Civil servants are job types that require a certain set of soft skills, given their role in providing excellent service to all citizens in the UK. Therefore, civil service behaviours have become one of the requirements that each applicant has to fulfil before submitting the proposal. And this applies to all job fields.
Sometimes, it’s not easy to tackle the civil service behaviours section. Each job opening may have different ways to assess the job seekers. To help you with this, the article shares how to write about the part. Adding to this is explaining why the segment is important and how it will benefit the whole performance of a civil servant.
What are civil service behaviours?
Civil service behaviours are the traits that positively contribute to the good work results of civil servants. The Civil Service of the UK uses these attitudes as one of the ways to assess candidates and determine whether or not they fit into the positions they apply for. Usually, the element becomes one of the application tests that each applicant has to pass.
On the surface, civil service behaviours seem like social skills that you can find in any company. For public service delivery, the standards turn into actions that may speak differently than the attitudes of private firms. This is due to the fact that working in the public sector doesn’t only seek profit but also helps fellow citizens.
Any citizen can shape civil service behaviours since school years through hobbies, volunteering or organisational activities. Think about these sources when you wish to put them into your application. And, of course, you can add to that with the relevant work experiences that showcase your technical skills or soft abilities.
Nine civil service behaviours that make up the list
Regardless of the position, each applicant for the role has to demonstrate civil service behaviours. The Civil Service will use them as the Success Profiles of each candidate. If the body's recruiting team is satisfied with the answers to the list, then that person will have more chances to get the job.
The good news is that you won’t have to demonstrate all of the nine attitudes for one role. The hiring professionals will decide which behaviour you must explain in your application in various test types. Meanwhile, below is the list of civil service behaviours to add to your insights.
1. Visionary
The first is requiring every applicant to have a long-term projection of their role. They have to think as part of a larger team with the primary goal of serving the citizens. The candidate must be able to tell how the role will support the overall function of the body.
2. Innovative
One of the civil service behaviours is innovation. Civil servant candidates must seek ways to improve themselves. They are not hesitant to search for suggestions from others when necessary. The trait also allows them to find ideas regarding their role that will benefit the team and even the country.
3. Problem-solving
An applicant in this field must have a problem-solving mindset. This means they must work to find effective solutions and thus won’t waste much time. Their solutions have to get support from valid data and advice from the experts. They remain open to other ways and remain mindful of the risks of their solutions.
4. Leadership
One of the civil service behaviours is about leadership, which will tell how much a civil servant candidate wishes for a job outside of social service. This means they must have the mindset to deliver the services for the citizens regardless of their race, gender, and financial class. The job result must be equally good for all.
5. Communication
Communication is one of the civil service behaviours that require a candidate to express ideas clearly. This covers written and non-written communication modes. In addition, the applicant can show how the medium can positively impact others. Such positive outcomes refer to the attitude when taking feedback from others and respecting people’s opinions.
If the professional welcomes critics, then this will put the others’ minds at ease. But, if they show defensiveness, such a trait may ruin the whole team’s mood and teamwork. Pay attention to this aspect when explaining or answering the test in front of the agency's hiring team.
6. Teamwork
Teamwork is one of the civil service behaviours that emphasises working across diverse backgrounds, both with internal and external parties. This requires the professional to have open-minded traits. They must set aside their personal interests and be willing to share resources and information when needed. They must support one another despite having different opinions sometimes.
7. Self-growth
Self-growth within the set of civil service behaviours means the candidate must continuously work to improve themselves. On the test, the hiring team may ask them to explain what they can do to grow their skills. And in turn, the applicant can share how their self-growth mindsets will influence others, as well.
8. Service Excellence
The professional must think about how they can provide excellent service to their fellow citizens. As one of the civil service behaviours, this hugely depends on the role of the applicant. If they apply as a train driver, they have to think about how to drive the passengers safely and comfortably.
9. Punctuality
Not only top quality, but the candidate must work in a way that complies with the schedule. Delayed train service can lower public satisfaction. Belated advice given to the supervisor of a department also falls under the shortage of punctuality. This is one of the civil service behaviours that hopes to balance the quality and quantity of the work of civil servants.
Guidance for writing civil service behaviours
First, read the documents about civil service behaviours carefully at the Cabinet Office's website on Civil Service Success Profiles. From the documents, pick which suits best the role you are going to apply for. After finding it, check the trait type that you have to show in front of the hiring team.
Second, prepare the list of supporting evidence. Let’s say you are applying as an IT supervisor, and they want you to show your technical ability. You can attach or gather references from previous offices or licenses from the training you once joined. Consider including evidence that will support your future role.
Third, proofread your entire document before submitting it. You should reread all the data some hours or even one day after completing them. Your proofreading should start from the civil service behaviours section and then to the documents, such as your CV and portfolio. Don’t forget to look at minor things, such as typos. This hints at your focus on the quality of your whole application.
Conclusions
Civil service behaviours are important factors that increase the chances of applicants seeking to work as UK civil servants. The hiring team of the government body uses such standards to assess the candidates based on their Success Profiles. The College of Contract Management fully understands the importance of this aspect.
As such, the experts at the college hold classes on CPD that are especially centred on interview coaching and resume writing. You can consult with the experts for this specific case and ask for their insights to pass the test. Their vast experiences will boost your confidence and allow you to secure a role that will enable you to make a big impact on society.
