Civil service career change

[Zebra12]

So I’ve been working in a creative field for the last decade, quite niche and not computer/office based at all. For various reasons I’ve decided to retrain (no progression/crap work life balance/ misogyny/ people being squeezed out after maternity leave) After thinking I wouldn’t have many transferable skills or wouldn’t be able to find an entry level role that paid a decent living wage I’ve found some really exciting roles in civil service. However the application process is rather intimidating, especially as my current trade relies on recommendation hiring and I haven’t formally applied or interviewed for a job for many years. Is it one of those instances where it seems a lot harder than it is in reality? And are there any resources that could help with the behaviour questions?

Why don’t you post on here? There are probably people who can help if you say what the job is. I’ve done recruitment for the civil service, including fast stream, and have been on interview panels for Home Office, Cab Office, Border Force or whatever they call themselves these days, Foreign Office and DFID.

I've just been successful in getting a job with the civil service. I've worked for the same company in the same job for many years but having had enough i decided to apply with the skills I had. Only had two internal interviews so in a similar situation. I'm super excited about starting my new role. The process was quite challenging but I used the STAR principle when preparing my answers and that really helped. I used examples from my current job and then referred to these examples on interview.

There’s a whole essay I could write but it’s all available on line. Look for ‘success profiles’.
What level entry?
Most have a couple of online tests to weed out applicants. Then a sift on applications then interviews.
Could be presentations or technical skills test if that’s on the requirements.
Easier to get a CS job in London. One of the big campaigns. Caseworkers or Border Force. Then move around after a couple of years.

@Member589500 it’s band c executive officer
@MrsSchadenfreude there are a couple that I’ve found mostly apprenticeships EO

@zipzipzap that’s such good news! Congrats. Quite reassuring. I might just be in my head a bit too much

The EO job will list the criteria.
Typically a CV and personal statement and one or more behaviours. You need to write very tightly to the criteria. You will be sifted against them if you get through the tests.
You can find the behaviour examples for EO grade online.
If there are essential criteria you must meet them!
I have just helped with a massive sift and knocked out 90% of applicants for not meeting the essential criteria. Some superbly written applications with evidently great candidates but if they didn’t reference the essential stuff in the personal statement I had no choice.

It’s definitely more complicated than it seems! If you post on here someone will help look over your application I’m sure (I’ve done that quite a few times for people applying)

You’re at an advantage having a work history to call upon for examples of behaviours. I think at the moment your biggest obstacle will be volumes of applicants, as EO is entry level and it’s graduate time. Lots of jobs are also being advertised outside London now too (for instance I’m not even allowed to recruit to our London office at the moment!) so things aren’t so London-centric anymore.

I would say that with a work history you might find EO is too low a level to enter at, depending on the department/role - I’ve seen several people get very frustrated by that. Again, if you post here people can help advise you. As an example, in my last dept mostly the EOs were barely trusted to book diary appts and were mostly working on correspondence (often considered the lowest of the low tasks!) but I hired someone as an HEO recently who had previously been leading a team of 10 AOs as an EO in a different dept. In my current teams the EOs have quite a lot of responsibility work wise but little autonomy ie can’t sign anything off themselves (common in CS) and no line management.

Sorry I meant NOT as complicated as it seems 😂

Hi,

Can someone help me please. I am in the process of applying for a Civil Service job. Any advice on what format to use when completing the work history and the Personal Statement.

Thank you