Tips on how to submit a successful application

Carefully read through all eligibility requirements for the position, including the personal specification, visa and sponsorship restrictions, and job details. If you have any questions about the criteria or the content of the job itself, don’t hesitate to email the named contact for further information. Also spend some time familiarising yourself with the organisation website.

Ensure that all sections of the application form are fully completed, and you do not leave blank gaps. If you are including a CV as part of your application form ensure that you complete the relevant parts of the application form, even if this information is available in your CV.

This is an important part of the application process; an application submitted without a personal statement is unlikely to score highly in the shortlisting stage of the application process. This is your opportunity to demonstrate to the selection panel how your skills and experience are relevant to the role, and this is also your chance to explain why you want the job. The panel are looking for you to give examples of the experience you have of meeting the essential criteria in the personal specification. Try and use different examples to back up the essential criteria, using clear reasoning. Remember to think of examples inside and outside of the work environment. Ensure that the personal statement is concise and succinct. We suggest a maximum of 2 sides of A4 paper for the personal statement.

The personal statement can be submitted as a separate document. You might find this preferable to typing straight onto the application form.

Ensure that you check your application thoroughly for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors before submitting it. Mistakes can be easily avoided by writing your personal statement in a Word document and pasting it into the online portal.

Avoid submitting generic applications that have not been tailored to the job you are applying for. Ensure that your enthusiasm for the role is apparent in your statement and that your statement address the specific job you are applying for.

Applications close at 12am (midnight). Applications received after the deadline may not be considered by the recruitment panel so ensure that you allow enough time to submit your application. Once you start the application process you do not have to complete the form in one sitting; you have the option to save your application and return to it later.

If you are using a university or work email address ensure that you will have access to this email account for the duration of the recruitment process.

A shortlisting panel will be convened to assess applications.

Applications are graded against criteria in the person specification, as ‘not meeting the criteria’, ‘partly meeting the criteria’, ‘meeting the criteria’ and ‘exceeding the criteria’.

Top scoring applicants will be invited to attend an interview, and interview process may involve multiple interviews, presentations, and tests.

Under the Disability Confident scheme, Imperial College commits to interview all applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria on a person specification and consider them on their abilities.