Each role in the Partnership is unique. So each recruitment journey will be a little different. We want to make sure you’re the right fit, so everyone’s journey is specifically designed to make sure we get to know each other properly.
We encourage everyone who works for us to think about their potential to do better, do more or do something different in their working life. We want you to be the best you can be, whether that’s when you apply for a role with us or throughout your Partnership journey. Take time to consider what drives you and what will give you a happy and fulfilling career with us and we will do the same for you.
Here are some of the more common questionnaires/tests and stages of the recruitment process to give you a good idea of what to expect. We have also included some hints and tips to help you along the way.
Please be aware that not every stage will be applicable to every role.
The Partnership is unlike anywhere else. And that means it might not be right for everyone. We’ve put together a series of questions (and videos for some roles) designed to show you what it’s like to work here so you can decide whether we’re the right fit for each other before you apply. These can be found on the appropriate job information pages on this site.
“Do your research into the Partnership and values and culture of the business when applying. I’ve recently joined the Partnership and found that having a great understanding and knowledge of the business was invaluable during the recruitment process. There’s lots of great detail on jlpjobs but you can also find a wealth of information on our corporate sites and on the internet.”
Our application form asks you a series of questions so that we can assess your suitability for the Partnership. As well as detailing your experience and qualifications, you’ll have an opportunity to tell us why you are right for the role and the Partnership. For some roles you will be required to upload a CV.
“Make sure you really tailor your application to the role you are applying for and consider each of the questions asked on the application form carefully.”
Spell check, spell check, spell check.
“Regularly check your communication centre once you have applied, so that you know exactly how your application is progressing. You will only have two days to complete online tests so make sure you don’t miss key deadlines.”
Stand out from the crowd and differentiate yourself – use your application to demonstrate why what you’ve got to offer is unique.
If attaching a CV, make sure it’s up-to-date and well-presented. Keep it concise and ensure the recruiters can quickly and clearly see evidence that you’re suitable.
Please be aware that when you are invited to complete any of our online tests as part of the selection process you will be required to complete them within two days of receiving the email. We would therefore recommend that you regularly check your email account for updates.
“Practise the psychometric tests online – you can get better!”
Being a Partner is a unique experience, sharing the responsibility of ownership as well as its rewards. In recognition of this, we’ve developed a questionnaire for external candidates to find out if they’re aligned with this unique way of working. We sought insight into the day-to-day activities of Partners to truly understand what it means to be a Partner. This questionnaire allows us to progress candidates through to the next stage who have demonstrated they understand the difference of working in a co-owned business.
These questions are based on the kind of situations you’d experience in the role you’re applying for. They help us to understand how you’ll respond to a variety of challenges which you may encounter on a day-to-day basis and assess your potential for the role.
These questions are based on the kind of situations you’d experience in the role you’re applying for. They help us understand how you’ll respond to a variety of challenges which you may encounter on a day-to-day basis and assess your potential management abilities too.
We need to know whether you have the skills and capabilities to do the role you’re applying for. These questions will be based on actual scenarios you’d encounter so we can assess your verbal and numeric skills. For specialist roles, we may also ask you to complete some tests specific to your industry knowledge, e.g. coding exercise, accountancy skills or Excel.
For some of our roles a telephone interview may be used as part of the early stages of the selection process. This is conducted on a one-to-one basis – you’ll be asked questions based on Leadership and Partnership Behaviours and skills and experience for the role.
As the interviewer can’t see you use this to your advantage. Dress comfortably or smartly if this makes you feel confident, spread notes around the table or on the walls as prompts. Don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to phone you back on a land line/mobile if you think the reception would be clearer.
This isn’t a live interview – it’s a video that you record for us. We’ll provide you with a log-in to the system where you can read questions our interviewers have prepared for you. You then use a webcam and microphone to record a video of you answering these questions and it is automatically uploaded for us to watch. The system is designed to walk you through each stage so it is simple to do and time efficient for everyone. You’ll be asked questions based on Leadership and Partnership Behaviours and skills and experience for the role.
Ensure you are in a controlled environment where you will not be disturbed by phones ringing, someone knocking on the door, dogs barking etc etc!
We are a people-focused business so, for most of our roles, you’ll need to come to one of our branches or to our offices where you’ll meet with team members to complete an interview and assessment exercise. Our interview questions are based on our Leadership and Partnership Behaviours and technical questions relevant to the role you’ve applied for.
Right to Work
It is the Partnership’s legal obligation to ensure that anyone we are looking to employ is legally entitled to work in the UK before their employment begins.
We require all candidates to provide evidence of their entitlement to work in the UK when they attend an assessment or interview. These documents will be checked and authorised by the Partner conducting the assessment. Failure to provide satisfactory evidence of your right to work in the UK will prevent your application progressing.
For more information on what documents you can bring to show you have the right to work, and more details, please follow this link to the Government Website: https://www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk
Reasonable Adjustments
If you require any special arrangements in order to be able to attend/take part in the assessment, or if you have any other queries, please contact the Resourcing team on 0345 610 0370 or via email recruitment@partnershipservices.co.uk.
Make sure you answer the question! It sounds really simple and obvious but so often when asked a long competency-based question candidates start explaining a situation but don’t clearly answer the question. Keep the question clearly in your mind and keep referring back to it while you answer, don’t be afraid to note it down using pen and paper, or ask the interviewer to repeat, an interview isn’t a memory test.
Demonstrate passion!
When using examples of what you’ve achieved with teams, think about the part you’ve played and what was your individual contribution.
Use the job description to help you prepare. Think about what you have done in the past which demonstrates why you would be good in the role.
Think about your appearance – you should always try to look professional for an interview.
If the role you are applying for is in a local branch, pop in before your interview to get a feel for the atmosphere and to check you know how to get there and how long the journey will take!
For some of our roles you may be required to attend an assessment centre. These can consist of individual or group-based tasks and are typically made up of a number of exercises. As with an interview, our assessment exercises are relevant to the role you are applying for and candidates are assessed against our Leadership and Partnership Behaviours.
If you require any special arrangements in order to be able to attend / take part in the assessment, or if you have any other queries, please contact the Resourcing team on 0345 610 0370 or via email recruitment@partnershipservices.co.uk.
Be yourself! We want to know the real you.
Read our behaviours beforehand as this is what you will be measured against.
Plan ahead and make sure you know where you’re going for the interview. First impressions count, so you don’t want to arrive late.
Contribute during the assessment centre exercises – it sounds obvious but you have to be in it to win it!
You will be informed during the final stage selection the timescales of when you should expect to receive an outcome, as these will vary from role to role. Please check the candidate centre and your emails regularly. If you are successful in being offered a position with us you will be notified and receive a letter via email. You will also be able to formally accept the offer online. We would encourage you to read the offer letter and make a decision on whether to accept as quickly as possible. Any offer will have a built-in expiry date, so it is very important that you respond to any offer as soon as you can otherwise the offer will be withdrawn on the expiry date given.
Should we make an offer of employment, you will be able to formally accept the position online as well as completing any pre employment checks and your health questionnaire.
Once we’ve agreed a start date with you, you will have access to the new starters online portal where you’ll find out more information about what to expect from being a Partner and the business.
We believe that becoming a Partner is something to be proud of. Earning Membership is a simple framework for new starters to our business. It is in place to ensure that new Partners share our values and that the Partnership is the right for them as well. Find out more here.
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As the interviewer can’t see you use this to your advantage. Dress comfortably or smartly if this makes you feel confident, spread notes around the table or on the walls as prompts. Don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to phone you back on a landline/mobile if you think the reception would be clearer.
You will be informed during the final stage selection, the timescales of when you should expect to receive an outcome, as these will vary from role to role. Please check the candidate centre and your emails regularly. If you are successful in being offered a position with us you will be notified and receive a letter via email. You will also be able to formally accept the offer online. We would encourage you to read the offer letter and make a decision on whether to accept as quickly as possible. Any offer will have a built-in expiry date, so it is very important that you respond to any offer as soon as you can otherwise the offer will be withdrawn on the expiry date given.
At various points in the recruitment process, all candidates will have been asked to provide documents to show they have the legal right to work in the UK.
When you receive an offer you must return the authorised copies as soon as possible, as we will not be able to confirm your start date until we have this. Full details on what you will need to provide will be given during the recruitment process, but please use the links below to find out which documents we accept and what you will be asked to do.
Accepted Documents – this will take you to the Government Website for the most up to date information
Right to Work Instructions for Attending your Assessment
Should we make an offer of employment, you will be able to formally accept the position online as well as completing any pre-employment checks and your health questionnaire.
Once we’ve agreed a start date with you, you will have access to the new starter’s online portal where you’ll find out more information about what to expect from being a Partner and the business. You will also be able to input your bank details which must be done prior to your start date to ensure you are paid correctly and on time.
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