Teacher Career Change Ideas - Civil Service

Careers in the Civil Service are a fantastic option for former teachers, offering a wealth of benefits, development opportunities and flexibility.

So you’ve heard that a career in the Civil Service is a great option for ex-teachers? Maybe you’ve heard whispers about improved work-life balance, greater flexibility, and opportunities for progression? Perhaps you’ve heard that the application and interview process is a different ball game and you just don’t know where to start with it all? Let’s tackle this together…

Just so we’re clear – what is the Civil Service?

The Civil Service consists of a broad range of departments, agencies and organisations that support the work of government, whilst operating independently and outside of party politics. They implement government policies, manage public resources and deliver services across different sectors, including healthcare, education, defence, transportation and finance.

Civil Servants are required to uphold the values of:

Integrity – Putting public service above personal interests or belief.

Honesty – Being truthful and open.

Objectivity – Basing decisions on rigorous evidence.

Impartiality – Acting independently and serving governments of all political parties equally.

What does a career in the Civil Service have to offer?

Working for the Civil Service can have numerous advantages, although these will depend on the individual role you are applying for and the department you would be working for. Some of these benefits could include:

A commitment to diversity and inclusion, where unique contributions are valued.
The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on society.
Professional development opportunities, including the chance to learn new skills on the job, training programs and mentorship schemes.
Improved work-life balance with initiatives for flexible working arrangements, remote work options and family-friendly policies.
Chances to work collaboratively across departments, facilitating cross-functional skills and growth of professional networks.
Job stability and additional benefits such as generous annual leave allowances and employer pension contributions.

How is the Civil Service structured?

Broadly, jobs fall into one of five grades:

AO/AA (Administrative Officer/Administrative Assistant) – Administrative support and operational delivery roles (e.g. caterers, prison officers).
EO (Executive Officer) – Business and policy support roles (e.g. executive assistants, finance, HR, IT and communication specialists).
SEO/HEO (Senior Executive Officer/Higher Executive Officer) – Policy officers and roles with specific policy responsibilities.
Grades 6 and 7 – Experienced officials with significant policy responsibilities.
SCS (Senior Civil Service) – Senior management team including directors, and director generals who work closely with government ministers.

How to get a job in the Civil Service:

Research, research, research! Research the job and department you are interested in, paying close attention to the job description, required qualifications and key responsibilities.
Keep an eye out for vacancies. Check the Civil Service jobs website (https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/). You can also check other sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed.
Create an account. Use your Civil Service jobs account to sign up for job alerts and save jobs searches.
Complete the application form. When you’ve found the job you want to apply for, complete the application form. You will typically be asked to provide personal details, work experience and qualifications.
Create your supporting statement – it’s all about the competencies! Part of the application will involve writing a personal statement outlining your suitability for the role including your relevant skills and experience. The Civil Service use a competency framework to score job applications. These competencies could be things like teamwork, communication, problem-solving, leadership, delivering at pace and may also be listed as ‘behaviours’ in the application information. It is important to consider, and provide evidence towards, these competencies on the supporting statement as this will strengthen your application.
Prepare for the interview – don’t forget those competencies! If your application has been successful and you are invited for interview, research will once again be important. Find out about the role and department, as well as the organisation’s core values. Also refresh your memory on those competencies. We’ll explore the interview process and how to nail it a little more in the next two sections.
Follow up. After the interview, follow up with the interviewer to thank them for the opportunity and request feedback.

What will the interview process be like?

Various types of assessments may be used during the interview process to evaluate your suitability for a role. These are the most commonly used types:

Competency-based interview questions.

E.g. “Tell us about a time when you had to use your problem-solving abilities.”

Situational judgement tests.

Multiple-choices questions presenting hypothetical scenarios related to the job.

In-tray exercises

Tasks which require candidates to prioritise and organise information given (such as emails, documents, correspondence) to complete a fictional work scenario in a set time.

Role-play

Participation in role play, such as interacting with a colleague or customer, to demonstrate communication and interpersonal skills.

Presentations

Candidates are assessed on their ability to communicate effectively, engage the audience and demonstrate subject knowledge through delivering a presentation.

Written Assessments

These could be writing reports, essays or briefing notes to demonstrate written communication and analytical skills.

What are some tips for answering interview questions?

Understand the STAR method. When answering an interview question, describe the situation, the task you had to complete, the actions you took, and the result you achieved.
Review the job description and core competencies. Make a note of the key skills and experiences you hold that match those requirements. Prepare some examples for these using the STAR method.
Identify potential questions and think about what your answers might be.
Practice your responses. Aim to give concise, clear and compelling examples to demonstrate your abilities.
Be specific in your examples and provide numerical data where possible to show your impact.
Plan a variety of examples. Try to think of different examples that showcase your range of skills and expertise.
Be honest. Honesty is core value of the Civil Service so it’s important to speak openly and truthfully when answering questions.

Careers in the Civil Service are a fantastic option for former teachers and offer a wealth of benefits, opportunities for development and flexible ways of working. The application process can be competitive but is also transparent, with clear feedback providing the chance to learn and progress towards securing your perfect role.