Civil Service Success Profiles Interview 5 Biggest Mistakes (Competency/Strength Based Interview)

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This video is not official guidance.
In this video I share my personal opinion and experiences on the 5 biggest mistakes when it comes Civil Service interviews and general competency style interview questions.
Be sure to check out my overview of the CS Success profiles video:
• Civil Service Success ...
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:41- 1. STAR approach - the wrong way
02:07 - 2. Not sharing lessons learned
02:51- 3. Getting thrown by probe questions
04:05- 4. Not Studying the job advert
05:47- 5. Not taking ownership
If you have any questions please let me know in the comments down below :)

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

✍🏻 Get the ULTIMATE Civil Service Question Bank ➡ etsy.me/3EYVqvF

[@nathanjamesmorris6118]

Really good, thanks. It’s all just so frustrating though as it just seems to come down to who’s best at interviews. It doesn’t mean they’re actually the best 😢

[@sherimillman53]

true because once they got the job they have to show what they can do

[@lobintool]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. How are you supposed to evaluate the success or otherwise of your programme if you don't know who got rejected in the process? Just because they didn't tick the right boxes!

[@DenkyManner]

Or you can view it as which candidate has the sense to really study and prepare for the interview. That could give an employer an idea of how they are likely to approach the job, winging it or actually studying the best way to do it. If an interview goes bad, learn from it and be better next time. Life is about actively engaging with stressful situations and coming out better. Keep levelling up, and learn how to master any challenge.

[@oliverc432]

Hi Jac, I just wanted to say thank you for your helpful videos. I had my first ever civil service interview a few weeks ago and remarkably I have been offered the job! I start in a couple of weeks and I owe it to your great advice. Thanks man 👍👍

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Congratulations - that's awesome. You're welcome :)

[@kevinstoneham1245]

A colleague told me on Friday about the lessoned learned part and you have just mentioned this as well, so this is great, in my prep I am now added this I at the end.

[@uchennanjoku7413]

Hi Jac, your videos are helpful. Do you have any video on Managing a Quality Service?

[@DWEST]

Hey ! I watched Your videos on how to prepare for the 1st stage of interview with the application, and was successful and got the interview !

[@jimboj460]

Big up Jac you explain the whole thing really nicely

[@mirage4442]

thank you so much for all these videos. they’ve been so helpful for me & love how tidy your background is ❤️

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

You’re welcome! Haha I’m quite OCD with the background 😂

[@china.2816]

Yes I realised after my interview that I was saying WE a lot ☹️ that’s definitely where I messed up. Wish I saw this video beforehand. Hopefully will get to interview stage again! Thanks!!

[@bechikhnaoufel3395]

Great insights, thank you Jac.

[@michellechikonde6903]

Hi Jac, this was really helpful! Thanks. Do you have any tips on how to answer the civil service technical skill question?

[@Leanneyhunter]

Hi Jac, I just stumbled across this channel over the weekend and I’m so pleased to have found it. Your videos are extremely helpful for an application process that I going through at the moment. I heard you mention at the end of the previous video you had almost 50 subs, I see now 2 year later you have 10.8k and I can totally see why that is!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Glad he videos are helpful and you're enjoying them :)

[@mannyman7794]

Very good video Jac you have really helped me keep it coming :)

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Thank you, glay they help :)

[@helenkhan3287]

I always come back to these videos whenever I have an interview. Thank you

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

You're welcome Helen.

[@duncan280777]

Thanks for posting these videos, they were a great help. I completely changed the examples I was planning to give after watching them and I got the progression 🙂

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Awesome!

[@alishapatel2282]

Brilliant tips thank you so much

[@BeautifulNaturalDramatic]

Very useful and helpful video 👍

[@PeteNewell-zk7zi]

Again, this is great!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Glad you think so Pete :)

[@TheJadebc]

I have an interview on Thursday and I can’t stop watching your videos! Fingers crossed it’ll give me the confidence I need, not had an interview in over 10 years!

[@thebigeasy87]

How did the interview go?

[@7002164]

How did it go?

[@maxinechantel2393]

Jac, I would like to request if you can make a video on how to answer the objective test before you can progressed to apply for Grade 7 civil service roles.

[@matthewwestbrook5313]

Really appreciate this video. Got my interview coming up, and I feel this helped 👍

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Thanks Matthew, best of luck!

[@gracestock2242]

Thank you so helpful

[@lobintool]

Thank you for that. Jac, very useful information.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

You're welcome

[@MetropolitanStudiosLondon]

great insight - thank you so much

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lunaakond]

Thanks very much for the video. I have passed my interview with civil service after following star method. And I added lesson learned example with every questions. Fantastic! Best wishes.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Great job!

[@al-anoud-123]

YES YES YES the "we" and "I" are very important in the civil service interviews. I once was told by my line manager that when she done the training for the interview panel she was told the minute the applicant says "we" put your pen down!!! it is crazy

[@al-anoud-123]

By the way thanks for all the tips very helpful!!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

You're welcome!

[@YusufIslam1]

These are solid advice

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Thanks :)

[@ayeshawali4313]

brilliant thanks!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

:)

[@davetherave28]

I just wanted to say thanks for all the helpful guidelines, Jac.. I'm quite nervous about an upcoming interview, I haven't any prior experience of working in the Civil Service, but I'm very keen to impress on what I can bring to the role. *I'm definitely guilty of using "We" instead of "I" for a few of the examples that I gave. I think this was highlighted in the written part of my application on some of my STAR answers. I shall be keeping all these pointers in mind when I go into the interview, but it's a huge help to have your insight ahead of attending

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Good luck!

[@amyleith4642]

How did it go?

[@davetherave28]

@@amyleith4642 Thanks Amy, I'm afraid it wasn't to be. I gave it my best shot- but I knew as the interview went on I wasn't hitting the right notes. It was very hot in there, I had a few prompt questions (though I thought I'd answered in full). 2 civilians and one military (Warrant Officer) on the panel. Trying to think of different examples to use and vary my answers was tricky. The pressure got me. I shall try again, It was an interesting time researching for the role and I've committed much of the process to memory- & the excellent advice from Jac !

[@zahrahkhan5971]

As someone who has worked in the private sector and is now in the civil service, I never had any trouble getting a job in the private sector. But I've been with the civil service for 10years now and I struggle to get promotion because I can't interview the civil service way. Talking about the situation and tasks in the private sector is always a way to show what you can do and in some way show what you have done which goes towards showing your experience. They don't care about you talking about the way in which you did it. It blows mind just how much confidence I've lost because of the civil service. I sometimes set up interviews with private sector companies just to proof to myself that I'm not stupid and that I can still get the job, and guess what? I can still get the job and I can actually get the interviews too, which is another issue with the civil service, actually getting an interview. You might be wondering why I'm still with the civil service, well, I do appreciate the flexibility in working patterns and that's it really. I have so much to offer, but due to the bizzare way of interviewing, I'll never be able to climb the ladder.

[@standarduck5860]

Did this video not help you? I notice you've ended on a disappointing note, implying the issue is with the Civil Service and not with you. I hope you find a promotion eventually :) I've been trying for 5 years and have my first interview from about 60 applications! It's not been very easy, I must say!

[@zahrahkhan5971]

@@standarduck5860 it helped in way. It's helpful knowing what you're meant to say, but I struggle to put it in practice and I think I just don't have the intellectual ability to pass these interviews or even do the applications.

[@stevebizzel3689]

@@zahrahkhan5971 I have been with the Civil Service for 7 years and I have the same issues. I can't sell myself within the Civil Service interview criteria. They should value experience and not the words people use to describe a situation, task action and result. Everyone has their own way of communicating and listening is a skill an interviewer needs to have. They just seem to hear certain words and tick boxes in the Civil Service

[@mike.3000]

I agree! Thats why they end up with robot leaders

[@leslie-annmills-gomez8763]

Yep, that's me

[@heatherberry6273]

Great video. Thank you. What would be good questions to ask the point of contact?

[@jennymacdonnell1901]

I have an interview coming up later this week with a presentation. I would have loved to have watched a video about giving a presentation at a CS interview, might be worth covering this subject in the future.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Best of luck! thanks for the idea will think of how to do it

[@ngozifrancisca6422]

Hi Jac, thanks for your CS videos it's really helpful. I got an interview coming up, my first for CS and I am just wondering in your experience is it common to get intro questions like - Tell me about yourself and what do you know about us/ why you applied - in CS interviews or straight into the Behaviour & Strength questions?

[@Polyskill]

Awesome and superb information. I hope if someone wish to appear in interviews. Great.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

thanks, glad you enjoyed :)

[@guss2099]

I just passed my situational awareness and waiting for a reply on the personal statement, so next step will be the interview. Thank you for sharing this information. 🙂👍🏼

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Best of luck!

[@abeerh2547]

That was awesome thank u

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@samyoe]

Cheers Jac, a bit apprehensive to contact my recruiter,

[@danielledalton8981]

Can you do a video on the DWP judgment test?

[@Truegho]

I HATE being kept on a Civil Service reserve list for months and months - only to NEVER be offered a job when it expires. It has just happened to me yet again - two years stuck on a damn reserve list, kept wishing and hoping for an eventual job offer that never came. Needless to say, I am feeling VERY depressed and disheartened at the moment.

[@Lorenzo-cp7qs]

They all seem like awful people too. So you’re probs not wishing much. Just corporate word speak and devoid of personality.

[@leeklass3907]

A smiliar thing happened to me I was interviewed for permanent vacancy and I was on the reserve at higher grade job than I have at the moment. I joined as a temp It took me several attempts to become get permanent job lower grade job than the one was on the reserve list for. Just keep applying if it's a job you want.

[@Truegho]

@@leeklass3907 Thanks Lee. At the moment, I am trying the employment agencies as an alternative way in, as I did manage to get an AO job through them last year, which lasted 6 months.

[@Jellybellyirish]

​@@Lorenzo-cp7qsWho?

[@leslie-annmills-gomez8763]

Try being in the CS for 20 years, just passed your law degree with a 2:1 and still didn't get the job I was doing on TDA for the last six months

[@paulaelouafkaoui5214]

Thanks so much for these videos, they are great! I have an interview on Friday morning so really wish I had found you sooner! There may not be enough time for you to answer this but I’ll ask just in case.....do you think it is a safe assumption to make that if the behaviours are communicating and influencing, working together and making effective decisions, then it is likely they may ask strength related questions different to these areas?

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Glad they helped Paula. Yes I think that’s safe to assume! Good luck :) hope it goes well

[@paulaelouafkaoui5214]

@@JacWilliamsVideo Thank you! I come from a quantitative research background, applying for a customer focussed job so VERY different - your effective decisions video helped so much as I was struggling to find examples of when I made decisions! But of course as an analyst I was making lots of decisions all the time - just not ‘change the world ones’ I thought I would need! Thanks again and I hope you continue making these videos - super helpful!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

@@paulaelouafkaoui5214 Definitely! As analysts we make decisions all the time :)

[@YK-fv3qj]

@@JacWilliamsVideo Your videos are really helping to give a structure to my preparation, thank you so much. I was wondering in relation to the original question above by Paula, if the behaviour questions are based on 'communicating and influencing, working together and making effective decisions' then the strength based questions will be based on other strengths not listed under those behaviours? Or will it be on the strengths listed under those behaviours in the Strengths Dictionary? Thanks again :)

[@7002164]

@@YK-fv3qj how was the interview? X

[@teejaymutsikwi5878]

Really helpful video. ❤️Praying l pass my interview.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Hope it goes well :)

[@deborahwood5543]

Hi, I've recently interviewed for a promotion and didn't hit the competency needed to demonstrate leadership. Can you help

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

🎬 Check out my FREE 36-video online class on how to get a job in the Civil Service - skl.sh/3IaQR0t

[@FG-xe6rr]

I have an interview in a couple weeks! Wish me luck!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Good luck!

[@naziaazam7768]

Hi jac do you check personal statement and the beahviours i am going for a job in civil service its a inernal job .I

[@darrenhatfield4578]

I literally was asked anything for a strength question. People you know describe you as a risk taker and makes effective decisions. Do you agree with that? How strongly? What do they want as an answer? It really through me. I think I blew up with this question. Not sure though.

[@Deyyan97]

These questions are soo irrelevant once you get job, guarantee you just look around well what was for?

[@vickitofts7581]

Would you advise following up with an email to interviewers as you would in non-civil service jobs?

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

No I actually wouldn’t for CS jobs. Generally once the outcome has been decided it’s up to Recruitment to update candidates etc.

[@ciaranh5907]

Can you do a video on successful profiles for AO interview

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

All of my videos will be suitable.

[@mjbutnotmaryjane]

Are you supposed to use STAR for the pre-recorded strength interviews? I feel like there's not enough time at all, I failed last time getting 3/5 for every question (18 total, they wanted 20). Since you only get 2 mins to answer, how do you go about that?

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

I've not done any pre-recorded but I don't think 2 minutes is long enough for STAR. I would generally talk about your previous experience and how you think you have developed strengths from these roles.

[@ciaranh5907]

I have a pre recorded interview to do over the weekend. I have never done this type of interview before and nervous on what to expect question ways and time limit

[@araafyusuf2755]

Hi , may I please request you to do one on “ Managing a quality service “ please ? Thank you.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Great suggestion!

[@leeklass3907]

How common is the curiosity by a member of the interview panel where they may have question follwing your example of a strength ? I got marked marked down for needing a prompt

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Generally, prompts are used to help you give the panel what they're looking for. Sometimes, there's a key detail that someone wants to hear before moving on.

[@leeklass3907]

@@JacWilliamsVideo Thanks for taking the time to reply

[@RhetoricalMuse]

Time? My interviews were never timed.

[@johnlenon5052]

Hi there Sir, excellent video. I had an interview last Friday and also have a few more coming up in August. The one I've had on Friday I felt went well, as there weren't any follow-up, probing questions from the panel. In fact they specified that usually they need to ask follow-up questions to elicit further information and give you a chance to demonstrate your skills. In this case they mentioned to me that there was no need to ask any further questions because I'd already given them thorough responses. I assumed that was good news for me. I'm curious to see whether I've passed the interview and what the score will be. Thanks a lot.

[@ipzee6425]

Hey, did you get the job?

[@johnlenon5052]

@@ipzee6425 I did, yes, received the results last week. Nailed that interview, so everything was great. Surprisingly, did very well on those strength questions as well which, in my opinion, can be so tricky to score high on sometimes, especially when you can't really prepare for them beforehand. It's exciting when you get to see how well you did, but after a day or two the excitement begins to fade.

[@ipzee6425]

@@johnlenon5052 congratulations, my interview is on Monday, plz give any pointers. So nervous

[@johnlenon5052]

@@ipzee6425 I assume it will all be online so you should be less nervous than a face-to-face interview to begin with. Usually the first question you get is a warm-up which you won't be marked on. That is to ease the nerves and get you comfortable. Focus on behaviors and make sure you prepare solid examples. You need to tell them precisely what they want to hear to score high marks, and possibly avoid probing questions; because sometimes people trip up on those follow-up questions and they come across as weak. Read the job description to see if there is going to be any Strengths or Experience related questions. If so, try to prepare answers for those best way you can and make some notes also.

[@languidquid]

@@johnlenon5052 Which job role did you get?

[@annagriffiths1882]

When will your next video be Jac?

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

End of this week :)

[@HG-bi9pu]

During the interview, do they tell you what behaviour they’re about to ask questions around, or are we to figure it out ourselves what behaviour the question aligns with? Thank you in advance to anyone able to respond

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Usually, they will will tell you.

[@zoesmith1536]

Hi Jack, I am one your fans. Are you on LinkedIn so we can connect professionally. Love your content. I am planning to apply for a civil service job. 🙂

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Hey Zoe, Yes I am :)

[@nathmiller55]

So I’ve done my interview but now I’m on a reserve list? Have you had experience of this before?

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

My first CS job came from a reserve list. Had a call a month or so later. Sometimes they may offer other roles if available.

[@nathmiller55]

@@JacWilliamsVideo this is reassuring. I’ve had 3 interviews now and on two reserve lists. One of the roles I scored highly on interview as well. I am already CS so guess it’s just about being patient.

[@georgia6373]

Hi Jac how old are you if you dont mind my asking? Im 21 looking for HEO :) thanks!!!

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Recently turned 27 - Don't worry about age, if you feel you can do it, go for it.

[@denise0707]

Age is NO barrier. Go for it. I have conducted interviews for HEOs in the civil service and I've NEVER let age be a factor

[@DenkyManner]

People spend too long on situation and task because star is a silly model that has two set ups, for no reason. Situation and task are the same damn thing and people get muddled twisting their mind into splitting it into two. What is the situation anyway? "at work", there, done. "I had to" task done. PAR makes more sense, problem, action, result. You're instantly into the meat

[@bentleys89]

What grade are you mainly talking to?

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

I'm an SEO, so probably SEO and below.

[@opticalman6417]

how many probation officers in a office does it take to change a light bulb none they use gaslighting

[@vijay236]

Hi Jac , Thanks for all your posting .I was successful for my HEO role few days ago .All your videos helped me to score better ..🙌

[@toriesout8692]

Sometimes I find as an interviewer - too much meat on the bones. If you add too much, it's hard to keep track on the situation and makes it very confusing, especially if you're unfamiliar. I've also seen people who would give the behaviour example, regardless of the question. Always have more than one example, e.g. making effective decisions - example 1 of you making a decision using various sources, example 2 of you making a decision that was very unpopular.

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Completely agree. Making an example concise enough that it includes the relevant detail while not being too long is the tricky part.

[@peterchambers2553]

The civil service has become so lazy that they can not be bothered to meet candidates for interviews. They have the staff because they have never had so many people employed. The bizarre thing is the inclusion of 'behaviours' in the process when bad behaviour is exercised by Human Resources who can't be bothered to meet candidates. Thankfully, the civil service now faces a freeze on recruitment and the government wants it to be staffed at pre-pandemic levels - a saving to the taxpayer of approximately £1 billion. The civil service needs to be more productive, I had to wait 9 weeks for a passport earlier this year when it should be done in 2 weeks, this means getting back into the office and stop working from home where staff pretend to be productive.

[@tomcole4825]

Thanks this is useful

[@JacWilliamsVideo]

Glad it was helpful!