How to apply

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service wholetime firefighter recruitment has now closed.

We have left this information available for those who have applied in order to explain what will happen now. You will have completed our online application form, including eligibility criteria. If you satisfactorily complete this stage, you will progress to the online assessments. Please read the information below carefully. 

This process is used to help us manage the high volumes of applications we receive for this role, fairly and efficiently. 

Due to the high volumes, the process will be managed online and supported by email only and you will be given clear instructions on how to access support if needed, at each stage. 

Detailed information explaining how the process works and the dates of each stage are included here. 

You must read this guide carefully before starting the online process, it will help you understand and complete the process successfully without the need to contact us directly. Should we need to contact you we will do so directly by email or telephone when necessary.

As part of the application process you will also be asked if you meet the following essential, eligibility criteria:

• Be aged 18 years at the time of commencing training (February 2022),
• Have the right to permanently work in the UK without restrictions,
• That applicants be able to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English
• In addition, we have the following desirable criteria (we reserve the right to make appointment decisions according to our operational needs):
• That applicants hold a full, valid UK driving license.
  
  Those applicants without a driving license may enter our recruitment pool (valid for 2 years from point of entry, subject to satisfactory performance through the recruitment process) but must have obtained their driving license at the point of recruitment. 
  
  
• Applicants should be confident entering and working in water.  

Firefighters must occasionally enter water as a part of their role, in order to resolve operational incidents, or as a part of training exercises to ensure operational readiness.

If you do not meet all the above criteria you are not eligible and will not be allowed to proceed with your application.

The criteria are applied strictly and consistently and no exceptions will be made. Therefore, please do not contact us to query the criteria or seek to apply if you do not meet the basic eligibility requirements.  If it is found at a later stage that you do not meet the essential criteria you will be automatically removed from the process.  

The online assessments will be managed on behalf of East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service by HR Solutions Hub, a professional service who specialise in administering the assessments and tests which make up the sifting process.  

Whilst you are participating in the sifting process, please check your e-mails daily, including trash/spam folders for instructions as to when and how to access the various stages. We need to adhere to a strict timetable and if you miss an e-mail this is your responsibility and we will not extend deadlines under any circumstances.  

The Online Assessment Process

Below you will find the timetable of currently known dates for the recruitment process. The dates for the online tests are final and will not change (subject to the exigencies of the Service). Further dates will be confirmed in due course. Please make a note of these to avoid missing your opportunity to complete them in time.

Below you will find the timetable of currently known dates for the recruitment process. The dates for the online tests are final and will not change (subject to the exigencies of the Service). Further dates will be confirmed in due course. Please make a note of these to avoid missing your opportunity to complete them in time.

Behavioural Styles Questionnaire

On or around the date in the table, you will receive an email from the Apollo system with a link to access the first stage of the assessment process which is an online Behavioural Styles Questionnaire. The deadline to complete this questionnaire is also in the table below.  

If you do not complete it before this time you will not be progressed further in the recruitment process. You will be informed whether you have passed or failed this questionnaire by email.  

If you have passed you will be progressed to the next assessment which is a Situational Judgement Test. If you have failed your application will not be considered further.

Situational Judgement Test

On or around the date in the table, you will receive an email from the Apollo system with a link to access the Situational Judgement Test. 

The deadline to complete this questionnaire is also in the table below. If you do not complete it before this time you will not be progressed further in the recruitment process. 

If you have passed you will be progressed to the next assessment which is the Fire Service Ability Tests. If you have failed your application will not be considered further.

Fire Service Ability Tests

On or around the date in the table, you will receive an email from the Test Partnership system with a link to access the FRS Ability Tests. 

These are short tests measuring your verbal, numerical and mechanical reasoning. The deadline to complete them is also in the table below.  

If you do not complete it before this time you will not be progressed further in the recruitment process. 

You will be informed whether you have passed or failed these tests by email.  

If you have passed you will be contacted by East Sussex Fire and Rescue within a week to advise you regarding what they need you to do next. If you have failed your application will not be considered further.

We strongly advise that you complete each stage as soon as possible and do not leave it until the actual deadline. 

No extensions to any of the deadlines will be given. 

Practice tests

We have created practice tests for each aptitude test so you can have a try before completing the official tests.  

Verbal: 

https://frs.tptests.com/candidate/practice?accesskey=1445204

Numerical:

https://frs.tptests.com/candidate/practice?accesskey=321455714 

Mechanical:

https://frs.tptests.com/candidate/practice?accesskey=31524637 

General Guidance and Information

All the online stages should be completed by yourself alone and unassisted on a computer, laptop or tablet. They are not compatible with a smartphone. 

You should ensure that you have a stable internet connection when accessing and completing all the online stages. Checks may be undertaken at a later stage in the selection process to verify that you have completed these tests without assistance.  

Should you experience any IT issues accessing the online system during any of the online stages please email applicant.support@hrsolutionshub.co.uk for assistance. This support is available between 0900 and 1800, Monday to Friday only.

Any emails received outside these hours will be responded to by 1200 on the next working day. 

Support is only available via email so please do not attempt to contact us by telephone.

As we receive many hundreds of applications, we will not be able to provide you with individual feedback on your results. 

Should you require any information during the online sifting process described above, you should refer to this guide as it will have all the information you need.

If you require reasonable adjustments to complete these online assessments, please advise East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service of this where indicated during the application form. 

Alternatively, please email recruitment@esfrs.org. We may ask to see your evidence of the need for reasonable adjustments to be made.