Our recruitment process

All applications must be made online. For each application you’ll complete a short application form, and submit your CV. Please ensure that your application is submitted by midnight on the date of closing. You will not be able to apply after this date.

Find a role you want to apply for

All Reading Borough Council vacancies are advertised on our website along with information on the role including:

• Duties and responsibilities
• Essential/ desirable criteria: experience, qualifications, training and other requirements
• PDF job description with full details of the role which you should download and save

Once you have read through the advert, the job description and person specification, you can start to complete your application. As part of your application you have the option to include a supporting statement, which can be really helpful to let us know how your skills, attributes and experience are a match for the role in question.

Shortlisting

You will be notified of the status of your application via email. This will inform you whether you have been successful in securing an interview (more information on this below) or if you have been unsuccessful, so do keep an eye on your emails including any junk and spam inboxes.

If at any point you decide to withdraw your application, you can email this request to recruitment@reading.gov.uk

Interview Stage

If you are successful in securing an interview, you will be sent an email alert which will contain a link to your recruitment account where you are able to select your interview slot from the list of dates and times provided. You can also view the interview details, such as any preparation required, interview format and location.

Remember, an interview is an important part of the selection process as it is the final opportunity for you to display how your skills and experience would enable you to successfully carry out the job. Preparation is key. As much as it is important to make the best impression to your potential employer, an interview is also a chance for you to gauge a better understanding of the business, work environment and culture to make sure it also fits your values. This will ensure that you and the employer are confident in your/ their decision. 

Offer Stage

If you are offered the position, the hiring manager will contact you to make a verbal offer. If you decide to accept, this will be followed by a conditional offer and login details for our onboarding portal where you can provide personal details such as next of kin and bank details.

As part of your offer we will need to carry out pre-employment checks. Until these are received, your offer is conditional. These include:

• Pre-employment medical screening
• Employment references
• Eligibility to work in the UK
• DBS check (if applicable)
• Qualifications (if applicable)

Important additional information

It is important that you are aware of some of RBC’s policies around applying to work at the Council.

Relatives of Elected Councillors or Senior Council Officers

• When applying for a job with Reading Borough Council you must disclose if you are in or have any relationship with a councillor or senior officer of the council. If you fail to disclose this information, you may be disqualified from your appointment. Councillors and senior officers are also obliged to disclose any relationship they may have with someone applying to work for the council. 
• You must not try to influence any councillor or officer of the council in relation to your job application, or you will be disqualified. This means you must not seek the support of a councillor or officer, or attempt to ask them to influence the decision on who to appoint.

Disclosing criminal convictions

• Under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, certain jobs require applicants to declare all criminal convictions/cautions, regardless of whether or not they are spent. If the job you are applying for is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 any offer of employment will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
• All exempt jobs under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 will be clearly indicated in the job advertisement or any other supporting information.
  Reading Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Complaints

If you wish to make a complaint about the recruitment process, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance at recruitment@reading.gov.uk.