Below you’ll find our latest Civil Service advice. Use the search function above to find guidance on your issue, or visit Get Tailored Advice to submit your own question.
Turning Routine Work Into a Strong Civil Service Behaviour Example Hello, I am applying for AO roles and most of my experience is routine administration. I process invoices, update records, answer queries and follow set procedures. I do not have a major crisis or project to write about. One example is when I noticed that…
What to Include in the Civil Service Employment History Box Hello, I am completing an AO application with separate boxes for Employment History and Previous Skills and Experience. The Employment History box has plenty of space, but the form does not explain how much detail it wants. I currently have employer names, job titles, dates…
Whether to Add Duties to Civil Service Employment History Hello, I am completing an AO application. The Employment History box is free text and the instructions only say to provide my employment history. I have seen advice saying it should contain employer, title and dates only. My current title is “Team Member”, which does not…
Using Headings in Civil Service Previous Skills and Experience Hello, I am applying for a HEO project role and have 1,000 words for Previous Skills and Experience. The person specification has six essential criteria. I want to use each criterion as a heading because it makes the evidence easier to follow. I am concerned that…
Covering Essential Criteria in Previous Skills and Experience Hello, I am applying for an SEO programme role. The application asks for a CV with Employment History and Previous Skills and Experience, followed by a 750-word personal statement. There are seven essential criteria. I can cover all of them in the personal statement, but I am…
Removing Identifying Information From an Anonymous Civil Service CV Hello, I am applying for a HEO role and the advert says the CV must be anonymous. I understand that I should remove my name and contact details, but I am unsure about employer names, university names and locations. My current role is with a recognisable…
Leaving Short or Irrelevant Jobs Out of Civil Service Employment History Hello, I am applying for an AO role and have several short jobs from agency work, hospitality and retail. Some lasted only a few months and are not directly relevant to the vacancy. If I include everything, the Employment History box looks cluttered. If…
How Much Career History to Include in a Civil Service CV Hello, I am applying for a Grade 7 role and have more than 20 years of experience. My early roles show the start of my management career, but they are less relevant than the last decade. Listing every job with full duties makes the…
Explaining Employment Gaps in a Civil Service CV Hello, I am applying for an EO role and have a 14-month gap after leaving my previous job to care for a family member. The application does not directly ask me to explain gaps, although the dates make it obvious. I do not want to disclose private…
Rewriting Civil Service CV Duties as Evidence and Results Hello, I am applying for a HEO operational delivery role. My CV says things like “responsible for stakeholder meetings”, “managed risks” and “produced weekly reports”. The duties are accurate, but they could apply to anyone in the role. I have results from the work, although I…