Civil Service job application frustration

[IPartridge]

I've been applying for lots of CS jobs that are well within my capabilities, I'm mid 50s and applying for EO roles. But I'm just getting rejections.

The latest one, I scored better than 98% of candidates on the test, have a CV that shows I would be a perfect match, but all they looked at was the Personal Statement which obviously wasn't good enough. I've read things about using the STAR method, which I tried to do, although there were 6 different criteria that I had to show I met so it wasn't easy to cover everything.

I'm really disheartened as I was made redundant earlier this year and thought this was my chance to try something different. I've also applied for non CS jobs, that just require a CV and no luck there either.

Does anyone have any tips/advice?

Yeah that's what I tried to do, but some of them weren't really things that fit that type of explanation.

My experience was in the CV part. Which wasn't assessed.

Interesting to hear all the inside info, thanks.

Sorry to hear this. We do actually want to interview and hire people so either you didn’t show how you met the spec or there were loads and loads of applicants and you weren’t high enough up the curve.

Sorry to crash on your thread OP.

Ds is hoping to apply for a role advertised as Level 1b Executive Officer - looking at the document @Babbahabba helpfully linked to, is the role a level 1 or a level 2 according to that document - it's a little confusing as there doesn't seem to be a level 1 EO. He's a recent grad with a relevant degree -is a role at this level suitable? They want 1250 words from him on his skills and behaviours - is that a target or is being concise valued?

Thanks all - it's his first CS application - and it's a bit daunting given the reputation their application process has gained.

That may be true however it’s put me off making any further applications as it does seem like a waste of my time. I think it does signal an organisation that is bureaucratic and stuck in its way, which may not ultimately suit me!

I'm finding this advice on here really interesting as I don't really care about competencies in job applications for the CS when I read them (usually have four, all of which are scored unless there is a large number of applicants - which IMO are your chance to put your competencies out there).

In a Personal Statement I want you to show me (A) how you fulfil the key criteria and how you're a good fit to the job and what you bring, (B) why you want the job and (C) what you'll get from the job.

But, I work for quite a selective department in a very busy area - our staff routinely work well above their grade (just had someone come in as a HEO who was a G7 in their old department, because they wanted to work here so badly and yet couldn't even get above 2 in competencies at SEO or G7 level) - so I place a lot of weight on motivation, skills and experience over competencies.

Remember also, there is a wide CS recruitment freeze atm and a lot of people are job hunting. So you're competing against people who know the system, know how it works and likely know the manager - realistically, even with blind recruitment, your chances are already slim because a hiring manager will instinctively favour internal candidates (even if they are not meant to).

Hi OP I've been in the Civil Service for approx 9yrs and am currently an EO in a big department. The application process is a skill in itself with a particular set of rules and language. It's just a question of learning and perfecting that language. Once you crack it, it gets much easier. I recently changed departments and found Jac Williams' YouTube videos very helpful. There is also a Civil Service Reddit sub which has lots of recruitment advice on there. If you are stuck there are usually posters who will look over and critique your application.
Spend a good bit of time perfecting your STAR(R) examples for each behaviour. Then you've got them down and can use them in each application with some slight tweaking. Then it's just a matter of doing a tailored personal statement for each application.

The 98% score on the literacy and numeracy tests mean nothing. It's only important that you pass them to be able to access the applications. Likewise, your qualifications (unless you're applying for a specialist or technical role) don't matter a jot and neither does your CV. It seems odd, but the CS doesn't care about your grades, degree experience, credentials. The only thing they care about is whether or not that you can demonstrate how you fit the behaviours using real examples in a specific format.

Remember as well, these examples don't necessarily have to come from your employment history: they can be demonstrated from volunteering, being on the PTA, running a club, being at uni/college anything in life really. As long as you can describe what you did, how you did it, what the outcome was and what you learned/would do differently next time, you're golden.

What I find odd is that the CS was my first ‘proper’ job at 18. I worked for the (then) DHSS in the late 1990s. I’ve also worked for the (then) Inland Revenue in the mid-2000s.

A couple of years ago I applied for an apprenticeship with Border Force. Two of my friends did too. All in our mid-late 40s and plenty of experience in enforcement roles. None of us got through.

Same friend and I also applied separately for Border Force jobs. Didn’t get past the assessment online.

I find it odd that as an 18 year old I did a better application than as someone with 25 years work experience. Then again, it was a much more straightforward process. No online assessment, just a quite simple
form and interview if you got past the initial sift.

I'd only be looking for AA jobs now as I want the flexi time and a fairly simple job. I wouldn’t bother applying though as it just seems impossible even for entry level jobs!

I felt the same. I was getting a load of interviews elsewhere but applied for 4 civil service jobs, spent time using the STAR method and nothing. Wasn't worth my time in the end but it is frustrating when you are told they need people in my area.

In a recent EO campaign in my department there were nearly 1500 applications, many of which were from experienced and highly qualified people. I think people presume EO jobs would be easy to get as they’re ’entry level’ but competition is fierce,

Blimey that's a crazy amount. Was the role offered in a variety of locations? I always think they must get a huge amount of interest.

@IPartridge there are fewer positions available at the moment due to intended headcount reduction, so posts are typically attracting more applicants than before.

It's the same with many employers I imagine. I've been recruiting to entry level roles recently and there have been vast numbers of applicants. Because vast numbers will meet the person spec. Higher level roles there are fewer potential people.

So don't assume because you've been working at a higher level that it's easy to get in at entry level and you absolutely have to demonstrate very clearly how you meet all the criteria.

At entry level the only people who stand a chance of an interview are those who've demonstrated meeting all the criteria. Very strongly and clearly because there's little time to read every application as there are so many.

One of my friends is a recruiter for civil service, and she says the quality of their recruits is very low.

What rubbish. The civil service employs nearly half a million people with hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of roles at all kinds of levels. How can she possibly make such a generalisation? Says more about her than the CS I think!

Yeah, you're probably right, what would she know - she's only been in the business for 30 years.

And she's recruited at every single level and every single department and agency, has she?

You're right she doesn't have a clue what she is talking about - she probably made it all up. She's not at all qualified to comment in the slightest. There must be at least one dept that attracts a high number of high-calibre applicants, you'd think...maybe?

Yes. In my experience of being an actual civil servant, in particular the small, technically specialist departments (who on the whole tend not to use recruiters) offer interesting, specialised work at all levels and so attract a different type of applicant, compared to the very large recruitment campaigns, run by eg DWP, HMRC, Home Office, Prisons etc. So back to my original point - perhaps your friend's experience isn't reflective of the entirety of the civil service and so it's not really relevant to come onto a thread like this and just cast generalities without any of the detailed background from OP.

You're right again.

I am a recruiting manager within the CS and i would say quite the opposite.

Perhaps she meant the quality of applications is very low?

Yes sorry - that is what she meant. So although the number of applicants was high, the quality was very low - so one shouldn't be intimidated by the high number.

I feel the same. I spent ages over it but it seems you have to guess the number they are thinking of to even get through the door.

The point about high numbers of applicants though. I've found about two thirds are poor quality. And probably about 10-15% worth considering.

But if you have 100+ applicants, you still have to do an initial sift to get rid of the two thirds who are poor quality. I get HR to do that, but not everyone gets that option. That still leaves 10-15% to read in-depth, score and decide who to interview. At two mins per application that's still hours of work for the numbers applying.

Following
also trying to move from private sector to CS and getting nowhere.

I have been an EO since Jan. Are you looking at the values and behaviours for the EO grade and the job description/ person specification and then linking your own experience in to your statement.

It is a gruelling process. If you are claiming UC/ ESA then they do a civil service online course for a week where they go over the application and values/ behaviours desired for the role.

We have a variety of people working in our office - some with experience such as yours and others with minimal experience. They really are looking at behaviours rather than experience and qualifications.

The STAR method is great for the interview
situation: keep it brief - just an outline
task: concentrate on what you did
action: again concentrate on what you did
result: the outcome

IIf you want to get extra brownie points describe how your actions and the outcome align with the civil service values and behaviours.

A friend of mine who does the recruiting said the biggest mistake people make is not reading values and behaviours desired for the grade.