Applying for Civil Service Jobs.

So, I’m looking to apply for a Civil Service apprenticeship for next year, they’re testing on behaviours and I feel my answers are great, but when I’ve applied before I didn’t get to the interview. Help!

Of course you're going to think your own behavioural answers are great. It would be odd to think otherwise.

Do you get feedback? Have you tried practicing these types of tests online through sites like JobTestPrep?

I mean I’m not bragging, but they basically have a mark scheme online for each behaviour, and I made sure I linked in every point.

They were unable to provide feedback as there was so many candidates.

HI, can you post the link to the mark scheme please?

Yes, and I thoroughly understand your point of view, but in the past, I’ve applied for apprenticeships at this level, and hit a 5, but the position was given to people who exceeded the level at 6’s and 7’s. So if I couldn’t get the job for hitting the grade, why did the others for excelling the grade, so that’s why I thought going one up, would help.

Exceeding X Grade doesn't mean they were into the next grade up though. It just means that they demonstrated Y behaviour to a level that exceeded X Grade requirements.

There's quite a lot of difference between each number grade, focus on working on your answers to your current grade, rather than trying answer things they're not asking for.

I’ve already sent the application now, and I’m doubting myself. The point system after 5 is 6 and 7. 6 is - substantial, includes some evidence exceeding this level and 7 wholly exceeds level. I’ve noticed the people who score 6’s and 7’s get the jobs, so they must be looking at the next level.

It didn’t sound too professional for the job, I only used hints from the upper grade, as previously I’ve hit everything in each behaviour, but missed out due to better applications.

Civil Service roles are very competitive, and unfortunately you're not going to get every role you apply for. Instead I would focus on looking for more opportunities and get some applications in for those as well. I'm assuming you're already searching on the civil service jobs website, but do keep checking on there for more roles.

That’s why I’ve looked up to the next level, to try and be competitive. All the situations I gave were true, so it’s not going to come across as though I’m applying for a managers position.

Maybe you were just unlucky. Despite the rigid scoring system, it's still a human being doing the sifting so it's entirely possible for the same statement to be scored differently for different applications. However, trying to meet the behaviour at a different grade to what you're applying for will definitely not help you. Your statement are scored against the behaviour for that grade and that grade only. The sifter won't even have looked at the behaviour for the grade above/below. If you can meet the behaviour for a higher grade, then go and apply for roles in those grades as well, just don't use the same statement for roles at different grades.

As you said, you've applied now, so there's nothing you can do about this one, so just wait and see. Just keep applying to different opportunties that appeals to you and see where things take you.

I understand but what are scores 6’s and 7’s then? They both state they higher grades are used in ones application, and they’re the ones that get the job? Also, the behaviours are very similar, the next level up, only had a few extra points, so I don’t understand how people are saying I won’t succeed?