FORD CAREERS

Step 1: Online Application Form

• Main Details
• Education & Qualifications
• Work Experience
• Competencies

Step 2: Telephone Interview

• 30 minute Structured Competency-based Interview

Step 3: Assessment Centre

• Interview
• Role Play Exercise

Q - What are the entry requirements?

A - For Experienced Hires, we currently require a second class lower (2.2) minimum undergraduate degree classification or equivalent. For further specific requirements please refer to the individual job adverts.

Q - Do you offer any kind of relocation package?

A - Some relocation assistance is available. Further information will be provided to applicants should they be successful. 

Q - What about work permits an eligibility to work in the UK?

A - At Ford we welcome all applications for our job opportunities. However, we are unable to employ anyone who does not have permission to live and work in the UK. All candidates will be asked to provide originals of documentation proving their right to work in the UK at assessment centre stage. The Company will be unable to offer employment if the candidate has been unable to provide the appropriate supporting original documentation. The Company has a duty to check that all new employees are entitled to work in the UK and to do the type of work offered. Any job offer will therefore be conditional on the individual holding the right to work in the UK. 

Q - What are the typical working hours?

A - The standard working hours are 37.5 hours a week, 7.5 hours a day Monday to Friday. Start and finish times will vary between location and departments. 

Q - Where will I be based if I am successful?

A - Most of the placements will be based in our Essex locations, such as Warley, Dunton (Laindon) and Dagenham. However there might be some roles based in other regions such as Daventry and Bridgend, this would be discussed in more detail if formally offered a position with the Company.

Ford uses a competency based approach to assessment. Competencies are defined as the behaviours that individuals must have, or must acquire, to perform effectively at work, the personal attributes or inputs of the individual. Competency type questions are often used to evaluate a candidate’s competence, and have been shown to be related to how well someone subsequently performs on the job. 

We will now go through each stage of the assessment process suggesting tips throughout. 

Online Application

You will be asked to complete an on-line application form, giving details of your work experience qualifications or training you have done and your key skills and experiences. 

The application form gives you the chance to tell us more about yourself and your experiences. The idea is to go for quality as opposed to quantity so therefore make sure all the information you include is relevant. Also, ensure you spell check your application as spelling mistakes indicates a lack of care and attention to detail. 

There are several sections in the application form: 

Main Details section: 
In this section we need some personal details so that we can contact you. 

Education & Qualifications section: 
Here we ask for information about your education at School, College or University. You should give the name of the School and College you attended (if appropriate), and the dates you started and finished. In the qualifications section, please describe any qualifications you achieved. 

Work Experience section: 
In this section you are asked to give details of your work experience. Start with the most recent and include start and finish dates, company name, job title, and the type of work you did (e.g. office work, dealing with customer complaints, assembling motor parts, shop/retail assistant). Please indicate your reason for leaving any job you are no longer doing. Please explain any gaps (e.g. unemployed, visiting family, travelling, etc.). If you have no work experience just put “no experience” in the section. 

Competencies section: 
In this section you are asked for more detailed information of your skills and experiences in relation to job relevant criteria. We are looking for you to provide examples of when you have shown the skills and qualities necessary to be an effective Experienced Hire. 

Tips for choosing examples to write about: 

Choose recent examples

• Be specific – describe exactly what you did or said
• Talk about your contribution (not what other people have done)
• Give examples of the skills that you demonstrated in the particular situation
• You can choose examples from work / college / voluntary work / out of work activities.

Telephone Interview

The telephone interview will last around 20-30 minutes. The questions will be around the following competencies:

• Customer Focus
• Results Focus
• Personal Development
• Teamwork
• Technical Knowledge

Below are some points which will help you understand the telephone interview process a bit more:

• You will need to make sure that you are in a location where interview can be completed (e.g. not whilst travelling using a mobile)
• The interviewer will go through each question and the extent of detail required from the answers (e.g. will be asking about past experiences, need to know context, specific detail about what they did and the outcome)
• The interview does not look at your ability to respond quickly. We understand you may need some time to come up with an answer and that is fine.
• Be prepared to explain why you want to work for Ford Motor Company and show you understand what we do.

More information on interviews can be found in the Assessment centre section.

Assessment Centre

Assessment Centres are an increasingly common method of selection, and you are certain to come across them in your experiences with employers. The exercises in a Ford Assessment Centre have direct relevance to the roles which we are recruiting for. 

There are two exercises that make up the Assessment Centre for experienced hires, these are:

Interview

The interview lasts for 60 minutes and is designed to assess the following competencies: 

• Personal Development
• Teamwork
• Resilience
• Customer Focus
• Technical Knowledge

Preparation 
Before interviewing for a position with Ford, you should be familiar with our products, and know the current developments within the industry. It is also advisable to have an understanding of the Company’s history; you can obtain this information from industrial press, and our company website. 

Why are you right for the job? 
Think about the requirements of the job (for example, communication skills, team work) and then think about times when you have demonstrated these skills in the past. Could you describe the Situation, Task, Action and Result to an interviewer? 

The most important word 
When describing team working situations, remember to maintain the focus on YOU and what YOU did. Remember to say 'I' to distinguish your input from the acts of the team. Above all, be yourself, and relax. 

Role Play Exercise
This exercise will look at the following competencies: 

• Makes the Right Decisions
• Communication
• Personal Development
• Quality Mind-set
• Resilience
• Customer Focus

Overall, the exercise lasts for 70 minutes. Initially, you will be provided with some information and you will have 35 minutes for individual preparation. You will then be directed to another room where you have a meeting with a client. The meeting is scheduled to last no longer than 20 minutes. You can finish the meeting in less than 20 minutes, if you think you have handled all the objectives of the meeting. If you go over 20 minutes, you will be stopped by an assessor. Finally, you will have 15 minutes to write a short memo based on the meeting (issues discussed) you had.

Additional Tips

It is natural to experience nervousness before an interview, or assessment event. Try and follow these tips to ease your nerves. 

Take one exercise at a time 
Remember, that your fate with the company does not rest on one sole exercise, and that you will be given plenty of opportunity to demonstrate your strengths throughout both exercises. 

The perfect job? 
All or nothing attitudes heighten anxiety levels, and the pressure that you feel. Avoid thinking that the job is the perfect job for you and that you will never find a job like this again. No one really knows what a job is like before they start, and remember that if the assessors decide that you are not suited to the job, it is quite probable that the job would not suit you. 

Perfect Performance 
The essence of the assessment centre is to determine your personality, and your working style. This is why many of the exercises are designed to be as life-like as possible. Therefore, avoid trying to pre-empt what the assessors are looking for, and concentrate on being yourself. 

Confidence 
Remember, you have done extremely well to make it to an assessment centre, and that you are good enough to be there. Avoid comparing yourself to the other candidates, since this will only heighten your nerves. Remember, you will all have strengths in different areas, and if you all meet the pre-determined criteria, you may all be offered a position.