Our Recruitment Process
Our recruitment process is designed to get the best from you, as well as providing you with a good understanding of what we're like to work for. We ensure this process is as open, honest and fair for all as possible. This is what you can expect.
Apply > Phone screen > First stage interview > Assessment Centre > Second stage interview > Feedback > Offer letter and contract > Referencing > When you start >
Apply
First of all it’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about the job, so take a look at the advert and role profile before applying through our website. The online application should take no more than 10 minutes. We'll gather some basic background information and, depending on the job you’re applying for, you might be asked some key questions. Along with your CV, we'll also ask you to upload a covering letter telling us why you think you're right for the job.
Once we’ve got your application, we’ll check to see if it matches the candidate specification. We do this each time anyone applies for any job, so it makes no difference if you’ve applied to us before or not. And when we’ve decided what happens next, we’ll always let you know – usually around the closing date for applications if not before.
Phone screen
First stage interview
If you meet the requirements of the role, we’ll invite you for a first interview. This could be face-to-face at the Airport, or it could be virtual over Microsoft Teams. We’ll usually invite you by publishing interview slots on our recruitment system, and emailing you a link to choose your slot. We’ll then confirm your slot with an Outlook invite including a Teams link if required. This structured interview will be based on the essential and desirable skills we're looking for. It also gives you the chance to let us know more about your skills, experience and what attracted you to the job. So, be ready to tell us about some of your best work – we’ll ask for examples from your career to date that demonstrate the competencies we’re looking for. But also have some questions for us – about our business, employee benefits, or anything else that you want to know. After all, it’s a two-way process and we both need to be sure that we’re right for each other.
Assessment centre
For some of our jobs (typically those which are customer facing) we might ask that you attend an assessment centre. These are usually half-day events where you'll attend with other candidates and participate in a combination of activities to help us assess your suitability for the job you have applied for. We'll always let you know in advance and you'll not be expected to prepare anything in advance.
Second stage interview
At this stage we'll ask you to bring a few important documents with you such as evidence that you have the right to work in the UK and proof of your address. We'll let you know what you need to bring when we confirm your interview.
Reasonable adjustments
We want to ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to join our team so, if you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment and interview process, please contact us as soon as you are invited to any stage of the interview process, at [email protected] to discuss.
Feedback
After we conclude each round of interviews, we’ll decide if we’re going to take you forward or if it’s a final stage interview, if we’re going to offer you the job. We’ll let you know as soon after your interview as possible, usually in no more than five working days. Someone from our Talent Acquisition team will either call or email you to give feedback on the whole process and, hopefully, give you the good news you’ve been waiting for. We’ll always try to give you personalised, constructive, honest and useful feedback. We’ll never leave you wondering and will always make sure you get proper feedback. After all, you’ve given up your time to interview with us so it’s only right that we take the time to let you know our thoughts on how you did.
Offer letter and contract
Once you tell us that you are happy to accept our offer, we’ll send you your contract, any forms you need to fill in relating to your job and your offer letter within 48 hours, through our online onboarding system HARBOUR. All you need to do is read them carefully to make sure all the details are right, then complete any forms and accept your contract online. Referencing
We use a partner company called Procius to carry out our referencing checks. Soon after receiving your offer of employment, we'll email you a link so that you can set up an online profile for referencing. The referencing process you'll go through will depend on whether your job is landside (before the security gates) or airside (beyond the security gates). We’ll email you a referencing guide that gives you the ins and outs of how to go through referencing so there are no delays. For all roles, you will need to provide references covering every day of the last five years. If you have been constantly employed throughout that time, you’ll just need to provide employment references. If you have been out of work for any period over those five years, we’ll ask you to provide personal references to cover the gaps. In addition to references, you will also need to complete a criminal records check (DBS check). We don’t automatically rule anyone out for having a criminal record, but depending on the role you are going for and the nature of the offence, we reserve the right to rescind an offer on the basis of criminal record check results. For some roles, you may also need to undergo a Counter Terrorism check.
When you start
Naturally, there’ll be a few practical things to sort out, such as your security pass. To get this, you’ll need to bring the same documents as you brought to your interview - proof of your right to work and proof of address - together with proof of your National Insurance. We'll need to have completed the referencing process before we can give you a security pass and so it is important that the references you provide are correct. If you are offered an airside job, then you'll need to complete some training before we can issue you a security pass. Most of this can be done online once you start and we'll do our best to get this arranged as quickly as possible. Our People Team will also provide a brief induction - usually on your first day - that covers all the important information you need for working at the airport. It’s also another chance for you to ask any more questions about working here.