FORD CAREERS

Step 1: Online Application Form

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

Step 2: Online Test

• Numerical Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning

Step 3: Interview

• 1 hour Structured Competency-based interview

Do you consider candidates from any degree discipline?
Depending on which function you apply to will determine what degree discipline applies, as different functions have different requirements. For example, Human Resources open their application to all degree disciplines; whereas Product Development does have a specific criteria of degree disciplines in which they accept applications. The online application form will provide information on the degree disciplines that will be accepted when you select the function you wish to apply for. 

Do you offer any kind of relocation package?
Vacation Trainees do not receive any relocation allowance; we consider that the cost of a potential relocation is factored into the competitive compensation that we offer our Vacation Trainees. 

What about work permits an eligibility to work in the UK?
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.

What are the typical working hours?
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. 

When am I expected to start if I am a Vacation Trainees position?
Typically Vacation Trainees position will start mid June. Actual timing would be discussed with candidates when formally offered a position. 

How long does the Vacation Trainees position last?
A Vacation Trainees position would usually last 12 weeks.

Where will I be based if I am successful?
Most of the Internships 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 Form

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 Vacation Trainee.

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.

Online Tests

Before you begin, try your hand at some practice questions, we use SHL as our test provider and you can visit their site for information on practice tests:
http://www.shldirect.com/practice_tests.html

For Vacation Trainee recruitment we currently use two psychometric online tests: Numerical and Inductive Reasoning. For more advice and assessment tips for the psychometric tests, please use the SHL link below:
http://www.shldirect.com/about_assessments.html

Interview

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

• Personal Development
• Teamwork
• Resilience
• Customer Focus

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 positions (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.

Additional tips

It is natural to experience nervousness before an interview, so try and follow these tips to ease your nerves. 

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

Confidence 
Remember, you have done extremely well to make it to the interview stage, 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 placement.