How to apply for a Civil Service HEO role as somebody who has been privately educated

[Specialguardianshiporderchild]

I've been an EO for almost 5 years.

I've done a lot of research in regards to applying for more senior and higher paid roles.

Those that have been privately educated tend to get higher paid roles in the CS, regardless of their paid for education.

Hear me out.

I read a post on another forum about a similar subject. The general consensus was that those who have been privately educated are far more confident when going through the interview process, even if they only have the bare minimum skills to carry out said role.

How can I adopt the confidence skills of somebody who has been privately educated?

I think that as somebody who came from a low socio-economic background, it's not too late for me to learn a trick or 2?

This post is by no means meant to hate on those that have been privately educated, I'm just well aware that outside of qualifications, there may be some hints or tips that could be shared?

I think you’d be better to aim for more confidence as yourself than trying to ape someone else.

There is loads online about how to do CS interviews and lots of us can advise too.

You need confidence. Not the confidence of a privately educated person, just confidence. Become a confident state educated person. Otherwise you'll always have that chip on your shoulder.

Loads of state educated HEOs btw. It's nothing to do with your school, it's your interview performance. Which there is a specific way to approach - which others can help with.

Can anyone give a link to where tips on these interviews can be found please? Thanks.

Look on YouTube for Jac Williams. He's done a few videos on CS recruitment

I know, I know, I really do.

I perform so well in my role and I've been advised to seek higher grades.

However, my role is very specific in that I support people from a background in which I came from myself, hence the username!

When completing situational judgement tests, I always fall short.

I'm desperate to distance myself from my childhood and preconceived decisions.

HEO isn’t particularly senior in many parts of the Civil Service. It IS seen as senior in operational areas, but these typically have a lower proportion of staff from a private school background anyway, and I doubt a state-educated HEO would be an anomaly.

OP I think you’re fixating on the wrong thing and as others have said you should just focus on improving your confidence and learning how to play the game.

I have been a civil servant for years and mentored a lot of people. I've found that often when people looking for new CS roles start blaming external factors like their educational background it's often because they are falling short in theirs skills and/or navigating the application process and looking for a reason that makes it not their fault.

The thing is that you can't become like a privately educated person because you aren't one. I had an interesting experience in my last dept (operational as it happens) where they were very focussed on lower socioeconomic backgrounds and so as a privately educated person with a degree I was passed over for everything - I assure you that department didn't have any problem with hiring/promoting people from lower s-e backgrounds at all and it made up the majority of the staff they'd hired in the last 40 yrs - I was an anomaly! So it can work both ways.

My advice would be to get yourself a good mentor. Then focus on assessing your skills, identifying gaps, interview technique etc. Navigating the process is a skill in itself which can be learned and improved.

Looking at your user name I'm going to hazard a guess that you're very good at the nuts & bolts role you're in, HEO in your dept is more of a leadership grade (you mention judgement tests being included) and you've not had an opportunity to sufficiently develop your leadership skills yet. That is eminently changeable.

I don’t think it’s easy to imitate those behaviours and attitudes. I think you’d have more luck studying the civil service competencies and making sure you have prepared examples that meet them.

When completing situational judgement tests, I always fall short.

I'm desperate to distance myself from my childhood and preconceived decisions.

You talk as if the two are related. They're not. You're failing because you're not good at situational judgement tests. Nothing to do with your childhood.

Can you find a mentor to talk you through the SJs and how to answer them?

I don’t think that’s always the case. I’m from a lower class background and I’m a G7. I started as EO. My colleague same grade is also from a working class background. Many in the senior civil service are privately educated but not all. My ex is a G3 level and is from a lower class background, child of immigrants (illegal entrants!), father a taxi driver.