CIVIL Services Interview Questions and Answers

6 :: What is your experience so far of the public sector?

You must have some kind of answer to this question. It does not necessarily require you to have had some relevant work experience, although this would undoubtedly help. It is asking you about your "experience of" the public sector. So any contact with local or national government departments or agencies could be useful examples.

Are there any initiatives local to where you live at home that could provide some examples. Any local policies that relate in some way to national ones? A hospital closure, for example, a new road being built or army barracks being relocated!

You should demonstrate your awareness of a wide range of issues. You should also show your consideration of the difficulties involved in making some decisions.

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7 :: Why does working in the public sector attract you?

Down to the nitty-gritty. In other words "Tell me why you want the job." The way the question is phrased, however, it means rather more than that. The kind of things which might attract you to the public sector and the Civil Service in particular include:

Working alongside ministers
Being involved in contemporary issues (often featured in the news)
Being at the heart of policy formulation
Working in the context of a not-for-profit organization (bearing in mind that this does not mean there are no financial considerations!)
Having a positive role and being relied upon to work to a high level
Team working where your "team" is the rest of the Civil Service and hence a very large and significant organization
Making a contribution to a service that really matters to people and has an impact upon them

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8 :: What advantages or disadvantages can you see arising from a job at the heart of government?

Advantages might include:

Doing a job that really matters
Having a positive input in to current issues
Taking responsibility early
Seeing the practical impact of your work take effect
The satisfaction of having an impact on the way people live, hopefully for the better

Whatever the disadvantages are they must obviously not dissuade you from the job! They might include:

Decisions you make could have repercussions which you had not intended.
The work entails a good deal of pressure and stress.
You may have to work long hours
Many people are counting on you to do a good job
One becomes very job-focused (could also be an advantage!)

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9 :: Which government minister of recent years do you feel best achieved his/her remit?

Try and be a little astute here. Consider the relevance of your answer to the department in which you are interested. If the Department for International Development (DFID) attracts you, for example, then this is an opportune moment to display your knowledge. Discuss its remit and how successful or otherwise you feel Hilary Benn has been in his role as the government minister in charge recently

Do not forget to mention the importance of the staff to the department's success. The minister is only as good as his/her staff's abilities and experience. Then go on to show how your experience and skills would be useful in the job.

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10 :: To whom, in your opinion, should public servants be directly responsible?

In other words is it the minister, the government, the state, their direct line manager, the department, or the public at large? The correct answer is probably the state. You can spend a good deal of time in answering this question, however.

Much press attention is often taken up by so-called whistle-blowers. These are individuals who declare to the general public via the press the activities of a particular organization, especially if these activities are deemed in some way inappropriate or deceitful. They have obviously decided that their principal responsibilities have changed. This would be a dangerous argument if you supported the whistle-blowing stance. A better approach would be to demonstrate your ability to help originate, establish and apply policy on behalf of government and the state.

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