Personal statement for civil service

[Printerpuffin]

Im hoping to move into the Civil Service and feel I’ve got the STAR format down for the examples in the application process. One role I’m looking at has six bullet points listed under essential criteria, and the personal statement can be up to 1250 words.

My current thinking is to address each bullet point in its own paragraph with a STAR example for each. Does that sound like the best approach? Or should I aim for a more general narrative that incorporates the criteria in a cohesive way?

Thanks in advance!

Look at the Civil Service Compentencies on their website and find the grade you are applying for.
Try to incorporate these into your examples as this is where they score you .

Personal statement is a bit about you and what experience you have and how it is evidenced. No harm including the bullet points.

This isn’t particularly helpful advice. There’s no such thing as competencies now - you presumably mean behaviours. And you haven’t really answered OP’s question.

OP, make it as easy as possible for the people scoring you. Don’t go down the general narrative route - use each item as a heading (like actually put headings in) and give a strong example for each one.

@catkatcatkat

Thanks :) That's exactly what I've done - headings (based on the essential criteria) with a strong example for each one.

Definately make sure you cover the essential criteria fully. Incorporate behaviours as far as you can. Check if ad says how the PS will be assessed

Read the instructions on the job ad, personal statements are usually about evidencing you meet the essential criteria rather than evidencing behaviours.

Don't rely on your statement being read in conjunction with your CV either, make sure all your relevant experience etc is in the personal statement.

You don’t need to incorporate behaviours into the personal statement - you need to evidence the list of spec you’ve been asked to evidence in it.

You can’t score people extra for shoehorning behaviour examples in when that’s not the assignment!

Hence me saying read ad carefully. Usually ps is focused on essential criteria yet. Good point made above that the cv may be assessed seperately