal data, Career History, Education History. This information will be populated into each application that you make in the future. Information that it is specific to the post for which you are applying eg Job Title, Referees and Supporting Statement will need to be completed on each occasion. This is to enable you to make the application as relevant and specific as possible. 8. Which document formats can be uploaded and attached to my application. You will be able to attach a CV, your Supporting Statement and any other relevant documents that you think will assist your application. You may attach as many documents as you think necessary, but they must not be larger than 5MB each in file size. MSWord, Rich Text Format (RTF) and PDF document formats are all supported. Any attachments uploaded in these formats will be considered as part of your application, provided that they are directly relevant to the post for which you are applying. You are able to attach documents in other formats e.g. examples of work in software regularly used within your particular discipline, but the University cannot guarantee that the department recruiting to the vacancy will have the relevant software to access your attachment. 9. Who should I use as referees on my application? We will request references from 2 referees, and these must be individuals who know you in a professional capacity, and who can comment on your past employment and your recent work performance. It is therefore expected, that at least 1 referee will be your current or last employer. If you have just completed full-time education, your course tutor or other academic staff member familiar with your work, could be selected. Family members or personal friends should not be named as referees. You will be required to provide a contact address for your referees, if your referee does not have an account put symbol in the field and include a note in your Supporting

9 Statement to draw the recruiter s attention to this fact. The recruiter will then contact your referee by phone or letter. 10. I have made an error on my application. Am I able to amend it? Yes, if you have not yet submitted your application and it is saved as a draft.then you may go back into your application and amend details (See Question 4). However, once you have submitted your application or if the job closing date has passed, you will be not be able to make amendments. If you discover that you have made an error following the submission of your application, you are able to withdraw that application by going to Application Submission Status and clicking the withdraw button for that post. If the closing date has not passed, you may then submit a new application. Unfortunately, the details from the withdrawn application will not appear on the new application, and you will have to re-enter details that are specific to the job, such as the Supporting Statement. Please note If you withdraw your application after the vacancy has closed you will not be able to reapply and will have prevented yourself from being considered for the role.

10 FAQs Accessibility to the online system 1. I have a disability and am unable to use a computer, what should I do? 2. I do not have access to a computer? 1. I have a disability and am unable to use a computer, what should I do? If you feel your ability to complete the application using the online system is affected due to a disability, impairment or long term health condition, please contact the Shared Services Helpdesk on Tel: or jobs@cardiff.ac.uk, so we may discuss how best to proceed with your application. 2. I do not have access to a computer? You could consider using internet cafes, job centres or local libraries, or alternatively, use the computer of a family member or friend.

11 Cardiff University Jobs FAQs Submitting your application 1. How do I submit my application? 2. I have pressed the submit application button and nothing has happened / the system is hanging. What should I do? 3. I no longer wish to be considered for a vacancy, how do I withdraw my application? 1. How do I submit my application? Once you have completed and reviewed your application, and are happy that it is the application you wish to submit to the University, you will need to click the submit button at the bottom of the page. 2. I have pressed the submit application button and nothing has happened / the system is hanging. What should I do? This should not happen and you should receive the following message almost immediately. Thank you. Your application has been successfully submitted. You will be contacted via once your application has been processed. You will receive an into your user account, which confirms that the application has been received and which also provides you with your unique candidate reference number, used for every application that you make. The submit application step may occasionally take a few minutes as it is dependent on the speed of your internet connection. If it is taking longer than this, you may have lost your internet connection or your session in the recruitment system may have timed out. The time-out duration for the system is 30 minutes, and this will be due to inactivity. Do be aware that if you take longer than 30 minutes to complete the application and haven t saved the application during this time, you will lose any information input since you last saved the application. If your Submit Application screen is hanging, please close the window down and log back in to the system. Check under the Application Submission Status link to see if your application is showing as having been accepted into the system. If it does not appear here, you may need to look in the Saved drafts link. If it does not appear here, and you did not save your application prior to the submission page, you are likely to have lost your application form. 3. I no longer wish to be considered for a vacancy, how do I withdraw my application?

12 You may withdraw your application by logging in to the system and clicking on the Application Submission Status screen. All applications applied for to date will appear. You will need to click on the withdraw button next to the relevant post.

13 FAQs Closing dates for posts 1. What time on the closing date do Cardiff University posts close? 2. I have missed the closing date, can I still apply? 3. I ran out of time / had problems with the system, so have ed my application. Will I be considered for the vacancy? 1. At what time on the closing date do Cardiff University posts close? Cardiff University posts will close at midnight on the closing date. After that time we will not accept late applications into the selection process. The University reserves the right to close vacancies early and you will be advised if this is the situation on the advert. We recommend that applications are submitted well in advance of the closing date and as soon as possible during the recruitment process. 2. I have missed the closing date, am I still able to apply? Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications after midnight on the closing date. 3. I ran out of time / had problems with the system so have ed my application. Will I be considered for the vacancy? No we are only able to accept and process applications submitted on-line within the University s recruitment system. If you have any issues with the system, please check the relevant section of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). If you require further assistance, jobs@cardiff.ac.uk with the specific details of the problems you have encountered and we will be happy to help you submit your application before the closing date. Please note, the Jobs account is checked regularly between 8.30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays and University closure days. You can also ring our Helpdesk on All of the University s external vacancies are displayed on the web for a minimum period of two weeks. You may choose to register for the University s alert service to ensure you are notified as soon as a vacancy matching your job search preferences is published. For more information on this, please see Creating a Search Agent. We recommend that applications are submitted well in advance of the closing date, which will allow time to resolve any user issues.

14 Cardiff University Jobs FAQs What now? - Progress and Correspondence 1. How will I know if you ve received my application? 2. How long do I wait before I know if my application has been successful? 3. Can I check the status of my application? 4. What does each status mean? 5. I did not receive a confirmation after submitting an application. What should I do? 1. How will I know if you ve received my application? You will receive an notification from us, once you have submitted your application and it has been received successfully. This will provide you with an applicant reference number. 2. How long do I have to wait before I know if my application has been successful? Unfortunately, we cannot supply a definite answer to this question, as some recruiters may take longer than others to shortlist a vacancy. Once the vacancy has closed the recruiter will review every application that has been submitted and agree which candidates they would like to shortlist. We envisage that this process should take no longer than 4 weeks. All candidates will be notified by as to whether they have been successful at this stage. 3. Can I check the status of my application? You can check the status of your application by accessing your account and selecting the Application Submission Status link. All applications that you have applied for to date will appear, and alongside will be the status of that application. 4. What does each status mean? Application submitted - New Candidate Panel begins shortlisting - Application under review Panel completes shortlist - Shortlisting complete Panel sends interview invitation to candidate - Invited to interview Not successful following shortlist Unsuccessful Not successful following interview Unsuccessful Candidate offered a verbal offer Recommended for appointment We regret that due to the volume of applicants Cardiff University receives on an annual basis, we are unable to respond to each

15 candidate individually regarding the status of their application, prior to the interview stage. 5. I did not receive a confirmation after submitting an application. What should I do? If you have not received an confirmation, please attempt to log in to the system and check the status of your application by clicking on the Application Submission Status link. The post that you have applied for should appear and have a status of New candidate alongside. If this is the case, you do not have to do anything further. If the application does not appear under this link, you should check to see if the application has been saved under the Saved Drafts link. Please note: If you are using a free web-based service such as Hotmail, Yahoo, BigFoot, Gmail etc, any s sent automatically through the WebSAF application system may arrive in your 'junk' folder, based on how you have configured your service. Please check your junk folder regularly for any correspondence that might be sent.

16 Cardiff University Jobs FAQs Interviews & Feedback 1. I have received an inviting me for interview. What if I enter the system and there are no slots available? 2. What if the time slots left are not suitable? 3. I m on holiday on the dates of the interview, can I rearrange? 4. How do I withdraw my application at this stage? 5. Will I have to give a presentation or undertake a work-related test? 6. Will you pay my interview expenses if I need to travel to the interview? 7. Will I receive feedback following my interview? 8. I am a redeployment candidate and have been unsuccessful in securing an interview. Where can I obtain advice on improving my application form? 1. I have received an inviting me for interview. What if I enter the system and there are no slots available? There should never be an occasion when there is no slot available. If this occurs please contact jobs@cardiff.ac.uk for assistance. 2. What if the slots left are not suitable? You should inform the recruiter as soon as possible via the Send button on the interview invitation. Please note that we cannot guarantee there will be another interview time available for you, therefore, please try to fit yourself into the available slots. 3. I m on holiday on the dates of the interview, can I rearrange? If you apply for a post and are aware that you may be unavailable for future dates, you may inform us of these dates in the covering letter that you upload with your application. If you are invited to interview and are unavailable on those specific dates, you should contact the recruiter as soon as possible to inform them. However, it may not always be possible to rearrange dates, particularly when several members of staff may be involved in the selection / interview process. In some cases it is regrettable, but unavoidable, that the selection / interview must proceed without a shortlisted candidate. 4. How do I withdraw my application at this stage?

17 If there is adequate time, you may access the Application Submission Status link in the candidate portal, and request that your application be withdrawn from the system. If you decide to withdraw from interviews and it is close to the interview date, you should contact the recruiter direct and inform them of your intention to withdraw. You can opt to withdraw from a post at any point of the application process. 5. Will I have to give a presentation or undertake a work-related test? Details of presentations and selection tests required will be detailed in the / letter inviting you to interview. It will also make it clear if you are expected to prepare anything in advance. The test or presentation will be relevant to the work that you would have to undertake if you were successful in obtaining the post. If you have a disability that may require a reasonable adjustment to be made at the interview stage, you should contact the recruiter as soon as possible. Alternatively, please jobs@cardiff.ac.uk or contact for assistance. 6. Will you pay my interview expenses if I need to travel to the interview? If you are travelling more than 25 miles to an interview, you will be entitled to claim for interview expenses. You will be sent a form with your interview details. 7. Will I receive feedback following my interview? Following interview and once a decision has been made, you will be contacted by a member of the interview panel with their decision and relevant comments. 8. I am a redeployment candidate and have been unsuccessful in securing an interview. Where can I obtain advice on improving my application form? If you think that your application form may not be what recruiters are looking for and would like some advice and guidance on how to make it more relevant, please contact the Shared Services Team on or jobs@cardiff.ac.uk.

18 FAQs Other Information 1. Who should I contact if I m experiencing problems with the system? 2. I would like more information on working for Cardiff University and its benefits. Where do I go? 1. Who should I contact if I m experiencing problems with the system? If you are having technical problems using the system, or difficulties completing the application, please contact the Shared Services Helpdesk on or by at jobs@cardiff.ac.uk 2. I would like more information on working for Cardiff University and its benefits. Where do I go? For further information on the University and what it has to offer its employees, please visit the following links: