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Introduction to this document

Letter enclosing application form

Some employers prefer candidates to complete application forms rather than forwarding their CV; this can cut down on the sifting process. Of course, you'll want to ensure that those sent out are returned by your deadline. Plus, you must check whether any adjustments are needed for the interview process. This is where our letter enclosing application form comes in.

Important information

In the present economic climate, competition for jobs is stiff. Many employers have reported receiving hundreds of applications for a single vacancy. Because of this, many opt to use application forms during the initial stage of their recruitment process. The standardised questions and required information can make it easier to identify suitable candidates. Plus, as you won't have to sift through loads of individual CVs, this can be done in much less time.

When you forward an application form to a potential candidate, you should highlight some important information. This includes the:

closing date, or deadline for applications (any received after this date may be rejected)
anticipated date and location of the first interviews
stages and methods to be used during the selection process, e.g. interviews, presentations
job description and person specification for the position
privacy notice for job applicants, as required by the UK GDPR, if this hasn’t already been made available.

Providing these details should limit the number of queries that you receive. However, you should also include the name and contact details of the person who is dealing with the recruitment.

Questions about health

Following the implementation of the Equality Act 2010, a prospective employer cannot generally ask questions about an applicant's health in connection with recruitment. That said, they also have a duty to ensure that a disabled applicant is not prejudiced during their recruitment process. Failure to do so could result in a disability discrimination claim.

For this reason, you are allowed to enquire whether or not an individual requires you to make special arrangements for them during your selection processes in order to accommodate a disability, and what they might be. If this is confirmed, and you are unsure of their requirements, you should contact the applicant for further information. Again, this shows that you are taking your duties seriously. Our Letter Enclosing Application Form sets out the above information and can be tailored to suit a particular vacancy.