Civil service roles - is there any point applying?

[Rispa42]

Hi all, hoping someone who has experience of the civil service can help! I have limited experience with the civil service and don’t know anyone IRL who works there.

Over the last few months, I’ve applied for a number of roles in the civil service that look interesting. All within Policy but across various grades and departments. I have had one interview (that I wasn’t successful in) but all the rest of the applications have sat in the ‘applications received’ pile, with no movement either way. It’s a little frustrating not to get a resolution as I’ve put in quite a lot of effort for each application, taking days for each one. I did get an email for one to say that the sift had been delayed but all the rest have been tumbleweed.

I’ve seen a couple more roles that look interesting but I’m now wondering whether it’s worth spending time on applications etc when the role may not even exist? Not sure whether it’s an election thing or standard civil service, but I have to say I’m getting a bit disillusioned and maybe it’s not for me! I’d rather they just declined the application rather than hanging around in limbo for others.

Would love to hear advice!

Our department has an external recruitment freeze on at the moment, i know other departments also need to reduce headcount, so it is possible that the jobs are no longer going to be filled (eg if they were advertised before a change of policy). That said, sometimes it does just take a long time unfortunately. I would say if there are new jobs being advertised it would probably still be worth applying to those.

I think it’s a mix of election and general CS.

it takes forever at the best of times but things are “on hold” in the run up to the election.

As others have said, likely to be a mix of recruitment being very slow in CS (lots of formalised, blind reviews of applications, standardised processes to go through for fairness etc) and pre-election impact. I would probably contact whoever is named on the application form and ask if there is an update timeline for hearing back on the role. Will at least ensure you know where things are up to

I am in the same boat, I can't get past the sift process even though I am trying very hard to write what I think they want it so say. I wish they'd make it easier!

I used to work for the civil service too about 15 years ago and the application process was never this drawn out.

Thanks all for the advice - will just need to be more patient!

another question I had was whether you’d recommend reaching out to the ‘contact’ ahead of applying? Is that something that’s commonly done?

thanks again!

It is a stupid and soul destroying process. I’ve both applied for and recruited loads within it, there is a certain technique to it that’s very hard to crack without experience. There’s also a large element of being able to very confidently sell yourself especially at interview, which I struggle with. I assume you are using the STAR format and fitting experience closely to the competency in question? My only other advice would be to keep the S and T bit short (but still big up the stakes of the situation) and max on the A and R bit.

I think as people have said though the election has put things in hold. Also COVID and Brexit really increased the size of the civil service to the point where there are too many people chasing too few jobs internally. maybe that will improve with a new government’s programme.

good luck!

Also I would always reach out to the contact to get an idea of what they are looking for and write your application accordingly.

The 'big four' have recruitment freezes in progress. Only in exceptional cases are they even allowed to advertise 'internally' (I.e. cross Whitehall).

There's talk of a VES in all four of them - so they won't take on new hires until they know what to do with their current employees.

I have two ATM that are delayed in terms of sift - but I know why. At least one of the jobs the hiring manager is having to fight with central recruitment to get them to still allow the job as being advertised cross Whitehall (HR think they have enough good candidates within that department...).

It's just a waiting game at the moment.

FWIW I had a G7 job I sifted for recently. Possibly the least interesting job I have ever advertised for...60 applicants. It took two weeks to do a decent sift around my day job and then factor in HR processes either side, it's been a month now since the vacancy closed and I'm only just sending out the invites to interview

Thanks @Pastlast @Killingoffmyflowersonebyone - really helpful advice!

I’m not CS but in an arms-length body, and we are only recruiting externally to replace essential roles; everything else has stopped and we are having to reduce our headcount, although not actively through redundancies, just through people leaving and not being replaced.

It’s just so time consuming sift results for a the number of candidates involves a panel and everyone has to be done before interviews can be scheduled etc but things re slower at the moment due to election and then it’ll be summer holidays.

The thing I find frustrating is that even as n existing civil servant the whole process needs to be completed too

If it’s any consolation I worked for them for two years and left. Awful!

Am I missing something here? I understand that some departments have recruitment freezes and they're looking to reduce headcount overall, but does that mean that the CS are advertising external vacancies that are only internal/don't exist?

There’s a recruitment freeze across most departments right now. Hopefully after the election there will be some movement

No, some roles have an exemption so anything that’s gone out recently must have approval. But any reserve lists won’t have any movement. We have paused recruitment in our teams. But we did have some recruitment online when the freeze was called and did have to continue with the interviews and then paused. It’s frustrating for us too managing with low staffing numbers

I’ve done 23yrs and wouldn’t work anywhere else. The CS is a big place, so if I did get fed up in my dept I’ve got plenty of choice, including working overseas.

i personally always do, and I do remember those who reached out to me when recruiting.

If you’ve been applying and hearing absolutely nothing back I would reach out to the named person on the job advert. It’s very strange to hear nothing. Even if you’ve been unsuccessful the system will inform you.

I also think there’s no harm reaching out to the person ahead of applying. They might not be able to tell you anything useful, but you have nothing to lose.

You mention that you’re applying for roles at many different grades. This is quite unusual. Usually you would have a pretty good idea from the job descriptions what kind of grade you are. Could you be applying for things that you are either too junior or too senior for? Perhaps those on this thread could help if you outline your experience and any relevant qualifications.

It’s mad isn’t it? I worked for them in the late 1990s straight out of school, first proper job when I was 18. I was only an AA but can’t get past application stage most times. Even got turned down for an apprenticeship with Border Force.

I can’t imagine I’m worse now with 25 years experience than I was then. It’s so frustrating as I’d love the flexi time and my AA role was something I could just do and forget about at home time. Ah well!

In my department, applying is a dark art of STAR technique and success profiles which means little in terms of competency to the job. I find it extremely frustrating. I was on a panel for a role that exists across sectors at G7 recently, and the only successful candidates even at sift were internal.

Thanks Zanatdy. This role was advertised this month, so post-election announcement, so I bloody well hope that it does exist.

LutonBeds I am very far from an expert (submitted one civil service application prior to this and was put on a G7 reserve list, so no job but well at interview for an external candidate) but do check that you've read the application information in detail.

In the recent form I submitted, it identified the three aspects of the role that would be assessed at sift level and one that would be assessed at pre-sift level if a high volume of applicants. Two of these elements were, I thought, a bit odd for a G7 role eg strong knowledge of Teams and SharePoint and I wouldn't necessarily have mentioned them in a personal statement otherwise.

So I focused my PS on these. I hope that was the right thing to do.

Thanks @NicoleSkidman (great name by the way!) sorry, just to clarify, I’m applying for both SEO and HEO roles, so not massively broad (I don’t think!)

and good advice to reach out ahead of applying, I haven’t done so yet (as I thought it would be a pain for people!)

I hope this isn't a derail, but my DS saw some civil service apprenticeships he was interested in looking into post A Level. They were social policy type stuff. Ideally he'd like to work in the foreign office and International Relations. If there is a recruitment freeze is it worth telling him just to do a degree instead? What's the fact track like these days?

Recruitment freeze usually means internal promotion freeze as well. Unclear how long they might last - months to years is possible tbh! So worst case scenario is if your son did an apprenticeship he ends up as an AO equivalent for 2+ years and not in the FCDO. Ultimately though, no one knows.

But a degree won’t automatically get him into the FCDO and nor will an apprenticeship. And the (diplomatic) faststream is not what it once was…not a guaranteed way to get promotion or overseas tbh! It’s six of one and half a dozen of the other, IME, when comparing entry routes - particularly to the FCDO.

I would also flag that promotion in the FCDO is slow. Very slow. (Widely recognised across Whitehall). There are people who would be DGs in places like DEFRA doing Grade 7 jobs in the FCDO. But it might be worth starting your own thread - as I’m sure lots of people have views on the FCDO and the fast stream!

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone thanks for the comprehensive reply! I'll get him to look into it more. He still has time.Is there any reason why promotion is slow in FCDO? I had a suspicion that it was a bit more 'who you know' than other areas, but didn't want him to not have that aspiration just because he isn't public school educated/dad in the diplomatic services blah blah. I will start my own thread when nearer the time.