Civil/public service applications - Personal statements, general advice

[DesiccatedCoconut]

Hello there,

I'm wondering whether anyone here has any experience of working in/recruiting for/applying successfully for Irish civil service/public service positions. I'm applying for entry level (CO, EO) positions. I'm coming from a background in academia and freelance editing, so no direct administrative/managerial experience, but plenty of relevant and transferable skills and experience (organisation, Microsoft Office, customer service, etc.). I'm slowly getting to grips with the competencies and application forms looking for STAR examples. However, I'm now applying for one that's looking for a personal statement outlining how skills, experience, etc. fit the criteria, and not sure how to go about it. The personal statement can only be a page, so there's not enough room for STAR examples.

I'd be so grateful for any advice! Thanks ❤🙂

I usually start with “Within my current role or my experiences to date, flesh it out, then start showing how your experiences transferable skills correspond with what is in the job spec.

This is a more about what you can bring to the service on a personal level.