Civil Service - interview prep and part time hours

[PeopleAreToads]

I’ve got an interview for my first civil service role.

I know the interview process is quite specific, so feel I need to do some serious prep to compete with internal candidates. Any tips on the interview style and how I should prepare?

The role was advertised as full time/part time/job share. I currently work part time and would prefer to keep doing this (3 or 4 days), at what point in the process is best to bring it up? I wasn’t sure if it was something they discussed at interview or post offer?

Its a grade 7 role if that makes any difference

Civil servant of 35+ years here. Dedicate several days to prepare. The candidate booklet will state the interview style - competency based, along with the criteria which you’ll be interviewed upon. The questions are likely to be specific, along the lines of tell me about a time you made a difficult decision. Your responses should be based on the STAR method: situation / task/ action and result. Spend most time telling them what you done ie the action.

I don’t think you should mention the parttime hours you’d like at interview, as the persons interviewing you are unlikely to be able to advise - rather that’ll be a matter for the central HR function and whenever you’re likely to be placed consider - so my advice is to ask after you’ve been offered the post. Good luck!

@Sufferingjaysus thanks, that’s really helpful! And gives me some plans for the bank holiday weekend

This was several years ago, but I think my working pattern/days was only asked when I was offered the job.

I recall being asked for an example of diversity and equality though.

@Sufferingjaysus do you have any tips on strengths questions? I’ve seen you can’t prepare for them, but also that there is a technique to answering but struggling to find anything on what that technique actually is!

Strengths are mainly just your thoughts on the one you are given - but it helps to add a very, very brief example from your own work/life as well. For example thoughts on equality and you may say equity of access etc, but add 'when I was whatever I did this equality thing'.
When you prepare your main answers be aware they may add a twist - as in 'tell us of a time you made an effective decision' but plus 'due to a difficult customer', or 'in relation to equality'. You can usually then work your prepped answer around it but it can be disconcerting and some people I know prep a couple of examples for each one. I think these happy 'twists' are dept dependent so may not happen - fingers crossed for you!
Tip re not looking as if you're reading - but only for remote - set up 2nd laptop behind interview one with your answers on - I have also clipped my prep to the side of my laptop before - it's probably better to practice your answers so you know them but I'm just not there with that 🙈🤣
Best of luck.

How did u get on OP?