The Civil Service - Overwhelmed! Help!

I'm pretty certain after I finish education I want to join the civil service, I don't know what sector yet but finance looks appealing.

Can anyone give me an overview of what goes on? What's the best way to apply/get the job. All information would be very much appreciated, I saw a post just before talking about an intern-ship? I'd never seen that offered before so please all information would be really appreciated!

Thanks, Eceer27

Reply 1

jelly1000

Original post by Eceer27

The main route (although by all means not the only one) for graduates is the Fast Stream. This opens the year before for applications to start the following year. So for those starting in September this year, applications opened in September last year and offers are being given out now. For a few schemes (not finance though) there is a second round which has recently closed for September entry.

Details of all the schemes offered this year are here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/civil-service-fast-stream-graduate-schemes

It is a very long (although they are looking to shorten it) and competitive process. You have several layers to get through. This is the process for the corporate schemes, its a bit different for analytical.
1) Online tests: Numerical and verbal reasoning, a competency questionaire testing your personality and a situational judgement questionnaire testing what you would do in certain situations. If you have a disability you can skip the numerical and verbal reasoning tests.
2) If you pass the first lot of tests you get through to the etray. You are given a fictitious scenario and tested on how you respond to emails relating to it by selecting options from a list and also write a reply.
3) If you pass the e tray you get through to the assessment centre.
4) If you do well enough at the assessment centre you either get offered a job or for some schemes you are put through to a final selection board, and if you pass that then hooray you are offered a job.

You can apply to more than one scheme, though it has to be from the same category- you can't apply for one corporate scheme and one analytical scheme for example.

This page describes the process I've just detailed https://www.gov.uk/guidance/civil-service-fast-stream-how-to-apply

Alternative ways in:
This website lists non fast stream jobs at all levels
https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi

It's worth looking through there every so often to see if they have any suitable vacancies, and following the instructions on how to apply. These jobs are generally advertised for an immediate start, so only apply when you are ready to start work.

As for internships, some are advertised on the general civil service jobs website alongside jobs. There are also a few regular ones such as the diversity internship- a 6 to 9 week summer placement for those from an ethnic minority, low income household or with a disability. Now closed for this summer.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office offer an internship as well. This is the details from the scheme that is just coming to an end.
https://www.online-jobs.co.uk/fco/documents/Graduate-Internship-C-Pack-2015-Final.pdf

The Civil Service - Overwhelmed! Help!

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