YOUR UEA

JOB APPLICATION:
A GUIDE

Guidance for applicants

CONTENTS
3     Guidance for applicants
4    Completing the application form
5    Writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
8     Writing a Personal Statement
11  Useful tips for the interview process
12  In-person interviews
15 Virtual interviews
18   Example interview questions

2
GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS
When applying for a vacancy at the
University it is important to read the
advert and Candidate Brochure to
understand the requirements of the
role. If you feel you have the necessary
skills and experience to undertake the
role we would encourage you to apply.

If you are a recent graduate of UEA

you can still access CareerCentral
support, including application
feedback, online resources,
workshops and mock interviews

Should you have any difficulties

in completing the application
process or require any reasonable
adjustments please contact:

[email protected]

3
REGISTERING FOR AN ACCOUNT AND COMPLETING
THE APPLICATION FORM
Before you are able to apply for a vacancy
Useful tips for completing the application form
you will need to register for a UEA account.
As part of this process you will be asked
• Complete the application form fully.
to upload a CV as this will pre-populate
information on your application form. If you • Details from your CV will pre-populate aspects of your application, including
do not have a CV please refer to the “Writing sections of your profile. Please check these to ensure details have been
copied correctly before submitting.
a Curriculum Vitae (CV) section” below.
• The browser you are using may time out when completing the application, this
is not caused by the system. However to avoid this we advise you write how
you meet the essential and desirable criteria in word and then copy this to the
application form when ready.

• Make sure you mention each of the essential criteria, referring back to the
person specification, providing demonstrable examples of how you meet
these.

• Make reference to how you meet any desirable criteria, providing

demonstrable examples.

• List or highlight any achievements that make you stand out.

• Maintain a positive and professional tone.

• Use the STAR mnemonic to help you develop examples for competency-
based questions (see page 9).

Please note unsuccessful applicant data will be held for 12 months from
appointment of the successful applicant.
4
WRITING A
CURRICULUM
VITAE (CV)

As part of the registration process you will be

required to upload a Curriculum Vitae (CV).

5
WRITING A CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) - CONTINUED

The details you include in your CV will depend on the roles you are intending to apply for:

Roles within Academia

• Contact details (name, phone number and email address) • Gaps in your CV – where relevant, explain any gaps and provide
examples of the skills you developed during this time
• Education history
• Teaching
» Qualifications
» School, College or University where you studied • Publications
» Dates you attended • Conferences and talks
• Work history – placements, volunteering • Academic responsibilities and outreach
and any paid jobs, include:
• If you are applying for a postdoctoral position you may
» Employer details also wish to include a list of your research skills
» Job title
• Hobbies, interests and/or achievements
» Dates
• References
» What you did - provide positive examples
of your achievements

• Relevant research employment

6
WRITING A CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) - CONTINUED

Roles outside Academia Useful tips when writing a CV

• Contact details (name, phone number and email address) • Research the University, Faculty/School/Division
and the job before you write your CV.
• Personal profile – a few short lines summarising who
you are and what you hope to do. Think about what • Promote your skills and experience.
the employer is looking for and align this to the role • Use a clear font like Arial, size 11 or bigger,
• Education history with the same style throughout.

» Qualifications • Use headings, bullet points and spacing

» School, College or University where you studied to make it easier to read.
» Dates you attended • Keep it to 2 sides of A4, unless it is an academic CV.
• Work history – placements, volunteering • Be clear and precise.
and any paid jobs, include:
• Match the words you use to the
» Employer details keywords in the job description.
» Job title
• Get someone else to read it, double
» Dates check your spelling and grammar.
» What you did - provide positive
examples of your achievements • Save a backup copy.

• Gaps in your CV – where relevant, explain

any gaps and provide examples of the skills
you developed during this time
• Hobbies, interests and/or achievements
• References

7
EVIDENCING
HOW YOU MEET
THE PERSON
SPECIFICATION

As part of the application process you

will be asked to explain how you meet
the essential and, where applicable,
desirable criteria for the role as stated
in the Candidate Brochure. This is an
important section of the application form
so you should spend some time on it.
The Recruiting Manager is looking for an
easy-to-read statement about why you
are applying, what skills and experience
you bring to the post and demonstrable
examples on how you meet the person
specification.

8
WRITING A PERSONAL STATEMENT (CONTINUED)

Use the job description within the Candidate When providing examples, you may wish to use the STAR technique:
Brochure as a guide to match your skills and
experience to the essential and desirable skills
and experience required for the role. These
may include writing skills, presentation skills, Situation - give a brief overview of the
IT skills, analytical skills, problem solving,
project management, organisational skills,
background. S
administrative skills and interpersonal skills. This Task – what the specific task was that
information should be tailored to the role and needed to be undertaken.
provide examples of how you meet the person
specification criteria. Action – what action you took.
Highlight what your particular role was
R T
In your statement, outline what makes you the
even if it was a group activity as the
right person for the role. Think about what is
unique about your blend of knowledge, skills recruiter will want to see what you have
and experiences that makes you ideal. Don’t just done. Avoid saying ‘we did’.
repeat what is in your CV, highlight your most
relevant skills rather than your background. Result (and Learning) – explain what A
Include information that is difficult to present on the outcome of the action was and
a CV (e.g. motivation for applying, impressions what you learnt as a result (especially
of the University from visits or contact with important if the outcome was not
staff). You may also wish to explain any gaps, perfectly successful).
such as a gap in your career history or unfinished
qualifications. Explain how these hurdles have
developed you in a positive way and the skills
you learned during this time. This is also a good technique to use when answering interview questions.

9
USEFUL TIPS FOR THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

Pre-interview Interview Post-interview

• Research the University and • Listen very carefully, pause to • Review your own performance
know the job. Look at the collect your thoughts if necessary, and learn from this. Interviews
University’s website, related and answer the questions with are something you get better
press articles, company reports, evidence. Think about why you’re at with practice. What worked?
social media presence etc. being asked different questions, and What didn’t? What should you
make sure your answers give enough have done beforehand?
• Think about what you are likely detail to prove how good you are.
to be asked, using the person • Follow up. If appropriate, it
specification as a guide. • Keep calm, stay positive. How you might be a good idea to write
relate to the interviewer is almost to the interviewer afterwards
• Know yourself and prepare as important as what you say, so thanking them and reiterating
your evidence in advance. Think try and smile and be engaging your enthusiasm for the role.
about how you could answer and positive. Remember, they
typical questions and prove your wouldn’t have selected you for • Ask for feedback, whether
ability by referring to specific interview if they didn’t think you you get the job or not.
experiences in the past. had the potential to do the job.

• Think of a few questions in advance

to ask at the end of the interview.

10
IN-PERSON
INTERVIEWS

In-person interviews provide an

opportunity for candidates to meet
panel members in person and see
the working environment. This still
remains a popular interview method
for many and avoids technical and
connection difficulties which can
arise from virtual interviews.

11
IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS (CONTINUED)

The campus is generally accessible although wheelchair users sometimes Process for attending an in-person interview
have to take an alternative route. The University has a rolling programme of
Details of the interview including date, time, location and any assessment
improvements to existing facilities and aims to incorporate high standards
will be provided within an invitation to interview email. You should inform
of disabled access into all new buildings. Carers can also be accommodated
the Resourcing Team if you require any special arrangements or adjustments
and assistance dogs are welcome. Further information is provided in the
to attend the interview, or if you have a disability you would like the panel
invite to interview email, however if you would like further information
to be aware of. Reasonable adjustments we could provide include extra
on campus accessibility please contact [email protected].
time for tests and/or presentations and the ability to be accompanied by a
sign language interpreter or companion. Declaring a disability will not be
Benefits to attending an in-person interview viewed unfavourably, appointments will be made on merit. If a presentation
is required you should ensure you bring a spare copy with you and have
In-person interviews have many benefits for candidates, including: checked this is compatible with the equipment which will be used.
• Building rapport with the hiring manager and interview panel;
On the day of the interview you will be welcomed by a UEA colleague and
• Ability to pick up non-verbal cues more clearly; shown into the interview room. After the interview you will be shown out
• Ability to see the campus and experience the atmosphere; of the building or be advised of any further arrangements as necessary.

• No need to worry about connectivity issues; Useful tips of what to consider before, during and after an in-
• No interruptions or distractions; person interview can be found on the next page.

• Being able to see and hear panel members clearly;

• No time delay and flowing communication;
• Direct eye contact.

12
IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS (CONTINUED)

Pre-interview Interview Post-interview

• Technology - if you are • Technology - if you are taking • You will be shown out of the
taking your own device, your own equipment ensure building or informed of other
ensure it is fully charged. this is working and charged. arrangements as appropriate.

• Prepare any relevant materials, • Time - make sure you allow • You will be contacted once
such as presentation slides, and plenty of time for traveling. Do all candidates have been
ensure these files are compatible a practice drive if needed. You interviewed and the panel have
with the technology. You may wish should aim to arrive 10 minutes made a decision on the role.
to undertake research on UEA before your interview time.
and the area the role is within.
• Consider your body language,
• Practice any presentation and send displaying confidence through
slides in advance if requested. sitting up, smiling and eye
Make bullet pointed notes to act contact where possible.
as an aide memoir if needed.
• Dress code - you should dress
• Plan and book any travel appropriately for the interview.
and/or accomodation.
• Ask any questions you feel
• Questions - you will have an appropriate for the role.
opportunity to ask questions about
UEA, the School/Division and role
so may wish to prepare these.

13
VIRTUAL
INTERVIEWS
Virtual interviews provide an opportunity for
candidates to demonstrate suitability for a role
without the need to meet panel members in person.
The University has launched a hybrid working pilot
which provides greater flexibility on how interviews
can be conducted and panel members may therefore
request interviews to take place remotely.

14
VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS (CONTINUED)

Benefits to attending a virtual interview On the day of the interview the link will need to be clicked at the
appropriate time. This will alert the panel of your availability and they
Virtual interviews have many benefits for candidates, including:
will admit you to join the interview when ready. If at any time you
• More flexibility on when interviews can be scheduled; have difficulties with audio or video you should make the panel aware
• No travel which saves times, money and reduces stress; by either telling them or putting a note in the chat function.

• Being in a familiar environment may reduce nerves and anxiety; At the end of the interview the red “leave” button at the top right of the
• The ability to demonstrate technical skills; screen can be pressed. This should end the call and the screen should go blank.
• Using familiar equipment.
Useful tips of what to consider before, during and after a virtual interview can
be found on the next page.

Process for attending a virtual interview

The University uses Microsoft Teams to conduct virtual interviews. Within
the interview details you will receive, instructions on how to download and
access Microsoft Teams will be provided. You should inform the Resourcing
Team if you require any special arrangements or adjustments to attend the
interview, or if you have a disability you would like the panel to be aware of.
Reasonable adjustments we could provide include extra time for tests and/
or presentations and putting interview questions into the chat. Declaring a
disability will not be viewed unfavourably, appointments will be made on merit.

You should ensure you check the software works before the interview
and familiarise yourself with different functions, such as share screen if a
presentation is required and the chat function. You will receive a link for
the appropriate date and time of the interview. If for any reason a virtual
interview is not possible, consideration for alternative options will be given.

15
VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS (CONTINUED)

Pre-interview Interview Post-interview

• Technology - download any relevant • Technology - Log on at least 10 • Equipment - make sure the video
software and test it in advance of minutes prior to interview time to call has ended before moving
the interview day. Become familiar test connection. You should make away from your device.
with the programme and it’s the panel aware of any difficulties • You will be contacted once
facilitites, e.g. how to share a screen. you are having prior to the interview. all candidates have been
Ensure device is fully charged. Switch off any other devices. interviewed and the panel have
• Prepare any relevant materials, such as • Environment - chose an environment made a decision on the role.
presentation slides, and ensure these where you feel comfortable, is in
files are compatible with the software. a quiet space with good lighting,
Send these to the panel in advance if using a backdrop if necessary.
requested. Make bullet pointed notes • Engagement - when talking, you
to act as an aide memoir if needed. should, where able, look at the
• You may wish to undertake research on camera so it appears you are engaged
UEA and the area the role is within. and looking at panel members.
• Practice your interview and try • Consider your body language,
recording this to see how you displaying confidence through
come across on camera. This will sitting up, smiling and eye
also give you an opportunity to contact, where possible.
test technology is working. • Dress code - you should dress
• Questions - you will have an in the same way you would for
oppertunity to ask questions about a face to face interview.
the UEA, School/Division and role
so may wish to prepare these.

16
EXAMPLE
INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS

17
EXAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

Overall Job Performance Planning, Organising, Initiative/Creativity/

• How do you typically handle yourself attention to detail and time Innovation
in a fast-paced environment? management • What ideas did you contribute to your
• What are your strengths? Why? department? What were the results?
• Describe an occasion when you
• How would you describe your had to use good organisational • Give an example of something you
organisational abilities? skills or project planning? recommended that was adopted.
• How would you describe your • What tools do you use to help • What you have done to make
own performance standards? you to plan effectively? your role more interesting or to
• How do you handle a heavy streamline your workload?
workload with many deadlines? • Give an example of a project you
• In all jobs there are peaks and were responsible for starting, what
troughs in workload. What did you do? How did it work out?
do you do in such cases? • How much information do you
• You are given several projects need to get started on a new
to be completed in a short project or assignment?
period of time. How would you • When have you had to produce
establish priorities? Why? results, without sufficient guidelines
• Can you tell us about a time you had or information? What did you do?
to achieve something methodically? • What is the most creative thing
How did you achieve your goal? you have done in a previous or
current job? How did it occur?
• In the last year, what innovative
ideas have you had a work? Were
you able to implement them?
How were they innovative?

18
EXAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

Ability to Learn Communication Skills/Interpersonal Skills/

• Give an example of a situation at your Dealing with Conflict
previous/current employer when you
• What is effective communication? What skills do you have that make
have had to keep up with changes
you a good communicator?
in technology, terminology, and
information specific to your field? • How do you choose which medium/media to use to reach your various audiences?
What are the strengths and weaknesses associated with each medium?
• How quickly have you learned
new processes for a job? What • Tell me about a job experience when you had to speak up in order to be sure
did you have to learn? that others knew what you thought or felt.

• If time did not permit a training • Describe how you would endeavour to convince your manager to grant you
period on a new job, how would additional funds for a purpose you have-in-mind.
you go about learning the things • Describe some projects you worked on that required strong writing skills.
expected or required of you? What was the level of your responsibility? Who was the primary audience?
• Give three examples of • How would you characterise your written and oral communication skills?
your adaptability. • What do you require from a supervisor?
• Describe the most recent formal • Would you rather work in a team or on your own?
learning experience you have had.
• Describe what a “team” environment means to you?
• What are your long-term
• What experience have you had working as a member of a team? What are the
professional goals? How do the
advantages?
duties and responsibilities in this
position relate to that goal? • How do you build relationships with other members of your team?

• What do you consider to be important • Describe a situation in which you were a member of team. What did you do to positively
attributes of a supervisor/manager? contribute?
• Describe a time when you had to win someone over, who was reluctant or unresponsive?

19
EXAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

Decision Making/Problem Solving/Analytical Skills

• Describe a specific time in any job that you have • Most of us can think of an important decision
held when you were faced with issues that tested we would make quite differently if we could do it
your problem solving skills. What did you do? over. Any examples from your experience?
• What problems/challenges do you anticipate • Give an example of a difficult decision you had to make
in this role? How would you deal with them if at your last job. How did you solve it? Follow-up: Why did
you were successful in getting this job? you choose that method instead of another solution?
• Give an example of a time when you did not finish a • What has been a stubborn or recurring problem you would
task because you did not have enough information have liked to solve in your current job, but haven’t yet?
to come to a good decision. Be specific. • What process do you follow in solving problems?
• Give an example of a time when you had to make a quick decision. • What methods do you use to make decisions?
• Give an example of a time when you had to use your fact- Please give an example of your approach.
finding skills to get information to solve a problem. Describe • What kinds of decisions did you have authority over? Which
how you analysed the information to come to a decision. ones did you have to check with your manager before making?
• Give an example of a problem you faced on • What information or technical support has
a job and describe how you solved it. helped you succeed on the job?
• Describe your most challenging work-related • Have you ever had to make a decision before you had all
situation and how you handled it. the data you wanted? Give an example. What did you do?
• How do you typically handle yourself under pressure?
Describe a difficult situation you encountered with a
supervisor or colleague and how you handled it.
• What are some examples of important types of
decisions or recommendations you are called upon
to make in your past/present position?

20
EXAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (CONTINUED)

Management Attitude/Style General Knowledge

• How would you describe your management style? • Can you give us an overview of how an academic department functions
• Have you ever had to initiate corrective action for an in the University?
employee? If so, what steps did you take to implement this • Describe the type of relationship you think should exist between staff
action? and students on this campus.
• In what ways might you want to modify your approach to
dealing with subordinates?
• How would you describe your standards of performance?
Administration
What would your staff say? What would your supervisor • How do you make sure that your employees are accountable?
say? • What do you typically do when you hear of a problem in your area?
• How would you deal with an employee who was not doing • How useful have you found written procedures and
his or her job effectively? guidelines in helping you manage your area?
• What philosophy and techniques do you use in motivating • Do you believe that the chain of command is important? Why?
your staff? When do you think it might inhibit organisational effectiveness?
• How would you deal with an employee who does not
appear to measure up to increasing demands of a job?
• How do you think your staff would describe your Financial Management
delegation style?
• What responsibility do you have for budgeting?
• How do you get your employees (or others) to follow you? What budgeting method do you use?
• How do you use your authority to achieve your goals? • How do you go about estimating expenses and budgets?
• Give an example of how you delegated responsibility for • What recent decision have you made that had an impact
a recent assignment; for instance, how you delegated an on finances? How did you assess its impact?
assignment, and what you did to monitor it.
• What experience have you had with long and short-
term budget projections? Please explain.

21
An internationally renowned university, UEA
is ranked in the UK Top 30 (The Times/Sunday
Times 2024, Guardian University Guide 2023
and Complete University Guide 2023) and the
World Top 50 (Times Higher Education Impact
Rankings 2023), where it ranks in the World
Top 100 for research citations (Times Higher
Education World University Rankings 2023),
reflecting the international excellence of its
research environment. The University holds UK
Teaching Excellence Framework Silver status.

Issue Date: March 2022

Reviewed: September 2024
Next Review Date: September 2025
Review Frequency: Annual
Author: Sam Swinton, Head
of HR Operations

University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK | +44 (0) 1603 456161 | www.uea.ac.uk