Civil service application question

[Trumpetoftheswan2]

I know there's been lots of threads on this and lots of information online, but I can't quite find the answer that I need.

The job advert lists four of the success criteria and says that if there is a high volume of applications there will be an initial sift on one of them. 250 words per answer.

Do you still spread the word limit evenly across the answers, or do you say a lot more for the one that is identified for the initial sift?

I'm assuming that there will be a lot of applications.

TIA

Use 250 words per answer but put extra effort into the one that the sift maybe on with a high number of applications as that is likely as there is a recruitment freeze.

Thanks DuckBee, that's helpful and makes sense.

Is it even worth applying as an external applicant at the moment, do you think? I ask because I was put on the reserve list for a grade 7 position earlier this year, but haven't been successful in getting other interviews even when I paid one of those 'civil service application support' agencies to look over my application form. That role was exactly what I'm doing now in a related field, and I wondered if external applicants weren't being included in the sift.

TIA

Definitely worth applying as an external (sifting is generally name blind, so no advantage to being internal other than having gone through the process before successfully!), but vacancies are wildly competitive at the moment - literally hundreds of applicants for some posts.

Look at your behaviour scores for previous applications and it should give you an idea of where to improve. Make sure your behaviour examples are finely tuned to match the descriptions on here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-civil-service-behaviours#grade-7-and-grade-6-or-equivalent for the grade you are applying for. Use your words wisely - 250 isn't a lot to get your point across, so focus on the important details.

For personal statements, make sure it is very closely aligned to the essential criteria as listed on the job advert so it's as easy as possible for the sifter.

Also to be honest it’s a bit of a lottery. I’ve submitted same evidence for different jobs and got completely different scores! Also don’t be complacent on a reserve list. I’ve seen so many good people expire and had to start the process again in 12 months time when they’re out of practice.

Yes, with hundreds of applicants there must be an element of lottery.

I was on the reserve list for six months. Didn't really expect to be approached about anything and wasn't. Has expired now.

Christ on a bike.

Having spent some considerable time crafting my 250 word answers and 500 word supporting statement, I just went onto the site to cut and paste them in, only to find that since yesterday that two new success profile questions have been added and the supporting statement changed to an Experience question.

Deadline tonight, so no time to make changes.

All applicants have to be assessed in the same way, so they can't move the goalposts at the last minute by changing the application form.

If you have evidence (screenshots, page cache etc.) of the original application requirements, I'd suggest raising the issue with recruitment.

Opps, my mistake. Another job with a almost identical title has been uploaded today, and that's what I was looking at.

Thanks for prompting me to go back and have another look though!

Uploaded today with a deadline for tonight? Amend your responses and go for it - you are bound to get through!

No, the deadline for that one is in January!

Have done the requisite cutting and pasting and submitted for the other one though.

That's me over and out for job-hunting 2024 - roll on better luck next year.