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Finding your job advert: Candidates typically find your vacancy in one of three ways: 

• Tes Job Search: Most candidates will be on the Tes jobs site searching for roles by keyword, location, subject, etc. If your job matches their search, it will appear in the results. Candidates can click on the listing to read the full advert (the same advert you created). 

• Your School Career Site: If you have shared the link or embedded your Tes career site on your school’s website, candidates might land on your dedicated career page and see the vacancy listed there. Clicking the vacancy there also leads to the full Tes advert page. 

• Direct link or external sharing: You or others might share the direct URL to the job advert via email or social media. Candidates clicking that will go straight to the advert page on Tes. (Tes adverts are public, so anyone with the link can view them without logging in, though to apply they will need an account.)

Once the candidate is on the job advert page, they see all the information you’ve posted: job description, details about your school (including the career site info you added), and any attachments (which they can download). They will also see an Apply button (usually at the top or bottom of the page). Depending on how you set the job up, the apply process will differ slightly:

Applying via Tes (Quick Apply method): 
When creating your advert, if you choose the 'Schrole Connect' application type, the candidate will apply through the Tes platform. Here’s what happens:

• The candidate clicks Apply (or it might say Apply now). If they are not logged in or don’t have a Tes account, they’ll be prompted to log in or register. This is a straightforward account creation (just like signing up for any site, using an email and password). Many candidates already have Tes accounts since they might download resources or read articles.

• After logging in, the candidate is presented with an application form for your vacancy. This form is standardised for efficiency: it typically collects personal details, a cover letter or supporting statement (where they write a message specific to why they are suitable), and asks them to upload a CV. There may also be some position-specific questions (for example, if the job is in a certain region, there might be a question about eligibility to work there). You as the recruiter don’t have to set these questions – it’s built-in. The form may also ask for references and allow the candidate to attach additional documents (like a teaching certificate or degree). 

• The candidate fills in all required fields. They can save and come back if needed, but most complete in one go. When done, they hit Submit application. 

• The system shows a confirmation that the application was submitted. The candidate might also get a confirmation email. At this point, the application is now visible in your ATS for that vacancy. 

• From the candidate’s perspective, when they go to their Tes profile under Applications, they can see the status (initially “Submitted”) and later if you update statuses, they might see updates (e.g., “Viewed by school” or “Shortlisted” if the system shares that info, or simply they’ll get an email if you send one through the system). Tes tries to keep candidates informed, but it’s always good for you to communicate via the ATS tools. 

• No “Quick Apply” label: Historically, Tes jobs that allowed direct application had a “Quick Apply” label on the job listing. This label has been removed for candidates​, so now all jobs just show an Apply button. Candidates may not immediately know if it’s an online application or not until they click. However, most will proceed anyway. The removal of the label doesn’t change their experience, it’s just a terminology update.

Applying with a school’s own form (Upload method): 
If you chose the upload your own application option for the vacancy, the candidate experience is a bit different:

• On your Tes job advert, the Apply process will first prompt the candidate to log in or register (same as above). Once they click Apply, instead of a full form, they will see instructions to download your application form. For example, the page might say “This school requires you to fill out an application form. Please download the form, complete it, then upload it below.” There will be a Download link for the form (one of the attachments you provided). 

• The candidate downloads your form (usually a Word or PDF), leaves the Tes site temporarily to fill it out (typing into the document or printing and scanning if it’s not fillable). This step is a bit of extra work for them, so some might delay or decide not to proceed – keep your form as user-friendly as possible to avoid losing candidates here. 

• When ready, the candidate returns to the Tes application page for your job. Now they will see an Upload field to attach their completed form and possibly fields for a cover note or message. They upload the file (and any other requested documents) and then submit. 

• After submission, from your perspective, their application (with the attached form) appears in the ATS just like others. For the candidate, they get a confirmation. They might not have filled out as many structured fields on Tes (since most info is in the form they uploaded), so their Tes profile might show a basic application submitted with attachment. 

• Note: The system still treats this as an application on Tes, so you will see them in your Applications list and can manage them like any other (the main difference is you need to open the attached file to read their details, as opposed to seeing everything neatly in the portal fields).

Applying via external website (Divert): 
If you chose External application (divert to a URL), the Tes site will not collect the application, but it does guide the candidate to the next step:

• The candidate clicks Apply on your Tes advert. A message will appear informing them that the application is made on an external website (often your school’s site) and that they are leaving Tes. For example: “Applications are made on an external website. This will open in a new tab.”​ They may have to click a button like Continue to apply to confirm. 

• When they confirm, a new browser tab opens taking them to the URL you provided (perhaps your school’s online application page or a third-party ATS). At that point, the Tes platform’s role is done for that application – everything else is on your side. 

• The candidate will then follow whatever process your external site has (maybe filling out a form on your site or an email link). This varies widely per school. They might still think of it as part of applying through Tes, since Tes directed them there, so ensure the external site is working and clear to the candidate. It’s good to mention in your Tes job description something like “Please apply on our school website by clicking the Apply button” so they are not surprised. 

• Because the application isn’t handled by Tes, the candidate’s Tes profile will typically not show a submitted application, and you will not see these candidates in your Tes ATS. You might, however, manually update the Tes vacancy by marking how many applied externally or closing it when hiring is done.

After applying: From the candidate’s point of view, waiting is next. If you communicate via the Tes system (sending messages or status updates), they will get an email notification and can log in to see the message. For example, if you invite them to interview via the ATS, they get an email saying “You have a message regarding your application at [School Name]” and can see the details. If you reject them via a bulk email, they get that message in their inbox. Candidates appreciate communication – even an automated “not selected” is better than silence.

Common candidate questions or issues (and how to help):

• “I clicked apply and nothing happened.” – This might happen if they expected an immediate form but were diverted. Instruct them to check for a new tab or popup (some browsers might block the redirect). They should also ensure they have a Tes account and are logged in. 

• “I can’t upload my form.” – Maybe their file is too large or not an allowed format. Advise them to use common formats (PDF, DOC, DOCX) under a few MBs. If issue persists, you can accept via email as a backup. 

• “Do I need to also email the school after applying on Tes?” – Generally no, if they applied through Tes (either Tes form or uploading form), you have it already. If they were diverted off-site, they should follow those instructions (some schools ask for an email application; in that case, yes they email separately – but then the Tes advert was basically just a pointer). 

• “I didn’t get a confirmation email.” – Tes sends confirmation for Tes-form applications. It might go to spam or they might have turned off notifications. They can see in their Tes account under Applications if it was submitted. If in doubt, they can try applying again or contact Tes support. As a recruiter, you can see their application in ATS, so you could confirm to them if asked. 

• Login confusion: Candidates also sometimes struggle with Tes login (less so than recruiters). But if they have multiple Tes accounts (perhaps signed up with a personal and a work email in the past), they might accidentally be logged in to the wrong one. This usually isn’t a big issue for their application, but it could affect how they receive communications. Encourage candidates to check the email associated with their Tes profile to ensure it’s one they monitor.

Anonymous Applications: This concept (hiding names) is mostly on the recruiter side. From the candidate’s perspective, they don’t do anything different – they submit their name as usual. If you have anonymisation on internally, it doesn’t change anything for the applicant; it’s purely a viewing filter for you. So there’s no extra step for them, and they won’t know if you are reviewing anonymously or not.

In summary, the application journey for candidates on Tes is designed to be straightforward: find job → read job → click apply → submit info. By choosing the right application method and setting up your advert clearly, you make this journey as smooth as possible, which in turn means more candidates complete their applications. If you ever need to assist a candidate, understanding the above steps will help you troubleshoot their issues.

Remember, a positive candidate experience reflects well on your school. Many candidates apply to multiple schools, so a clear and easy process on Tes can make your school stand out as organised and considerate. Good luck with your hiring! 

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