Civil Service, 1st interview. Tips/tricks/advice?

dimestorediamond

Hi,

A couple of weeks ago I got some great advice from this forum so thought I would check in ask for tips again.

I've gotten through to the 1st interview stage for a branch of the civil service. I have had one civil service interview before but obviously, didn't get the job. This role is in a completely different department to the last, although they were both administrative and sort of entry level.

Any advice on nailing an interview? Can I expect the same type of interview as before? The last interviewer asked me to demonstrate relevant competencies, all which were in the written application. I felt like I shouldn't repeat the application form and not give the same examples and floundered a bit. So this time, do I prepare a different example?

What kind of practical tests can I expect?

I really, really want to nail this, so any kind of advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

goldsounds

dimestorediamond wrote: »

Hi,

A couple of weeks ago I got some great advice from this forum so thought I would check in ask for tips again.

I've gotten through to the 1st interview stage for a branch of the civil service. I have had one civil service interview before but obviously, didn't get the job. This role is in a completely different department to the last, although they were both administrative and sort of entry level.

Any advice on nailing an interview? Can I expect the same type of interview as before? The last interviewer asked me to demonstrate relevant competencies, all which were in the written application. I felt like I shouldn't repeat the application form and not give the same examples and floundered a bit. So this time, do I prepare a different example?

What kind of practical tests can I expect?

I really, really want to nail this, so any kind of advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Hi

Depending on which grade you went for for AO and EO you would have sat the tests and had your competencies sifted before attending
interview.

As for interview the panel haven't read your previous competencies so you are ok to reuse them or use new ones instead. Remember STAR format for the competencies

IAmWales

As above, the format is likely to be very similar, and if they use different questions they should be predictable from the competencies. Follow the STAR format, stick to the point, and feel free to use the same examples. Also most will allow you to take notes in with you

Good luck!

dimestorediamond

goldsounds wrote: »

Hi

Depending on which grade you went for for AO and EO you would have sat the tests and had your competencies sifted before attending
interview.

As for interview the panel haven't read your previous competencies so you are ok to reuse them or use new ones instead. Remember STAR format for the competencies

I believe AO is the grade. I had the application with examples of the competencies (Making Effective Decisions, Changing and Improving, Collaborating and Partnering and Delivering at pace) and then I had an online Sift test.

The interview is scheduled to be an hour so assume there will be some sort of testing. It required knowledge of Microsoft packages, so maybe that? I had something similar in the last CS interview. I'm trying to teach myself everything about the packages as I only use Word regularly at the moment.

I shall indeed remember STAR, I just get nervous and start babbling or worry that I haven't said enough.

dimestorediamond

IAmWales wrote: »

As above, the format is likely to be very similar, and if they use different questions they should be predictable from the competencies. Follow the STAR format, stick to the point, and feel free to use the same examples. Also most will allow you to take notes in with you

Good luck!

Thank you. I wondered if I would look odd taking notes, but a little card might be super useful!

LadyMcFinch

I like to go through the bullet point lists of behaviours for the relevant competencies and come up with a practical example of each. It's a pain to do, but it means that pretty much whatever they ask you'll be able to pluck out a relevant answer.