The reading room
Make sense of Civil Service recruitment.
Civil Service adverts can assume you already understand their language. These guides explain the process plainly, so you can decide what a vacancy is asking for before you start writing.
Where should you start?
- Unsure what to submit? Start with reading the advert and Success Profiles.
- Have an example but cannot explain it? Use the STAR walkthrough, then choose the relevant behaviour below.
- Writing a personal statement? Build a requirement-to-evidence plan.
- Had an unsuccessful application? Use the sift feedback checklist to find what needs attention.
Try a practice scenario
Work through an original judgement-test scenario and see the reasoning behind each response.
Open judgement test practice →Understanding the process
Success Profiles: identifying what your application needsSeparate written requirements from interview preparation in a Civil Service advert. Covers the five assessment elements, candidate packs and missing information.
Civil Service grades: comparing the role with your experienceUnderstand the grade names and compare your responsibilities with the advertised level. Includes advice for career changers and applicants without line-management experience.
Civil Service sift scores and feedback on your applicationRead the common 1–7 scoring scale, understand why meeting a minimum may not secure an interview and use feedback to review the evidence in your answer.
Editing Civil Service answers to meet the word limitCompare shorter and longer wording, identify repetition and preserve the detail behind your decisions. Covers behaviour answers and personal statements.
Writing your application
Free behaviour answer checkerAlready written an answer? Get an estimated score and evidence-based feedback without a rewrite.
Using STAR to structure a Civil Service behaviour answerWork through Situation, Task, Action and Result with a volunteering example. See how to balance the background, your contribution and the outcome.
Writing a Civil Service personal statement against the criteriaMatch the job requirements to your experience, organise your evidence and plan the word count. Includes an example paragraph and a submission checklist.
The nine Civil Service behavioursPlain-English guides to all nine behaviours: what each one is asking for and how to choose the right evidence.
Preparing for Civil Service strengths interview questionsReflect on activities you enjoy and do well, then practise explaining them. Includes preparation questions and the differences between strengths and behaviours.
Tests and assessment
Civil Service online tests: formats, practice and resultsFind official practice for your named test, check the timing instructions and understand percentile results. Includes a judgement-test scenario with reasoning.
Civil Service assessment centres: preparing for each exercisePrepare for the written tasks, presentations and discussions named in your invitation. Includes rehearsal suggestions and checks for remote or in-person attendance.
Requesting reasonable adjustments for Civil Service recruitmentDescribe the difficulty you face and discuss arrangements with the recruitment team. Includes a message to adapt and steps to take after a test invitation arrives.
Independent guidance
Sift Assist is not part of the Civil Service. Always follow the instructions in your vacancy and check current official guidance before making decisions about your application.
Put this into practice.
Add your advert and let guided questions help you find the useful detail in your own experience.
Create your free account