How likely is it that I will get a Civil Service position.

[placemats]

I've looked after my son for 17 years. He is in sixth form and I'm now ready to go back to work. I have volunteered extensively and work part time during all the time I cared for him. He has special needs but these have dropped considerably and I now feel able to spread my wings and get back into employment.

I'm in my mid fifties and currently have been applying for both public and private sector positions. I've had success with interviews in the private sector.

I seem to fail miserably at civil service positions, despite passing all the competency tests. Might the overriding factor be due to my age?

I've read this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2961367-Civil-Service-competencies-AIBU-shamelessly-posting-for-traffic

And I am studying the Success Profiles - Candidates.

Is age a factor when applying for Civil Service positions?

It shouldn't be. I'm Civil Service and we've had new entrants at all ages.

Thank you nonever for your reply.

The success profiles are very new and in my opinion, lead to a much more rewarding and intuitive type of interview experience,

Again, in my opinion, the competencies rewarded those with whom the somewhat robotic system resonated. Success profiles are much more likely to allow a candidate to shine, especially someone who is not CS.

Make no mistake though- prepare prepare prepare! And good luck.

I don't think your age will have any bearing on you being successful in getting a civil service position. You just need to pass the competencies in the interview. I work in the CS

I agree: I'm in prepare, prepare and prepare mode. I have to say this has probably led to me getting interviews in the private sector.

Thanks Mighty.

I'm CS and interviewers don't get personal details about candidates when shortlisting, so age is definitely not a factor. Shortlisting is done on the supporting information/competencies/success profiles alone - we don't even have sight of the full application forms until after it has been carried out.

Keep trying. If you want to PM me with some examples you've used, I'm happy to give you some feedback of how they might be improved.

placemats take that offer up. Seriously!

Have you ever considered a CS apprenticeship? They’re for all ages and are a really good way to get straight in to an EO role.

Thank you Guacamole2506 I have looked at the CS apprenticeships but I thought they were for younger people.

Will explore that avenue more now.

@placemats they have the fast track scheme which only runs once a year and that doesn’t start up til next year, with placements being given out at around this time so unless you are willing to wait a year i’d look on the civil service jobs website for internal apprenticeships, which they offer year round

I'm a civil servant and the only dowside to people applying is that a lot of the time they have someone internal earmarked for the job but because it's the civil service they have to advertise the position. That's the most common reason people from the ’outside’ don't get positions in my opinion. However, recently we have seen a surge of ’fresh blood’ as there is a lot of change a foot so id say you're chances are better than ever at this point in time. Good luck!

Ps. Meant to say that I don't think age is a factor, more the internal earmarking.

I was offered a civil service job in my 50s. Go for it and good luck.

I've got a competency based interview in two weeks. I am preparing based on 'robotic' style scenario answers and will rehearse in advance.
I was briefly in another dept. years ago and this is what I thought worked.

Has it moved on? Should I be doing something different to prepare this time?

OP, I'm on my forties and wondered about age too, so Thanks for the answers so far posters

My DS is a civil servant. All I would say is be prepared for them to take months to actually start you in the job even if you are successful. My son got in in one of the mass recruitments for call centre type work. A year on he's got a decent promotion to a more interesting job.

Hi, I'm in my 40s and applied to 4 civ service roles and failed after the written application. So it may have been that or my parents heritage that stopped me from progressing. But I was amazed that I passed all the online tests. Never knew I was that smart!! Go for it, you'll never know until you try. I put my gap in my CV as just do raising children