Tips for civil service interviews

[GGMTJ]

Does anyone have any tips for civil service interviews? I have one coming up and really want the job. Format is a short presentation followed by questions on competency skills.

Thank you.

• take a couple of days off work to prepare. Treat preparing as a full time job for 2-3 days

-Find what competencies you'll be tested on (usually says in the job advert or interview invitation) -Find the competency framework online, look at what each competency at the role levels requires

• think of an example for each competency. These examples should be things that feel big and impressive. Situations that you are proud of and show you can operate at the required level. Make the situation and task sound meaty and important. Show the stakes are high and the job is large
• write out your response for each competency. Make sure you hit all the points in the competency framework, and use the STAR method to structure your answer.
• don't miss out the Result
• read about the STAR method online, watch video tips on YouTube

-rewrite your answer. Make sure the balance between the different segments (STAR) is right. Make sure you're hitting each of the points in the framework -Practice your answer out loud, try to memorise it if possible

• in the interview, if after a competency they ask a question (e.g., "did you face any pushback, or challenges from colleagues"), they are trying to help you. The correct answer is "yes" (even if it is seemingly a negative thing, like the "push back" example), and then say what happened and what you did to solve it
• Practice your presentation
• get a buddy to give you feedback or a mock interview, of you saying the competencies and presentation out loud, even if it feels embarrassing it will be worth it in the end

Source I've passed many civil service interviews and have coached friends and family to pass too.

Others will come along with good tips for the competencies but my tip for the presentation is make sure you have several backup options if you are using slides, in case of IT issues (which in my experience are common in most public sector organisations).
Have the presentation file as both PowerPoint and PDF formats and also as a4 printouts of the slides, so that in worst case scenario you can hold up/hand out the bits of paper. Better still, make sure that you could give the presentation confidently without slides and it still make sense.

Thank you so much. I've given myself 3 days to prepare and will do as you suggest. Have sent presentation by email and am planning to bring a USB and plenty of paper copies as well.

Do not deviate from success profiles. Read the corresponding competency (so delivering at pace, communicating and influencing etc ) in detail for the level you are looking at, and above, and the corresponding strengths.

you will be scored based on those, doesn’t matter what fantastic examples you have, if you aren’t scored correctly you won’t pass so to speak!

Prepare and practice. If the presentation is for 8 minutes - make it 8 minutes otherwise you are likely to be cut off to make it fair to other candidates. Think of all the questions you can and prepare answers, then practice. Have mock interviews, ideally including someone of a few grades above (grade of chair of interview panel} - pick people who will be honest, not vague / nice. Review feedback from any previous interviews. Look at the scores for your application and address weak areas.