Civil Service Jobs competency questions AIBU (tearing my hair out a bit!!)

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Hi everyone.

I'm applying for an entry-level role with the Civil Service (so it's at Executive Officer (EO) level).

For the application, they're asking me to give examples of situations that I've been in which link to four competencies:

1. Managing a quality service
2. Collaborating and partnering
3. Leading and communicating
4. Delivering at pace.

They've advised writing 250-word answers in the STAR format (situation, task, action, result) to show how I meet each competency.

I've written an answer based on my volunteering work with Citizens Advice for 'managing a quality service'.

It's just the other three ('collaborating and partnering', 'leading and communicating' and 'delivering at pace') that I'm really struggling with.

For 'leading and communicating' I was going to write about a presentation that I did with some colleagues.

For 'collaborating and partnering' I was going to write about another situation with Citizens Advice. I'll probably write about a situation that happened in my work as a tutor for 'delivering at pace'.

The problem is that I'm just so confused about how to write my answers to each competency. It seems impossible to write it in the way they want. I still need to find a way of wriiing my answer so that they all address all parts of the question and also stay within the word limit of 250 words.

Could anyone help please? If anyone's got any model answers, that would be amazing!!!

Thank you so much!

What are you finding tricky about the format? Do you have the competency framework in front you you? Make it easy for them - use as many of their terms as you can in your answer so they can easily tick off that you meet the competency. They key is not to waffle but describe clearly and succinctly what you did (not the wider team). It might feel uncomfortable promoting yourself so directly, but they won’t read it like that.

The majority of your answer for each competency needs to be about what you did and the outcome. The situation and task part of it should be short and set the scene, but the action and result are the main things. Try to cover as many of the bullet points in your example as you can, but don't just make an assertion - for example don't say "I always encourage team working and change ways of working to be collaborative", be specific and say "I facilitated project meetings and took account of feedback to adapt my approach". Make sure each example you use talks about you and your action, even if you achieved it as part of a team. The way the scoring works at sifting applications means that if it's not clear that what you are describing is your own input, it won't be scored highly.

I'm a Grade 7 so a few grades above the job you're going for, but I would be happy to share my competency examples so you can get the idea of how to write them, if you would like.

I'm also a G7 (currently on mat leave) and have done lots of recruiting. If you'd like someone to have a look at your examples feel free to PM me and I'll send over my email address.

Thank you so much everyone! You're all really helpful :)

@BurningGubbins the bit that I'm finding tricky is addressing all of the different parts of the competency framework whilst still keeping my answer within 250 words.

well if you PM me your email address I will send my examples over.

Just make up a realistic sounding answer in the STAR format. No one is going to come to your work and check with your boss you actually did X and Y.

Hiya @AndNoneForGretchenWieners. Can you please sebd me someof you competence examples. Im struggling with managing quality service level 2 position. I dont know howto private message.x

Good luck, I'm about to apply too (different role, dw). As pp mentioned, I got told to use lots of the language they already use and specific. When I came across them in previous applications, the A and the R in star are the really important ones. I've previously been told to view them as opportunities to show your ability to influence/step up/plan/lead and the impact you make.

Don't know if that's helpful but I just wanted to wish you the very best of luck.

I always keep the S really short and sweet. E.g. As part of my role as X, I had to do Y. Then focus more on the T & A, making sure you emphasise what YOU did and how.

Have you read all the guidance online OP? There should be a document which describes effective and ineffective behaviours at each level. I always used to pinch some of the narrative from those and adapt it to my own example.

Oh just realised how old this is wonder if the OP got the job!

She did indeed! And then went for a promotion which I thinks she may have also got.

Situation should be one sentence. Task and action should be the main bulk of your answer, with the result being a few sentences to round the answer off.