Interview coaching for civil service interviews - worth a try?

[Unmute]

I'm desperately looking for a new job and getting quite down about it. I moved back to the UK during 2020 and I've not been able to find anything suitable so I've ended up taking a massive pay cut and working in a job my 17yo son could do without too much trouble.

It's BORING and I need (a lot) more money.

My previous roles were policy/ministerial services type work, and I miss the challenge and the pace.

I've been applying for civil service roles and getting a lot of interviews, but my feedback is always fairly terrible.

I am extremely nervous in an interview situation (although not shy/nervous at work) and I know I struggle to answer questions coherently, even with notes, but I am actually amazing and would excel in any of the roles I've applied for. I just can't seem to convince the interview panel.

Has anyone used an interview coach? What was your experience, and would you recommended giving it a try? I'm in Glasgow if anyone has any local recommendations, but I suppose they're all online at the moment.

It's not just the interviews that annoy me - filling in applications is a full time job. Luckily my actual job takes zero effort so I have a lot of time and energy left for writing personal statements.

For the Civil Service make sure you are very familiar with the relevant Success Profiles for the grade you are applying to. Its quite formulaic, and do be aware they are (or supposed to be) moving away from competency based interviewing to strengths based (for diversity and equality of opportunity).
www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

does anyone know how likely it is that you'd be offered a role off a reserve list

I interviewed in December and was put on a 12 month reserve list, I was offered a job in September so it can happen, to be honest I'd given up on that job as it had been so long!

Reserve lists are the norm now unless it's a specific role. The preference seems to be for generic campaigns which will create a list of suitable candidates in merit order. As areas of the business bid for new recruits people get picked off the list. You'll never be told where you are on the list.
I've been on two lists and got jobs from both, one kept being extended and I was on it for 14 months.

Interesting - the one I'm on the reserve list for was a very specific role with only one position vacant so I figured there was probably no chance of getting a job unless the person they appointed leaves and I'm next on the list. But maybe I'd be considered for other similar roles as well?

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. The generic campaigns create a large reserve list and pick off it when roles come up. Specific roles will also have a reserve list for that role. You might get lucky, there is always lots of movement in the Civil Service.

My son has a civil service interview for an internship. It will be a video interview. They have asked to see original versions of his ID documents. How does that work on a video interview? Does he just hold them up in front of the screen?

Yes, just hold them up on screen (i work in CS recruitment). If they also wanted scanned copies emailed in they would have specified that in an email.

Thanks @coffeeschmoffee that's really helpful to know. One more question, just in case you can advise... He was sent an email saying they'll contact him with interview details. When he checks his application status however it says "interview slot confirmed". So he is wondering whether the message telling him the date and time somehow went astray. Would it be wise for him to email them saying as much, or would that not be the right approach and count against him?

He should email and check. It won’t count against him. Why would it?

Should’ve said - am a civil servant

I know nothing about civil service interviews, but try looking at policy roles in local government. They don’t do this bizarre civil service type interview.

The thing about civil service interviews is that they can vary hugely so there’s a range of idiosyncratic specific practices. There a 5 different.

Depending on the role, area and department, you might get a fairly flexible behaviours focused interview or you might get a less flexible behaviours and strengths combined thing. Or you might get just experience and technical (with a pre-set task).

For example, as far as I’m
aware the DfE aren’t using behaviours in their recruitment. Most policy roles in DWP take a behaviours/strengths approach, but specialist roles might just be behaviours or a technical/behaviours combo.

Some roles might use the psychometric tests to narrow candidates down pre-sift. Others don’t.

All of which means that there’s no single approach to civil service interviewing. The STAR format is useful regardless though (unless it’s strengths where you get 2 minutes and the whole thing is a completely indefensible pseudo psychometric process). Make sure you really concentrate on the specific actions you took and the results. People tend to do too much situation and task but the panel is mostly interested in the AR part.

Do you have diagnosed anxiety? If you do, then you can ask for reasonable adjustments. Things like seeing the questions in advance (some roles will provide that as standard to all candidates) or the panel being asked to use more follow up questions to help you address the question. Asking for that isn’t ‘cheating’. It’s about supporting you so anxiety doesn’t ruin your chances. Job interviews are stressful and no one performs in them as they do in real life.

@sergeantmajor he should have received an email inviting him to log into CS Jobs and book a slot. It wouldn't have been directly allocated. He should log in and see if that is an option. If not then yes absolutely email them. Won't be glad against him and probs wouldn't be the interviewers who deal with it anyway.

Hello Unmute,

I'm going through exactly the same problem, and am so thankful for this thread. It's been a year and a half since you posted this and I'd love to hear where your CS journey took you.

I've worked in industry all my life and had my first ever CS interview with DWP this week. I was so nervous that I could hardly speak sense on the first question... utter self-disappointment 😩 I haven't received the results yet but I'm sure I failed it!

Anyway, I just got invited to another interview at DfE and I am determined to do much better, especially as it's a better grade. Did you end up contacting an interview coach?

@Kempster I didn't end up contacting an interview coach. I think I must have been offered a job shortly after posting this since I've been in my current role well over a year now. It's not amazing, but it is a vast improvement on what I was doing and there is room for development.

I would recommend watching the Jac Williams civil service interview videos on YouTube. Someone mentioned them on here and I found them super helpful. I also got a good kick up the backside to actually do some proper prep for each interview, so I'm glad I started the thread.