There are several ways we’ll get to know you during our recruitment process and this may look a little different depending on the role. This could include skills testing, a virtual interview, or meeting us in person. We’ll guide you through every stage and make sure you have what you need to feel confident and prepared.

Your journey to joining Onward

Everything you need to know about our recruitment process from what to expect when you apply to onboarding in your new role.

When applying for a role at Onward, you’ll be asked to upload your CV to our careers’ portal. This is your opportunity to tell us who you are, highlight your achievements, and show why you’re right for the role.

Take time to review your CV, making sure it’s up to date and starts with your most recent role. We also recommend reviewing the job description and tailoring your application to reflect your skills and experience.

We don’t use AI to make hiring decisions. Your application will be reviewed by a colleague who carefully considers your CV, skills, knowledge and experience as part of our recruitment process. 

At Onward, we use skills testing as part of our application process to make recruitment fairer and more focused on what really matters.

Skills tests help us understand how you would approach real‑life situations in the role, rather than relying on CVs alone. This allows candidates from different backgrounds to show their strengths, gives everyone a consistent opportunity to succeed, and helps us to make better, more objective hiring decisions.

If you’re shortlisted for an interview, you’ll be invited to an interview, either virtually through Microsoft Teams or in person. This will be your chance to showcase your experience, discuss examples of your work, and demonstrate alignment with our values.

We’ll send full instructions ahead of your interview via your candidate account on our careers’ portal. And if you’ve got a virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, you will receive a link to the interview and a text with a reminder.

Ahead of your interview, we recommend that you:

  • Take time to review your CV and recent experience
  • Prepare examples of work you’re proud of and what you’ve achieved
  • Familiarise yourself with our vision and values
  • Most importantly, relax – we want you to feel comfortable and do your best

If you need any reasonable adjustments or additional support, just let us know. We’ll work with you to ensure you feel prepared, comfortable and able to perform at your best.

Once you accept an offer, our onboarding process begins straight away.

You’ll receive your contract online to review and sign, along with access to all required new starter documentation. This includes completing references, right to work checks, and reviewing key policy documents.

You’ll also receive a welcome video to help you get to know Onward, our values, and what to expect before your first day, so that you feel informed, prepared, and supported from the outset.

We aim to recruit directly wherever possible, with all opportunities managed by our in-house Talent and Human Resources Teams. From time-to-time, we may recruit via a trusted group of recruitment agencies on our Preferred Supplier List. We are therefore unable to accept CVs sent on an applicant’s behalf from unapproved agencies or other third parties.

If you are interested in working at Onward on a temporary basis, this recruitment is managed through our Managed Service Provider, Hays.

Helpful information

Learn more about who we are, our current vacancies and what you can expect when working at Onward.