Candidate Briefing Pack
This page is designed for Interview candidates and contains useful information to help you during our assessment process.
WHO ARE WE AND WHAT DO WE DO?
The University of Oxford is a world-leading centre of learning, teaching and research with an excellent world-class reputation. The University provides education and teaching to approx. 24,000 students and is the largest employee in Oxfordshire employing over 13,600 members of staff.
The Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health (NDWRH) is one of 16 departments within the Medical Sciences Division. We are the largest and most successful academic department in the world in its field. NDWRH encompasses multi-disciplinary research across the full spectrum of women’s health. Our work has four overarching themes; Cancer, Global Health, Maternal & Fetal Health and Reproductive Medicine & Genetics.
WHAT DO WE VALUE?
In NDWRH we have Charter which depicts our six key values. Click here to open a full-size version of the poster below.
THE INTERVIEW
Your interview will vary depending on the role you applied for, but all interview questions are framed around the job description and selection criteria for the post. Your interview will normally last between 30 minutes and an hour.
The panel normally consists of 3 to 5 people, depending on the role. Your interview will either be in person (usually at the John Radcliffe Hospital) or will be held remotely over Zoom.
If your interview is in person, please make sure you arrive at least 10 minutes before your allocated time.
ONLINE INTERVIEWS
Online interviews are held over Microsoft Teams. We will send you a link with your invitation email. You do not need to download anything, but please ensure that you have located yourself in a quiet room by yourself on the day/time of the interview. If possible, try and find somewhere with limited background noise.
Please also ensure that you have headphones and a webcam that are working correctly. If you anticipate any problems with your internet connection, please let us know in advance and ensure that you have a telephone available that can be used if we are unable to connect over the internet.
On the day of your interview, please connect to the Teams meeting at the indicated time. You will be placed in a 'waiting room' until the panel is ready to begin your interview. At this point, a panel member will let you into the meeting. Do not worry if you are not immediately invited into the meeting; although we do our best to ensure that interviews run to time, we may sometimes be running late. We will notify you if there will be a significant delay, but otherwise please continue to wait and we will begin your interview as soon as possible.
Please note that interviews must not be recorded.
WHAT IF YOU REQUIRE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS?
If you have any special requirements, for example if you have a disability, please let us know before the interview so that we can make adjustments for you. Please note that these will not be taken into account in the selection process.
MCQUAIG
Before you attend your interview, you will be asked to complete an online psychometric test called McQuaig. The assessment has no time limit but should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. Please note that the results of this test will be used as part of the selection process to help us understand more about who you are as a person, above and beyond your technical skills and qualifications. The results will only be made available to the selection panel, and will only be kept for a six-month recruitment retention period. We will also provide you with a feedback report, which we hope you will find useful for your future development.
You will be provided with a deadline to complete this, which would normally be three days before the interview.
You can find more information about McQuaig here: https://mcquaig.co.uk/
TEST
Depending on the role you are interviewing for, you may also be asked to complete a test. We may ask you to complete this at home (either before or after your interview) or you may need to complete the test in person on the day of your interview. Details will be provided in your interview invitation.
Tests will be designed to test one or more of the selection criteria listed in the job description, and will usually involve demonstrating your technical skills.
PRESENTATION
You may be asked to deliver a presentation during the interview. Common topics include introducing the panel to your work to date, or you may have been asked to answer a question about the research you would be working on (for research roles). If you are required to prepare a presentation, details will be outlined in your interview invitation, including available facilities.
GETTING TO US
The main department is based in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Please note that traffic can be heavy and parking can often be difficult so avoiding driving if possible (or make use of the Oxford Park & Ride facilities). Otherwise, please plan extra travel time to allow for this (it is recommended that an additional hour is allowed for parking). For directions and public transport routes, click here.
When you arrive at the John Radcliffe Hospital, you will need to make your way to Level 3 of the Women’s Centre. This has been circled on the map which you can view here.
Please note: There are two entrances to the Women’s Centre: Level 1 Outpatient and Level 2 Maternity (there is an ambulance bay outside the Level 2 entrance). If you use the Level 1 entrance, you will see a reception desk on your left, a patient waiting area and a League of Friends café. You will need to make your way past the waiting area and turn left after the café through a door where you will find lifts and stairs to Level 3. If you arrive via the Level 2 Maternity entrance, you can walk straight through the doors and along the corridor (past some washrooms on your left) to where you will find lifts and stairs that will take you to Level 3.
On arrival into the Level 3 reception area, please report to either of the offices ahead of you and a member of the HR Team will come to greet you.
TRAVEL EXPENSES
Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed, so please keep receipts. If you are travelling to the interview by car, we will reimburse you based on mileage. Please note that reimbursement of travel does not include first class public transport but standard class only. You will be given an expense claim form when you attend the interview with a stamped addressed envelope to return your claim. Please note that claims can take up to three weeks to be processed.
DRESS CODE
In our department, the dress code is smart casual. It is a good idea to attend the interview in business-wear. A good example of this is clean and ironed clothing with smart shoes.
TIMESCALES
We understand you will be keen to hear the outcome of your interview, so we aim to inform all applicants of the outcome within four working days after the interview has taken place. If there will be any delays in letting you know, we will keep you updated.
DOCUMENTATION
You will need to bring your right to work documentation to the interview with you.
The BREXIT transition period ended on 31 December 2020 and the right to work rules changed on 1 July 2021. EU/EEA citizens will need to show that they have Pre-Settled or Settled status, Indefinite Leave to Remain, or a UK visa (instead of just their passport) to evidence they have the RTW in the UK before starting work. Showing just a passport will then only be acceptable for British and Irish nationals.
Here are some examples of documentation we accept:
- A British passport where Nationality is listed as ‘British Citizen’ (current or expired)
- An Irish passport or passport card (current or expired)
- A passport with a vignette or a current Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), if you have less than 6 weeks left on your current visa, please bring evidence of your application for a new visa to your interview.
- A residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying Permanent Residence
- A birth or adoption certificate issued in the UK, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland together with an official document giving the permanent National Insurance number and name.
- A certificate of registration as a British citizen together with an official document giving the permanent National Insurance number and name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
- We cannot accept a Driving Licence as proof of Right to Work.
VISA INFORMATION
If you require a visa to allow you to work in the UK, dependant on the role, the University may be able to sponsor you. Please see the information below on the two most common visa routes. The University's Staff Immigration Team (along with the NDWRH HR Team) will provide you with appropriate support to obtain the relevant visa.
Skilled Worker Visa:
As of 1st December 2020, the Skilled Worker Visa replaced the Tier 2 visa route. It is now the main route which allows skilled non-UK/ Irish nationals to work and live in the UK.
The visa allows the individual and their family members (partner and children under 18) to live and work in the UK. The route can lead to settlement after five years which enables them to stay permanently in the UK. For more information, please go to https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job
For research posts at grades 7 and above we are normally able to sponsor a Skilled Worker Visa.
Global Talent Visa:
The Global Talent Visa is available for talented and promising individuals in the fields of science, engineering, medicine and humanities, digital technology and arts and culture who wish to pursue their career in the UK. For more information, please go to https://www.gov.uk/global-talent
There are some great benefits of the Global Talent Visa (in comparison to the Skilled Worker Visa) including:
- Greater flexibility on hours of work, place of work, salary, leave and engagement with other organisations.
- The visa duration is not tied to the contract of employment and there is greater scope for visa extensions when required.
MEET THE HR TEAM
-
Laura Goude
HR Manager
-
Danielle Hoare
HR & Communications Officer
-
Rebecca Jarvis-Foster
HR Administrator
-
Catherine Daw
HR Assistant
TOP TIPS FOR ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
To answer interview questions effectively, it can be helpful to use a structure. One of the more recognised ones is called the STAR technique: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Situation: Describe a recent challenge/situation in which you found yourself.
- Task: What were you trying to achieve from the situation?
- Action: What did you do? Explain why you chose your course of action and what the alternatives were.
- Result: What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your objectives? What did you learn from this experience and have you used this learning since?
It can be a lot to remember, but STAR is fairly simple and will help structure your answer for maximum impact. Whatever approach you use, the key thing is to listen really carefully to the question and make sure you give a full answer to it.