How to fill out a Civil Service application

I'm planning on emailing them directly but does anyone know how to fill out the CS application form?

They ask for your employment history, but then right after, sometimes, ask for a Skills + Employment. What is the difference? What am I supposed to write in each one?

Also, how am I supposed to write the personal statement? is it supposed to be the same way that I'd write a Behavioural question? Should I use the STAR/CAR?

Thanks in advance

Reply 1

RubyAQ

5

I have just done an interview for an EO role for the CS in the DfE. Waiting to hear back. I've applied for a few roles in CS but this is the only one I got an interview for.

The application asked me the same questions as you stated above. I used employment history to bullet point my employment, voluntary work and education. Skills and employment to give examples of my employed roles and gave examples to the competencies they describe in the job desc. For the personal statement I did similar to the skills and employment but added in my extra examples from voluntary experiences I also spoke about my passions and what my skills were and went into detail on these with examples. When giving examples best to use STAR method so you can achieve highest grades for when they mark your application!

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 2

pre.naaa

1

hi i have an interview coming up next week with CS. What kind of questions were you asked? Strength, behaviour and situational? All the best! hope you get the job.

Reply 3

RubyAQ

5

Original post by pre.naaa

hi i have an interview coming up next week with CS. What kind of questions were you asked? Strength, behaviour and situational? All the best! hope you get the job.

Hi, thank you, just got told told today I got the job!

Questions were all based on the competencies based in the essential criteria. Based on team work, managing change, solving a problem. One thing my dad has taught me in interviews is when answering you do so in two parts. 1) why that competency is important (shows your understanding of why its needed etc) and 2) An example of this in my professional life... etc. Hope this helps

Reply 4

pre.naaa

1

Original post by RubyAQ

Hi, thank you, just got told told today I got the job!

Questions were all based on the competencies based in the essential criteria. Based on team work, managing change, solving a problem. One thing my dad has taught me in interviews is when answering you do so in two parts. 1) why that competency is important (shows your understanding of why its needed etc) and 2) An example of this in my professional life... etc. Hope this helps

Thats's amazing!! Congratulations on getting the job :smile:

I had my interview today, think I answered 2 questions really but the other two were okay... hopefully it was enough to get the role but I appreciate the help, will implement your tips next time :smile:

Reply 5

Hello34

OP

15

Original post by RubyAQ

Skills and employment to give examples of my employed roles and gave examples to the competencies they describe in the job desc.

Hi, I know it’s been a while but I have another question. I used your guide and got okay on an application but I still didn’t get through.

Can you please explain what you meant when you said this? In my application wrote, ‘communicating with influence (or whatever it’s called): demonstrated through my time as a ….. and through this I developed …’ while also talking about it, I made sure to use words and phrases from the success profiles.

Is this right? Or am I doing it completely wrong? CS have been absolutely no help with this

Thank you in advance

Reply 6

ShilJay

1

Original post by RubyAQ

I have just done an interview for an EO role for the CS in the DfE. Waiting to hear back. I've applied for a few roles in CS but this is the only one I got an interview for.

The application asked me the same questions as you stated above. I used employment history to bullet point my employment, voluntary work and education. Skills and employment to give examples of my employed roles and gave examples to the competencies they describe in the job desc. For the personal statement I did similar to the skills and employment but added in my extra examples from voluntary experiences I also spoke about my passions and what my skills were and went into detail on these with examples. When giving examples best to use STAR method so you can achieve highest grades for when they mark your application!

Hi are you able to share a format or template of your CV, and any references, while you say you gave examples, was it in the CV, wouldn't it look lengthy to add examples in the CV? Please guide

How to fill out a Civil Service application

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