All our current vacancies are advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website. You can search for jobs there and filter them, including by location, role or salary.
We recruit on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. Our selection processes are designed to ensure that all candidates receive fair and equal treatment.
Because we recruit to so many different roles, it’s not possible to describe the detailed selection processes for all of them here – but every advert we publish describes what we’re looking for and how we’ll assess applications for that role.
Success Profiles
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Like other Civil Service departments, we use the Success Profiles framework to assess applications for our roles. Success Profiles contains 5 elements: Ability, Behaviours, Experience, Strengths and Technical. You can access a summary of Success Profiles and the different elements in this information note on Success Profiles for candidates
Not all of the Success Profiles elements are relevant to every role. The ones we use will vary depending on the level and type of role you apply for. You might be assessed on only one element, or any combination of them.
In addition, for some roles we may use Professional Technical Frameworks to help assess candidates. When we do this, we’ll say so in the job advert and provide further information on those frameworks.
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Before applying you should check whether you are eligible to do so.
- Firstly, you must have the Right to Work in the UK. Those with time limited Right to Work must ensure that they maintain their Right to Work during their employment.
- Secondly, you must meet the nationality requirements stipulated in the job advert. These can differ, depending on the role, so please read that information to be sure of your eligibility to apply.
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In most cases, we only accept applications through the Civil Service Jobs website, and all applications must be made online unless you have a disability that prevents you from applying by that route (see Reasonable adjustment section below). Please note that once you submit your application, you cannot amend it.
As part of your application, you will be asked to enter your most current employment details, covering a period of at least 3 years. You must provide details of any gaps in your employment history.
Reasonable adjustments
We’re a Disability Confident Leader. So, if a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we’re committed to adapting our processes.
Please complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to explain what help you might need during the recruitment process. For example, we can ensure wheelchair access or a Language Service Professional at your interview, provide questions in an accessible format or potentially allow more time at interview.
If you require such a change in order to complete your application, you should approach the point of contact in the job advert. It’s important you discuss your needs as soon as possible and before the closing date.
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For some vacancies, we ask candidates to complete Civil Service Online Tests. These tests are an assessment of your ability to meet the requirements of the role. The standard tests that we choose from include:
- The Civil Service Verbal Test
- The Civil Service Numerical Test
- The Civil Service Work Strengths Test
- The Customer Service Skills Test
- The Civil Service Management Judgement Test
- The Casework Skills Test
We also sometimes use other tests, where relevant to the role.
Typically, we ask you to sit one or more of these tests. Candidates must pass each test in order to proceed to the next stage of the application process. We use these online tests because they offer a robust and effective assessment of your ability, and they require no evaluation of applicants’ education, qualifications or work experience.
We’ll calculate your score based on the responses you provide, and then compare it with the results of a peer group who have taken the same test(s).
You will receive an automatically generated feedback report that will help you to understand how well you performed. It will also provide some general suggestions as to how you could have improved your score.
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If you pass the online tests set, you’ll proceed to the full application stage. The information you’ll be asked to complete will vary depending on the role, but the advert and the application form will set out exactly what’s required of you.
You might be asked to submit a CV demonstrating your experience and employment history and/or a personal statement. These may be used to assess different Success Profiles elements, including your Experience and any Technical professional skills, knowledge or qualifications. Behaviours – examples of actions or activities you’ve delivered – can also be assessed from your CV, or we might ask you to provide specific examples of them on the application form.
Advice on writing your CV and Personal Statement
You can access guidance on writing a CV and a personal statement. On your statement, we recommend using examples structured following the STAR method to explain how your experience matches the requirements of the role. Be concise, use plain English and avoid using acronyms without explaining what they stand for!
Whatever documents you are asked to complete, please do not include any information that could identify you, for example your name, age, place of education or links to online information. This is a really important part of keeping the process fair for everyone.
Your application will be scored by us to determine whether you will be invited to the next stage or not. Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll be able to track its progress via the Civil Service Jobs website.
Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident Leader, we seek to offer interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria, as published in the relevant job advert. We also offer a similar scheme for Veterans, in line with the initiative, A Great Place to Work for Veterans, and also for civil servants at risk of redundancy.
If you wish to apply for consideration under these schemes, please complete the appropriate section on the online application form so that we can make any necessary arrangements.S
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To view an Audio Described version of this video, please visit How to apply: Success Profiles (Audio Described Version) (youtube.com)
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In the Civil Service we recruit to fill a wide range of roles. So, we have an approach to recruiting that gives us flexibility and candidates transparency on how we assess their applications.
The framework we use is called the Success Profiles. Now the Success Profiles is made up of five elements: ability, behaviours, experience, strengths, and technical.
We choose a combination of these elements to ensure the best chance of finding the right person for each one of our roles. It would be rare for us to test all five elements of the Success Profiles. So, please check the selection process of the job advert that you are interested in, and you will find the elements that we will be using and testing you on for that particular role.
Now let’s run through the five elements in more detail.
Number one: experience.
Experience is the knowledge or mastery of an activity through involvement or practice. So, it’s about helping us understand what you’ve done that might be relevant for the role that we are advertising for.
Number two is strengths. And the strengths are the things that people do regularly, do well, and that motivate us. So when we’re testing strengths, we’re looking to understand how natural specific activities or approaches are to you.
Number three is behaviours and behaviours are the actions and activities
that people do, which result in effective performance in their job. When we test behaviours, we’re not only interested in what you’ve done, but also how you did it.
Number four is ability. Now ability is the aptitude or potential to perform to the required standard. When we test your ability, we’re not looking at what you’ve done but what you can do.
And finally technical. Technical is where we test how you demonstrate specific professional skills knowledge or qualifications.
We use success profiles throughout our selection process. So, from the initial application through to your interview, the advert will set out the elements
you’ll be tested on at each stage. After the application process, all candidates will be able to see your civil Service Jobs website account where details of how you scored against each element of the Success Profiles framework.
Finally, good luck!
On this page, you’ll find an overview of the selection approaches we use and the general application process we follow.
Problems During the Selection Process
If you experience accessibility problems with any of the attachments on one of our job adverts, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact the Government Recruitment Service at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we may not be able to reopen your application.
We cannot make amendments to any part of the application. Please use the following in the subject line in your email if you need to get in contact with us about your initial application “Please re-open my application – Vacancy Ref XXX CLOSING DATE XXXX.”
Interviews
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If you are successful in reaching this stage of the application process, you will receive an email explaining how to arrange your interview slot.
Most interviews last about an hour and will test you on the advertised criteria for the post. These may relate to the Behaviours, Experience and Technical elements considered previously, or to Strengths (which are most commonly tested at interview only), alongside any other assessment elements being used.
When answering questions on your Experience or on Behaviours, you may find it helpful to use the the STAR method.
As the name suggests, Strengths questions test the things you’re good at. There are no right or wrong answers to Strengths questions: We’re assessing your initial and unrehearsed responses.
You may also be asked to prepare a presentation on a given subject area, or for technical roles to undertake a technical test. If this is the case, we’ll notify you in advance of the interview.
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If your application is unsuccessful, we will email you with links to your scores for the different elements tested. We aim to offer all candidates invited to interview further feedback, but this isn’t always possible due to the volume of applications we receive for some roles.
If your application has been successful, we’ll send you a provisional offer of employment, pending the pre-appointment checks specified in the job advert. These checks include those relating to your eligibility. They can take several weeks to conduct and must be satisfactorily completed before we can make a formal offer of employment or agree a start date. If you are in employment, please do not hand in your notice until you have received confirmation that you have passed your checks and you have received your formal offer.
After accepting your formal offer, you will receive an employment contract from our Shared Service Centre. This is likely to be issued around the time of your start date and is not guaranteed to be sent before that date. However, details of the Home Office’s standard terms and conditions for the role you have been formally offered can be found in the original job advert that you applied for.
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To view a version of this video with audio description please visit our YouTube channel
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Home Office. How to Apply: Job Interviews
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your career journey, interviews can be nerve-wracking. In this video, I’ll share some tips to help you perform well at your Home Office interview.
Tip: 1 Research how you will be assessed
We’ll always tell you in the job advert which elements of the Success Profiles framework to expect at interview. And you can find resources on Success Profiles and advice on each element on our website. It’s really important to understand what will be assessed ahead of your interview.
Tip 2: Prepare your examples
Review the Essential Criteria and prepare your best examples which demonstrate those skills and that experience. If we’re assessing Behaviours, review which ones we’re assessing and develop examples to showcase them. The same applies for any Technical Skills we’ll assess.
An excellent way to explain your examples is by using the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. We’re really interested in hearing about what you personally did and what difference you made in that situation. You can learn more about STAR in our separate video.
Another element in Success Profiles is Strengths. You can’t prepare examples in advance for this. But have a think about the things you naturally enjoy and do well at.
Tip 3: Control your nerves
This is easy to say! It’s natural to be nervous. But remember we’re not trying to catch you out. We’re trying to give you the best opportunity to succeed.
You can decrease stress by arriving early to your interview, and if you’re doing a video interview, check that your tech will work on the day.
The panel will introduce themselves and tell you how the interview will be run. We’ll often start with an ice breaker question. This won’t be scored but is there to help you settle in.
It sounds simple but remember to answer the question you’re being asked – your mind is often racing and its essential to listen carefully. It’s generally a good idea to take a pause or write the question down to refer back to. You may have those pre-prepared examples that you want to use, however, be ready to adapt these, and your response, to ensure you are answering the question.
Tip 4: Let us know if you need any adjustments
We are an inclusive employer, so if you need any adjustments for your interview, please let us know and we’ll be happy to consider your request. We want to help you perform at your best.
At the end of your interview, you’ll have the chance to ask any questions. And after the interview you’ll receive your results, and in most cases, written feedback on your performance.
We hope this video has been helpful and wish you the best of luck!
For more, see careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/Applying
Checks
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To enable us to carry out our Pre-Employment Checks we ask to see copies of certain documents (downloads document).
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All non-civil servants need to undergo a security check as part of pre-employment checks. This will include National Security Vetting to a level required for the role and stated within the advert. Existing Civil Servants from other Departments will also need to meet the relevant National Security Vetting level.
To enable us to complete a security check, you should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last three years if the role requires CTC clearance, five years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. Please check the advert for the level of Security Clearance required for the role.
A lack of UK residency is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance. Applicants should contact the recruiting manager listed in the advert for further advice on this issue, if required.
Visit GOV.UK for more information about the different types of security checks.