Marketing Manager Emma's top tips to ace your application

Think about your why. Why are you looking to work in the public sector and policing specifically and what impact do you want to have? You may have been a victim of crime yourself and want to provide support to others in that situation. Or you may want to contribute to our central mission of making policing more representative of the communities it serves.

We look for individuals who are culturally and emotionally aware. Regardless of the role you apply to, it will be public-facing, and you will interact with a range of people in different situations.

Problem-solving and innovation are also key to improving standards in policing. Some of our officers created an app, used to safeguard victims of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and other forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). This is a great example of using technology to provide a better service to the public.

Resilience and effective communication are also essential. Public confidence in policing needs to improve and each interaction you have will be important, especially with individuals or groups where trust is low.

Spend time looking at our website and familiarising yourself with our mission. More broadly, you could look at what is happening in the policing sector, as it is going through a period of reform.

Police Now recruit across various specialisms, so I would also recommend researching these and seeing which are most appealing to you.

Neighbourhood policing requires you to take initiative, focus on reducing crime, and work with partners and agencies. Whereas detectives investigate crimes that have already been committed, they support victims and bring offenders to justice.

I would encourage applicants to be open-minded, as many of our officers begin their policing careers in one area and then move into another. During the programme there are opportunities to go an internal attachment or external secondment and gain exposure to other areas.

Firstly, you will be required to submit an online application. We will then check if you are eligible for the programme and if you meet the criteria, you will need to complete a short immersive assessment. This is a chance for you to get to know the role you have applied to better.

If successful, you will be invited to attend a virtual assessment centre, where you can demonstrate the competencies and values we look for, as well as your motivations for joining. After the assessment centre you will receive personalised feedback regardless of the outcome. The whole application process takes 2-3 weeks depending on how quickly you book onto the coaching and complete the assessments.

If you receive a conditional offer, then you must complete pre-employment checks, including vetting, before getting a final offer.

We often recruit graduates who hadn’t previously considered a career in policing, so we have support in place throughout the process to build your confidence.

At the immersive assessment stage there are practice questions, so you will have a chance to familiarise yourself with the format before you get started.

Our recruitment team offers coaching sessions prior to the assessment centre, to help you prepare and give you a better understanding of what to expect.

Once you have received an offer, you will have a dedicated recruitment officer who will guide you through pre-employment checks and onboarding. As well as connect you with other graduates who will be joining the programme.