Our approach to recruitment
A fair recruitment process
We’re committed to recruiting a diverse, talented workforce to take our business forward.
That’s why we’ve designed our recruitment process to put you at your ease, make you feel welcome and bring the best out of you. We aim to be open, fair and objective throughout the recruitment journey. So, while we want to find out about you, we also want you to really understand what it’s like to work here. We believe that’s how we ensure equal opportunities for everyone meaning we appoint the best person for the job every time.
Our recruitment process
Moving jobs is a big deal, so you need to make sure it’s right for you. It’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about our business, our vision and where you’ll fit in before you apply. Our process is designed to be thorough, so we can recruit the best people for our business. But don’t worry we’ll let you know right from the beginning exactly what you can expect and we will support you throughout.
Making a great application
Your first step is to apply online. This is your chance to make a good first impression, so try to highlight your skills and experience that are relevant for the role you’ve applied for. You’ll also need to upload your CV.
Reviewing your application
Our recruitment team will go through your application and, based on the information you’ve given us, they’ll decide if you’re going to the next stage. Then, of course, we’ll let you know if you’re through or not.
Phone interview
If we decide you might have what we’re looking for, one of our recruitment team will call you to go through your experience. This gives us a bit more background on you and how well-suited you could be to the job you applied for.
Face-to-face interview
This is your chance to impress us with examples of your experience that make you right for the job. We want to see the real you, so let your personality shine through. It’s also an opportunity for you to find out more about us, so come prepared with some great questions.
Sometimes we might ask you to do a presentation or some form of assessment But don’t worry, we’ll let you know exactly what’s involved in plenty of time.
Getting feedback
After your interview, we’d like to know your thoughts on how well we did, so we’ll ask you to call the recruitment team. Obviously, we’ll let you know if you’ve got the job as soon as possible. If you’ve been successful, we’ll make a formal offer and confirm it in writing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a job with Nisbets?
For all our jobs, we ask you to apply online. Once you’ve found a job that interests you, just follow the instructions on the screen. You can search for our latest vacancies here.
There isn’t a vacancy that matches my requirements. Can I send you my CV anyway?
Unfortunately we don’t accept speculative applications. If you can’t find a job right for you why not sign up for our job alerts? Then we’ll email you when we’ve got something more suitable available.
I don’t have a CV. Can I still apply for a job with Nisbets?
When you apply online, we’ll give you the option to attach your CV. Why? Because we think it’s the best way for you to showcase your skills and experience. If you don’t have one, it might be an idea to start putting one together.
When will I hear back following my application?
In the first instance we send you an email to confirm we have received your application. Then following the initial shortlisting stage, if you have been unsuccessful we will send you an email confirming the outcome. We may call you to discuss your application in more detail, so please do not be surprised if one of our Recruitment Team or the Hiring Manager calls you. This really helps us assess if we are both aligned in our expectations. Following this call we will discuss next steps with you.
Can I apply for more than one vacancy with Nisbets?
Yes you can, but please bear in mind that the recruitment process can go at different speeds for different roles. This means you may need to decide along the way which job you’re more interested in.
Can I apply for a job by email or post?
Unfortunately not – we only accept online applications.
I’ve made a mistake in my application. How can I amend it?
Unfortunately once you’ve submitted your application, you can’t make any changes to it. So, it’s a good idea to read it through carefully before you submit it. If you do need to let us know of a change, please email the recruitment team.
How do I get feedback on my application?
We receive a large number of applications, so unfortunately, it’s impossible to give feedback to everyone at this stage. If you reach the telephone or face-to-face interview stage, we’ll be sure to give you feedback after that stage.
What do you look for in applicants?
Naturally we want people to have skills and experience that align with the job profile, but we take a broader view and focus our recruitment process on our values and behaviours. So be sure to research these and think about how you can demonstrate that you practice these behaviours in your work and personal life. Our values and behaviours are the core of how we operate, so if these resonate with you, we are halfway there!
I’m having problems submitting my application.
If you can’t complete your application or have any technical problems with our careers website, please email careers@nisbets.co.uk.
What interview process do you follow?
We use a combination of phone and face-to-face interviewing, assessment centres, psychometric testing, personality profiling and skills based assessments. For most roles, we use a standard two-stage interview process, although this may change, depending on the role. But don’t worry, we’ll let you know what to expect at each stage of the process.
Will there be any tests or assessments during the interviews?
This will depend on the job you’ve applied for. The recruitment team will let you know what to expect in advance.
Can I claim travel expenses for attending an interview?
Unfortunately, we don’t cover travel expenses to and from interviews.
Do you have any interview tips?
Do as much research and preparation as you can, we want to see that you understand our company and our values. This will also help you feel more relaxed in the interview so we can get to see the real you.
Some key suggestions for interview success:
Read the role profile through carefully and think about the role purpose and the key tasks and how those match with your skills, approach and experience. Focus on transferrable skills, you may not have done the exact same role before, but think about how certain skills would help you to deliver these key tasks.
In your answers, be specific about what you have done, how you did it and what the impact/outcome was of your actions.
Think about why you want to work for us, what is it about our company that appeals to you so you tell us about this in the meeting.
Always have at least 2 questions to ask at the end of the interview, it shows you are really engaged in the process.
Are you able to provide Visa Sponsorship?
We will need to see evidence of your right to work in the UK and this check will be carried out via a digital checking platform called Trust ID. If you do require Visa Sponsorship, we will discuss this at the time of your application as we are not able to offer this support for all roles, only highly specialist vacancies.
I have a disability, so may need you to make special adjustments during the recruitment process. What should I do?
Please contact careers@nisbets.co.uk if you have a disability that may affect any stage of the recruitment process. We’ll do all we can to support you through the process.
What happens if I get offered a job at Nisbets?
One of the recruitment team will call you straight away to let you know the good news and go over the details of our offer. Then we’ll send you an offer letter and full contract of employment. Once you’ve accepted, our recruitment team will keep in touch to arrange your start date. If you have any questions at all during this process, don’t hesitate to contact the recruitment team.
Do Nisbets have a pre employment process?
We do, yes. Your job offer will be conditional on certain checks and these will vary, depending on the level of the role we’ve offered you. Our recruitment team will let you know what this involves at the start of the process.
How do I contact the recruitment team?
If you’ve already been in touch with us, your recruitment contact will have given you contact details. If you have a question that's not been answered here, please email it to careers@nisbets.co.uk. We'll get back to you with an answer within two working days. Good luck with your job search.
Our use of agencies
We have an established list of approved Recruitment Partners. So, we only pay fees to agencies who’ve signed a Recruitment Partner Supplier Agreement with us and who submit candidates through our Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
If you send us candidate details without a signed agreement, or without using the ATS, we may contact them independently with no obligation to pay you a fee. If you’re one of our approved recruitment partners, you can find our available jobs on our ATS.
We review our preferred supplier list as our business needs change. So, if you’d like to be added to our list, please contact the recruitment team on careers@nisbets.co.uk.
Contact the recruitment team
We're always pleased to hear from talented people. So if you have any questions about our job opportunities, or you'd just like some more information before you apply (or even during the application process), please feel free to get in touch.
Email: careers@nisbets.co.uk