• Application Guidance

    We’re thrilled you’re considering a career with us! From the hiring managers you’ll meet, to the dedicated Recruitment team who’ll support your every step, we’re here to help you feel prepared for every stage of the process. We’ve also created some guidelines so you know what to expect, when to expect it and how to make the most of your application with us. 

What you need to know​

Applying for your next role can be confusing, but we hope to make it easy. ​

  • From within the job advert, all you need to do is press 'apply’.​
  • You will then be shown exactly how to start your journey with us.​
  • You will need to fill out the online application form and attach your CV. For some roles, we might ask for some more information, such as a supporting statement, or some evidence of previous research.​

For applications to the OU Students Association, Open College of Arts or OU Worldwide, guidelines will vary.​

To talk to someone in the Recruitment team, please reach out to Careers@open.ac.uk.

Your CV

The CV you provide, as part of your application, should tell us about you, your employment history, education and skills. Include information such as:​

  • Secondary or higher education attainment and grades​
  • Technical, professional or occupational training​
  • Employment history​
  • Details of relevant publications (for academic posts only)​

Please remove any equal opportunities information such as age, date of birth, gender, sex, marital status, ethnicity or religion. This information is not relevant to your application.​

If you have any questions about sharing your CV, as part of the process, please contact Careers@open.ac.uk.​

Supporting statement

If we ask you to write a supporting statement, you should tell us about you, your experience, how you meet the essential criteria and why this role is right for you. Use evidence to back up what you say and, remember, just be yourself. You can also tell us about your eligibility for the role, disclose any useful information and more. If you have any queries or questions regarding your supporting statement, please contact Careers@open.ac.uk.

Reasonable Adjustments

We welcome discussions on the support and adjustments we can provide you with during the recruitment process, to ensure you have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and abilities. Contact us to discuss how we can support you at Careers@open.ac.uk.

If you are offered a job, you can also discuss ongoing adjustments to your role ahead of your start date.

Interviewing with us

The Open University operates using a hybrid approach to work, and as a result many of our interviews are conducted virtually. We use Microsoft Teams to support our online interview process.

If you are unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams, we will provide information ahead of your interview to help you prepare. Learn more about Microsoft Teams >

In some cases, we may invite candidates to attend an interview in person at one of our offices, depending on the role.  Where this applies, we will endeavour to confirm the interview location as early as possible during the recruitment process.

Interview feedback

We are committed to providing feedback following your interview. Feedback will be offered either in writing or via a meeting with the Chair of the selection panel. We strongly encourage you to take notes during any feedback discussion, as this can be helpful for reflection and future development.

Data Protection

Our Staff, Workers and Applicants Privacy Notice gives you all the information you need about what data we collect and how we use it. Find out more about Privacy at the OU >