Grade 6 CV, Employment History and Previous Skills Help

A Grade 6 Civil Service CV is not automatically scored in the same way across every campaign. Departments and vacancy holders can request different formats, word limits or information. Read the advert, person specification, essential criteria, desirable criteria and attachments before using any standard method.

The approach on this page is a practical method based on making evidence clear and easy to match. It cannot guarantee a sift pass. Where the vacancy gives a specific instruction, follow that instruction first.

What the Employment History box is for

Employment History should usually be a plain factual timeline. Include employer, job title and dates. Add short role detail only when the vacancy or form specifically requests it. Keeping this field concise avoids repeating the detailed evidence that belongs later.

What the Previous Skills and Experience box is for

Use Previous Skills and Experience as the criteria-matching section. If headings are allowed, title it Relevant Skills and Experience. Create one evidence slot for every important point in the advert, including essential criteria, desirable criteria, responsibilities, experience requirements and technical or professional points.

How non-Civil Service experience can support a Grade 6 application

External experience can be strong Grade 6 evidence when the scope and consequence are clear. A Head of Operations, programme lead, senior professional, commercial lead, service owner or charity executive may demonstrate the required accountability. Translate unfamiliar titles and language into outcomes, decisions, stakeholders, resources and risks that a Civil Service sifter can understand.

Common Grade 6 CV mistakes

• Using Employment History for long job descriptions and leaving too little new evidence for Previous Skills and Experience.
• Writing one broad profile paragraph that does not map to the advert.
• Covering essential criteria while ignoring responsibilities, desirable criteria or attached documents.
• Repeating duties instead of showing real settings, personal action and outcomes.
• Using senior adjectives without scale, trade-offs, stakeholders or consequences.
• Putting evidence in chronological order instead of leading with the strongest and most important matches.