Frequently Asked Questions

Our career site is designed to support our candidates to find the best suitable opportunity we have available at any given time.

You can register on the Application Centre which allows you to view available vacancies; create job alerts to match the type of role you are looking for; make applications; view the status of completed applications; view all communication received; schedule interviews and even accept job offers.

Once you have registered, you can then press the ‘Apply’ button for any vacancy you are interested in and complete the application form.

Yes. When you register for the first time, you will be asked which language you would prefer to submit any applications in and receive any correspondence in. Be mindful though, once you have selected your preferred language, you will not be able to change it! You will have to re-register.

Yes. You will receive email updates as your application progresses through the recruitment process and you can check the status of your application in the Application Centre.

The Application Centre has a ‘Help Centre’ to help you with any queries or issues you may have around logging in, saving application forms, submitting application forms, amending information. If you cannot find the answer there, you can always call the Recruitment Team on OleeoRecruitment@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

No, you will need to complete and submit one application for each job.

However, once you have completed one application, most of the information you enter will be stored against your account and can appear when you complete any further applications. This information can be amended for future applications, and you should ensure to update sections of the application that are specific to the job, Supporting Statement; Work History; Education & Training.

You will receive an email notification from us, and your status will be updated in the Application Centre. Depending on the how the recruiting manager wants to hold the interviews, via the application centre you may be able to self-select an interview time to suit you; or you will be given the interview details. If the interviews are being held virtually, you will be sent a virtual interview link.

After the interview you will be contacted as soon as possible and informed whether you have been successful. We will provide interview feedback where requested. You will also receive confirmation from us through the Applicant Centre confirming the outcome of the interview.

Your recruiting manger will be able to tell you about the key details of your offer, and this will also be confirmed in writing to you, which you will be able to view in the Application Centre.

You can also read about the other benefits we offer on our Employee benefits page.

We will endeavour to speak to you to provide you feedback on our decision, and we will also confirm our decision in writing to you, and you can check for correspondence in your Application Centre.

Your recruiting manager may discuss with you the option of being placed into our Talent Pool, so you can be considered by other recruiting managers if they believe you have the skills they are looking for. 

Hopefully, you will have spoken to your recruiting manager and advised them verbally that you are accepting the post but, we will also send out a provisional offer letter to you confirming the important details.

You must log in to the Applicant Centre and formally accept the offer. Please note: All offers are provisional subject to pre-employment checks, and you are advised not to hand in your notice until you all your pre-employment checks have been satisfactorily completed and you have been told this by your recruiting manager.

Once you accept the offer, we can get to work on carrying out the relevant pre-employment checks. The type and number of checks we are required to undertake will depend on the job you have been offered.

You will be prompted in the Application Centre to complete the necessary checks, and your recruiting manager will also contact you if there are checks that need to be carried out in person.

The type and number of checks we are required to undertake will depend on the job you have been offered and could include one or more of the following checks:

Identify & Right to Work checks – before you start working for us, we need to check that you have the right to work in the UK, and you will be advised on what document(s) you will need to show. It is important to note that we must have sight of the original documentation, so we will not be able to accept photocopies.

Employment History & Reference Check – in most cases, we will need to seek references from your current employer, and previous employers too. If you think you may not be able to provide references for a continuous period of employment, please speak to your recruiting manager and we could consider if other types of references would be acceptable.

Health Surveillance or Clearance Checks – our aim is to promote and maintain the health of all people at work. You may have to have a health check if it is a legal requirement of the job, and as a responsible employer, under Health and Safety law, we must make sure that your health and wellbeing are safeguarded, and that the work you carry out does not damage your health. As a result of a health clearance assessment, it may be that adjustments or support is required to enable you to do the job.

Criminal Record Checks - If your job involves the following, we must get a criminal record check on you:

• work with children or vulnerable adults.
• work in a job that brings you into regular contact with children or vulnerable groups such as working in a school or a care home.

You will be asked to complete the appropriate declarations and DBS application forms. Any information disclosed will be treated as strictly confidential and will only be viewed by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.

Please note: Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offences.

Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) policies 

Checking Qualifications and/or Professional Registrations checks- if you need qualifications, training, or professional registrations for the job, we will ask for proof that you have them. We do not need to see and check every qualification, we only need to those that are an essential requirement for the job, as set out in the job profile.

Do not worry if you cannot provide proof (for example it has been lost), Where the qualification is relevant to the post, in the case of many examinations, replacement certificates can be acquired via exam boards. You may also be able to get proof by contacting the relevant academic institution. If these attempts fail, then ultimately your recruiting manager will have to exercise discretion and decide if they still want to go ahead with the appointment based on all the information that is available to them.

You will receive an email from us once your pre-employment checks have been satisfactorily completed. Your recruiting manager will also contact you to agree a start date and run through all other arrangements in readiness for you to join the team! 

Please do not send in your CV instead of an application form, as it will not be put forward for assessment.  Also, please do not attach your CV to the application form as our assessment is based on the information provided in your application form only.  This means we can assess your skills, etc. against another applicant’s in a fair and consistent way.

Please indicate what language skills you have.  It is important that you indicate the level of fluency you have attained.  Please refer to the person specification to find out what level of fluency is required and use the following for guidance in assessing your own skills.

LEVEL 1

Listening / Speaking

• Able to pronounce place names and personal names correctly.
• Able to greet customers at reception or on the phone.
• Able to open and close a conversation.

Reading

• Able to understand short text about a familiar topic when it is communicated in plain language, e.g. basic signs, simple instructions, includes agendas.

Writing

• Able to write personal names, place names, job titles and names of council departments.

LEVEL 2

Listening / Speaking

• Able to understand the core conversation.
• Able to receive and understand simple messages on normal patterns, e.g. time and place of a meeting, request to talk with someone.
• Able to convey basic information and simple instructions.
• Able to open and close conversations and meetings bilingually.

Reading

• Able to understand most short reports and instructions within the expertise of work, if there is sufficient time allowed.

Writing

• Able to produce a simple short message on paper or email for a colleague within the Council or a familiar colleague outside the Council.

LEVEL 3

Listening / Speaking

• Able to understand and participate in most normal day-to-day conversations in the office.
• Able to offer advice to the general public on issues relating to the post. Referring to specialised or technical terms in English.
• Able to contribute to a meeting or a presentation on general issues relating to the post; referring to specialised or technical terms in English.

Reading

• Able to understand most of the reports, documents and correspondence that would be expected to be discussed in the normal course of work.

Writing

• Able to prepare informal messages and reports for internal use.

LEVEL 4

Listening / Speaking

• Able to contribute effectively in internal and external meetings in the context of the work subject.
• Able to understand differences in tone and dialect.
• Able to argue for and against a particular case.
• Able to chair meetings and answer questions confidently.

Reading

• Able to understand formal correspondence and reports.

Writing

• Able to produce business correspondence, short reports, e-mails and promotional literature with editing assistance.

LEVEL 5

Listening / Speaking

• Able to contribute fluently and confidently with regard to all aspects of daily work, including negotiating and advising on technical, specialised or sensitive areas.
• Can contribute to meetings and provide presentations fluently and confidently.

Reading

• Able to understand reports, documents and articles linked to the normal course of work, including complex concepts expressed in convoluted language.

Writing

• Able to produce business correspondence, short reports, e-mails and promotional literature to an acceptable level with the aid of standard language tools.
• Able to draw up detailed notes while taking a full part in the meeting.