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Civil servants help needed

Hi all,

I need some advice about the applications and interviews for civil service jobs. I want to apply for heo and seo posts but I am absolutely blank when it comes to writing these comps. Please pm if you can help, it will be very much appreciated.

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Reply 1

Mega0448

Competency marking is still very subjective. So what one person says is good another might disagree with. Nobody can tell you definitively what is correct.

Reply 2

nicole.94

Original post by Mega0448

Competency marking is still very subjective. So what one person says is good another might disagree with. Nobody can tell you definitively what is correct.

Very true. I applied for executive officer jobs in DWP... doing the same thing but one in disability and the other in work capability assessments...I used the same answers and scored 7/7 for one and 4/7 for the other... very inconsistent!

OP: ask your colleagues/manager for help?

Reply 3

Justfedup

Original post by nicole.94

Yea I guess so but I can't even think of what to write as my examples. I have a lot of experience working in a department and don't even know what to say at all

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Reply 4

Justfedup

And I don't even know where I want my career to go in civil service. Like there's no ideal direction or anything from so would be interesting to hear what others want to do?

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Reply 5

Justfedup

Hi so I got this great job but I am so confused about it. I can't really talk about it here but can someone who knows alot about civil service please message me?

Reply 6

Dorisstokes

I've been a civil servant for a long time across many departments. What's the problem?

Reply 7

Justfedup

Basically I have tonnes of experience but in have no clue how to sell myself at interviews. I can't seem to put my mind into what the employer wants and I am getting no where. I need to get out my current place I hate it soo much.

My cv is ok but just simple describing previous roles. Competencies I am also struggling with even though I have alot experience. Someone please help!

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Reply 8

Zarek

Common problem. There are loads of resources to help, try National Careers website and they also can arrange face to face appointments. They gave me a lot of help with my CV. There are also career management companies and coaches but I guess pretty expensive. With interviews it is all about advance preparation to anticipate the crazy questions that are asked and to have some ready answers that sell you in the best light. Applying for jobs you actually genuinely feel enthusiastic about should help too.

Reply 9

Daniellecorni5h

Original post by Justfedup

Hi so I got this great job but I am so confused about it. I can't really talk about it here but can someone who knows alot about civil service please message me?

Also a civil servant...feel free to ask me anything but no promises I'll know the answer!

Reply 10

Justfedup

Yea basically I feel I have no idea where I am going with my career. I'm an AO at the moment and have been for last 2 years since I graduated.i don't find it challenging but I feel intimidated by the Heo roles although they would be more interesting and challenging

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Reply 11

Justfedup

The parts I find intimidating are that you are leading on a piece of work and just thrown in to use your own devices.

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Reply 12

Daniellecorni5h

Original post by Justfedup

Aren't there any EO jobs, as a step in between AO and HEO?

Reply 13

Justfedup

Original post by Daniellecorni5h

Aren't there any EO jobs, as a step in between AO and HEO?

There are,I just got offered one but I am not keen on it, it is as an executive assitant. Looking at civil service jobs now there is nothing that I find interesting at EO level but I need to leave my current role as its too boring.

I've looked at HEO too and I am just not sure what I would be suited to. I have a psychology degree.

Reply 14

Daniellecorni5h

Original post by Justfedup

Do you want to do something related to your degree? If so, have you thought about EO and HEO Social research or Statistics roles? I have a psych degree and am a statistician now in the civil service.

Reply 15

Justfedup

Original post by Daniellecorni5h

Do you want to do something related to your degree? If so, have you thought about EO and HEO Social research or Statistics roles? I have a psych degree and am a statistician now in the civil service.

I would like to do something related to my degree if possible but not sure I would be good at the statsticians roles.

I just have no idea what else to do, the job descriptions are really not making sense to me.

Reply 16

Justfedup

This is stats job I saw, I have a 2:2 in psychology but got a 2:1 in research methods.
Dont know if I could apply for this, or whether the job would be interesting?

https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi?SID=am9ibGlzdF92aWV3X3ZhYz0xNDkzMTg2JnBhZ2VjbGFzcz1Kb2JzJnNlYXJjaF9zbGljZV9jdXJyZW50PTImb3duZXJ0eXBlPWZhaXImdXNlcnNlYXJjaGNvbnRleHQ9MjA1MjYwOTcmcGFnZWFjdGlvbj12aWV3dmFjYnlqb2JsaXN0JmNzb3VyY2U9Y3NhbGVydHNlYXJjaCZvd25lcj01MDcwMDAwJnJlcXNpZz0xNDY1MzExNzQ5LTNiYjhhNDFjYjI1YzY1YWZjZTUzMmZhYjViNGVmOGQxNjdmMzcwOTQ=

Reply 17

Filedundermisc

I wish you well. I too am a AO in the CS and trying to get EO and out of my department. I'm on the reserve list for 2 EO roles and i don't have anyone i can get to check my competencies discretely at work, so i keep applying to jobs i don't just to get feedback.

Reply 18

Daniellecorni5h

Original post by Justfedup

I am a Higher Stats Officer but in ONS. I like it much more than I thought I would, but I think stats officer roles vary a lot within and between departments so it's difficult to describe what the job would be like.

I'm not sure about the 2:2, it doesnt seem to say on the advert. If not that one you could definitely apply for the EO GSG stats officer roles with a 2:2 in Psych... https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/careers/joining-us/statistical-officer/ So I would recommend keeping an eye out for that recruitment. They recruit centrally and then if you pass allocate you to a department (you get to indicate your areas of preference).