Civil Service Applications

[WhatToDoNowñ]

I’ve worked several years in the private sector and I saw a job in the civil service which looks exciting and is meaningful so I thought I would apply. However, there is a very specific way of answering the questions so I’ve read up about it to ensure I get my skills and experience across in the way they would be expecting, plus preparing a few examples as it’s easy to forget details without refreshing my memory. I read through a number of examples, but they strike me as quite bullshitty (eg there was an obstacle I did this and and then we all lived happily after), self praising ( e.g. I created an amazing presentation) and also always have a significant impact of improving sales / engagement / performance / retention / something, by a specified percentage.
For most examples I’d have, the impact wasn’t measured, or not measurable or was only a small part of improved metrics. It seems it’s not enough to have an outcome that it was delivered and stakeholders were happy - the result has to be something wow. It’s putting me off applying as I’m not sure I can embellish my experience in that way and I would consider myself as someone who is successful (exceed rating often given against objectives).

Anyone got experience/ advice ?

Several years ago I interviewed for several posts in my team, all same grade. We had two long term temps who should have walked it.
One was on paper by far the best candidate. He completely blew it in the interview because for his examples from previous jobs, he talked about the team, not what he contributed.
We want to know what you did and achieved, what your contribution was, not what the team did.
It's not self praising to say you achieved something. Nor do I think it always has to be 'wow'
Unless this is a very senior role where a bit of wow is needed, most of us are small cogs in a big wheel. Saying you delivered a project on time, to budget and had happy stakeholders is fine.

My current manager has come from the Civil Service. When we recruited recently she also stressed the importance of the candidates talking about themselves, what they achieved etc. not the team. I’d say this is the most important thing to get across in application and interview - what you have done.

unfortunately bullshit bollocks is par for the course in CS recruitment.

you can have the best experience in the world, will some really cool examples, but if you don’t answer them following success profiles and align them to the behaviours then you’ll not be successful. It’s really frustrating. And a bit demoralising at times.

but as above, they don’t care about we. It has to be I did. They also don’t want to know what you did. But HOW you did it.