Frequently Asked Questions

Experience required for our roles varies according to the remit of the job.  All requirements will be outlined in the job advert and attached role profile.  We provide a full induction and continuous professional development opportunities are available to support colleagues throughout each stage of their career.   We are looking for people who share our values to ‘Keep it simple, Keep it Personal, and Make it RIGHT’ and who are passionate about playing their part in supporting our vision to provide ‘Homes and Services that make life better’. 

Qualifications required for roles at Caledonia Group may vary according to the remit of the job.  All requirements will be outlined in the job advert and role profile.  

It’s really easy! If a job catches your eye, just follow the link in the advert, have a read of the advert and role profile and click ‘apply now’   You’ll then be directed to our online application form where you have the opportunity to showcase your skills and experience.

Top tip: remember to align your experience to the person spec in the role profile.   At the end of the application, we’ll ask you to fill in an equality monitoring form too – equality, diversity and inclusion is really important to us.  

Here’s a handy link to our current job opportunities.

We utilise essential and desirable criteria noted in the Job Description to assess skills and experience fairly and transparently. Please ensure you compete the application form in full and provide evidence against each criteria listed in the person specification.

We try to keep it as quick as possible, but it does depend on the role. We will include a closing date on the advert and usually include an estimated interview date too.   Keep an eye out for an email from us through our Recruitment System – Vacancy Filler – as this is how we keep you up to date with the status of your application and interview plans.

We understand that making the right move in your career is a huge decision. Most of us spend  a large proportion of our waking lives at work so it is important that we not only find a job which reflects our particular abilities but one that we actually enjoy, and at an organisation we feel proud of.   We love answering your questions so that you can decide if Caledonia and the role you are interested in are the right fit for you. Please feel free to contact a member of our people team [email protected]  

Our recruitment process can be broken down into 4 key steps:  Step 1: Submit your Online Application Form – all vacancies are supported by an online application process. Once complete, you will receive an email from the Recruitment Team (via the “Vacancy Filler” recruitment system) to acknowledge that your application has safely landed in our inbox.   Step 2: Short listing – our recruitment team and the relevant hiring manager will read through all applications to identify candidates whose skills and experience closely match the requirements of the job.     Step 3: Interview & Selection – if successful at short listing stage, you’ll receive an email inviting you to choose an interview slot. Interviews may take place via video call (Microsoft Teams) or in person at one of our three office locations and will be attended by the recruiting manager and another manager (or a member of the people team).  Second Stage Interview (optional) – we don’t always have a second stage interview, but if we do, it will be in person at one of our three office locations.    Step 4: Job Offer and Pre-employment Checks – the hiring manager will make a final decision. If successful, you will receive a call form the relevant manager or a member of the people team who will personally offer you the job and talk through any questions you may have.   We are always keen to get you started as soon as possible, however,  sometimes it can take between 4-6 weeks dependant on notice periods and whether your new role requires a PVG or Standard Disclosure.   You can help by ensuring all your reference details are fully completed on the application form, you complete your PVG/Disclosure form online as quickly as possible, and you provide all the right ID.

At application stage we can’t offer feedback as we do receive a lot of interest in each role. If you have attended an interview, then we will always let you know the decision and can offer specific feedback if you request it.

It’s always best to allow plenty of time to complete your application form to ensure you present the best version of your experience and you have time to deal with any unexpected technical issues. The recruitment portal allows you to save your content, edit it and re-visit it at a later date. You may also wish to prepare your evidence in MS Word first. This can be a useful way to help you structure your application, as well as check spelling and grammar. It may be helpful to ask someone to review your application prior to submission.

We always try and make sure it’s as relaxed as possible so that you can be yourself and showcase your skills.  If you need us to make any reasonable adjustments at interview stage, please get in touch with our friendly recruitment team or make a note on your application form.   Knowing what to expect should help you feel more comfortable so here’s a bit more information:  First off, we’ll do our best to put you at ease and tell you a bit more about the role you’ve applied for and Caledonia Housing as a company.  We’ll then talk you through the structure of the interview. If you’ve been asked to prep some work we’ll usually ask you about this first, then we’ll head into our questions for you.  Our interviews are largely competency based. The competencies that will be assessed during your interview are those detailed within the role profile and person specification.   An example of a competency question is: “Describe a situation in which you provided excellent customer service. What were the circumstances? What were your specific actions? What was the result?”  Before closing the interview, we will always make time to listen and respond to any questions you may have, so please feel free to have any relevant questions to hand.

You will be welcomed into Caledonia and placed in a supportive team under the leadership of a knowledgeable manager. We’ll provide a comprehensive induction, regular 1-2-1’s and team meetings to ensure you maximise your potential. 

We’ll support you to develop your career with a personal learning plan, ensuring you benefit from continual professional development. We are also happy to invest in role specific internal and external training. 

We have a comprehensive E-learning platform where core training for all roles can be completed, as well as a wide range of soft skill and special interest topics.  

Yes! We currently work in partnership with the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and the University of Dundee to provide Graduate Apprentice opportunities in Data Science and Information Technology.  We are delighted to have seen first-hand the positive effects of combining work-based learning with academic study and we will continue to expand our apprenticeship programme, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for future vacancies.    

We are proud to be part of the Career Ready Mentor Programme – a two year programme that empowers young people in S5/S6 to kick-start their career through mentoring and paid internships. For more information, please visit: Career Ready