When you apply for a post with the Ministry of Defence, we will ask, in our application form, for various personal data. In order to explain why we ask for particular personal information, we shall go through each section of the application form and provide the accompanying explanation.
Contact Details
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Your name and title and any previous names
- An address to which further correspondence will be sent
- Your telephone number where we may contact you
Why do we require this information?
We need it so that we can speak with you about your application.
Personal Details
In this section, we ask that you provide:
- Your date of birth
- Gender
- Your national insurance number
- Current civilian employee staff number
- Previous employee staff number
- Whether you have received any payment, or are about to receive in the form of a pension, gratuity, short service payment, redundancy compensation or refund of any contributions from the civil service or Armed Forces
Why do we require this information?
We need to know your age so that we can confirm that you are aged 16 or over as that is the earliest age at which you may seek employment in the Ministry of Defence. The Civil Service is abolishing the compulsory retirement age from 1 April 2010, which means that staff can carry on working beyond age 65. However, those serving with the Ministry of Defence Police, the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and Aviation Officers will continue to retire at age 65.
We need to know your gender for equal opportunity purposes and to assist us in confirming your identity.We need to know your national insurance number, and date of birth for identification purposes and if you are successful for our employee records.
We require staff numbers both current and previous to keep our records up to date, for those wishing to re-enter the MOD and for linking pension records.
Information regarding payment of pension/redundancy information is required in order to notify you of any effects on this payment if you are successful in your application.
Nationality
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Your present nationality
- Any dual nationality you may hold
- Your nationality at birth
- Whether you have possessed any other nationality or citizenship
- Whether you are subject to immigration control and whether there are any restrictions to your continued residence or employment in the UK
Why do we require this information?
In order to join the Civil Service you must usually be a national of the United Kingdom (holder of, or eligible for, a current UK passport), a Commonwealth citizen or a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) which is made up of the Member States of the European Union or the European Free Trade Area. However there are a number of posts called 'Reserved' posts which are only open to UK nationals.
If you are subject to immigration control there are restrictions governing your employment and this information is necessary to process your application through the recruitment stages.
Qualifications
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Qualifications gained and any qualifications being pursued, which are relevant to the post, you are applying for
Why do we require this information?
The standard entry criteria will have formed part of the job advertisement and we require you, in the application form, to advise us of the various qualifications you possess.
If you are selected for interview, you will be asked to bring proof of your qualifications with you to the interview.
Competences
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Examples of your personal experiences which demonstrate qualities required to work in particular area's
Why do we require this information?
Competences will have formed part of the job advertisement and make up part of the selection criteria. You can view the competence standards at MOD's Core Competence Framework (see Related pages).
Experience & Knowledge
In this section we ask you to:
- Describe any experience or knowledge you may have which is relevant to the position you are applying for
- Record the qualities you could bring to the job
Why do we require this information?
Experience & Knowledge makes up part of the overall selection criteria. Here you have the opportunity to include any information which you feel will enhance your application with information about your knowledge and experience which makes you a suitable candidate for the job.
Employment Details
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Information on where you are working now
- Details of your employment over the past 3 years, including self-employment
- Any periods of unemployment
- Your current salary
Why do we require this information?
We require this information so that we can gain some insight into what skills and experience you have gained in your working career and may bring with you to the Ministry of Defence.
Periods of Unemployment - we require this information in order to obtain a complete employment history.
Your current salary will be used to consider, should you be successful in your application, whether a higher starting salary is appropriate.
Your Preferences
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Your geographic preference
- Your preferred working pattern
- Type of contract you would be interested in
Why do we require this information?
To ensure for those recruitments which give you options on location and working patterns, that you have the opportunity to make us aware of your preferences.
Languages
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Your proficiency in any languages, which are relevant to the post you are applying for
Why do we require this information?
This information may be required as part of the selection criteria as stated in the advert.
Licenses and Certificates
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Information on any Licences and Certificates, which are relevant to the post you are applying for
Why do we require this information?
This information may be required as part of the selection criteria as stated in the advert.
Professional Memberships
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Details of any relevant Professional Memberships
Why do we require this information?
This information may be required as part of your qualification for the post and it may also be part of the selection criteria.
How did you find out about us?
In this section we ask you to provide:
- Information on where you found out about the MOD or the job your applying for
Why do we require this information?
We ask you to let us know where you saw the post advertised as this enables us to evaluate the effectiveness of our recruitment advertising strategy.
References
In this section we ask you to provide:
- The name and address of your current employer
- The names and addresses of two other people who know you well and would be able to provide you with a reference
Why do we require this information?
We ask that you provide us with information so that we can approach your referees to determine your suitability for employment with the Ministry of Defence. We reserve the right to approach any of your previous employers.
If you do not wish us to approach your employer before you are offered a post with the Ministry of Defence, any offer will be conditional on satisfactory references being received following your provisional offer. Because of the nature of the work in the MOD, most posts require you to be security cleared before your appointment can be confirmed. This process normally takes 4 – 6 weeks although may take longer if you have links with foreign countries or have moved between various addresses in the UK.
Disability & Assistance?
To ensure that we can continue to be an equal opportunities employer, and to comply with our obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, we ask that you advise us if you consider that you have a disability.
Why do we require this information?
To allow us to monitor recruitment and manpower trends regarding various groups of personnel, including disabled applicants, in order to comply with our equality and diversity policies and meet our commitments. The information you provide in the questionnaire is confidential and any statistical information derived from this information will be anonymised before publication.
Once employed by the Department, we may also use this data to enable us to provide you with appropriate information relevant to personnel with disabilities or to seek your assistance with various disability projects or initiatives in line with our equality and diversity policies and commitments.
Guaranteed Interview
In this section we ask you to:
- Confirm your eligibility and wish to be invited to a Guaranteed Interview
Why do we require this information?
We are an accredited user of the "Disability Symbol" and offer all job applicants who meet the minimum qualifying criteria for the job or grade advertised a guaranteed interview for those eligible under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The legislation uses a common definition of disability:
"A person has a disability if he has or has had a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse affect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities".
For the purposes of the Act:
- Substantial means something that is considered to be more than minor or trivial
- A long-term impairment is defined as one that has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least 12 months
- The time taken by a person with an impairment to carry out a normal day-to-day activity should be compared with the time it would be expected to take for a person without such an impairment to carry out the same day-to-day activity
- Normal day-to-day activities are considered to be activities that most people carry out on a daily or frequent basis. An impairment is only to be seen as affecting the person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities if it affects any of the following; mobility; manual dexterity; physical co-ordination; continence; ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects; speech, hearing or eyesight; memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand; or perception of the risk of physical danger
The Act has been amended to include history of disability. Where an impairment stops having a substantial adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities it will be treated as continuing to have that effect if the impairment is likely to recur.
A mental impairment will include a mental illness if it is a clinically well recognised.
Progressive Conditions
The Act also refers to progressive conditions, e.g., a condition which is likely to change and develop over time, such as:
- Cancer
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- HIV infection
The Act provides for progressive conditions in the way that a person will be treated as having an impairment which has a 'substantial adverse effect from the moment any impairment resulting from that condition first has some effect on ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'.
Severe Disfigurements
The Act also provides for severe disfigurements, for instance scars, birthmarks, limb or postural deformation or diseases of the skin.
Impairment Controlled by Medication etc
If an impairment would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect but for the fact that medication and/or other measures are being taken to correct or treat it (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy etc) then the impairment is to be considered as having that effect even if the impairment is entirely under control.
Exclusions
There are some conditions that are not considered as impairments for the purposes of the Act. They are:
- Addiction to or dependency on alcohol, nicotine, or any other substance (other than in consequence of the substance being medically prescribed)
- Hayfever - except where it aggravates the effect of another condition
- Tendency to set fires
- Tendency to steal
- Tendency to physical or sexual abuse of other persons
- Exhibitionism; Voyeurism Disfigurements consisting of a tattoo (which hasn't been removed), non medical body piercing, something attached through such piercing
- Some sight impairments can be corrected by the use of spectacles or contact lenses and so cannot be classified under the definition
Ethnic Minority IssuesAn Ethnic origin survey questionnaire is part of the recruitment pack. This information is requested to ensure that we comply with the legal requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act and, as an equal opportunities employer, to enable us to comply with our equality and diversity policies and meet our commitments.
The information you provide in the questionnaire is confidential and any statistical data that is derived from this information will be anonymised before publication.
Once employed by the Department, this data may also be used to enable us to provide you with appropriate information or to seek your assistance with various ethnicity projects or initiatives in line with our equality and diversity policies and commitments.