You will have spent many hours crafting and refining your Civil Service application, writing your Behaviour examples or personal statement, then finally clicking Submit. If you’ve scored high enough at the sift stage, congratulations, you’ll now be invited to a Civil Service interview. If you’re still finding the application stage challenging, read our guide on how to apply to the Civil Service successfully or consider 1-to-1 application coaching.
However, if you’re consistently reaching interview but not progressing further, it can be incredibly frustrating.
Watch: How to Ace a Civil Service Interview
In this short video, Elizabeth Conley, Senior Interview Coach at Interview Skills Clinic, explains exactly how to ace a Civil Service interview using the Success Profiles framework.
🎥 Watch: How to Ace a Civil Service Interview
Senior Interview Coach Elizabeth Conley explains how to prepare using the
Civil Service Success Profiles framework and how to answer
Behaviour and Strength-based questions effectively.
Prefer to read instead? Below you’ll find the key points and extra insights from the video — including how to prepare for Civil Service Behaviour and Strength-based interview questions.
Understanding The Civil Service Success Profile Framework
Success Profiles assess five areas: Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience, and Technical knowledge. Your interview may test one or more of these, so read the job advert carefully to see how you’ll be assessed.
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Behaviours — what you did and how you did it in real situations.
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Strengths — what you do often, do well and enjoy (marked quickly; be positive and concise).
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Ability — aptitude to perform to the required standard (sometimes via tests).
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Experience — relevant track record and outcomes.
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Technical — role-specific knowledge or qualifications.
Coaching Tip: Mirror the language in the advert and role profile. If the panel say they’ll test Delivering at Pace and Communicating & Influencing, build examples that prove you can do those things at the target grade.
Be aware that if you are applying for a Civil Service role in Northern Ireland or Scotland the more traditional Civil Service competeny framework is still being used, not Success Profiles.
Civil Service interview Tips
The most important step in preparing for a Civil Service interview is to read the job description carefully. It will tell you exactly how you will be assessed — usually under the Success Profiles framework, which includes Behaviours, Strengths, Experience, Technical and Skills. Most interviews at every grade in the Civil Service are heavily focused on Behaviours, so make sure you understand what each Behaviour means at the level you are applying for. You can find full Behaviour definitions and examples on GOV.UK.
CoachingTip: Identify the Behaviours and Strengths listed in the advert and prepare examples that demonstrate them. Interviewers are marking your answers directly against these areas.
When preparing, reflect on your past experiences and identify specific situations where you have shown these Behaviours effectively. Think about occasions when you have:
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Delivered results under pressure
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Led a project or motivated a team
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Communicated clearly and influenced others
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Improved a process or customer experience
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure each example. Keep your focus on the Actions you took and how you delivered them — that’s where most marks are awarded.
Coaching Tip: Your answers should be about four minutes long to give enough depth without losing focus. Always bring your answer back to what the panel is looking for in the job description.
Finally, remember to close your answers by linking them back to the role, for example:
“This example demonstrates how I deliver results at pace and communicate effectively across teams — both of which are essential in this position.”
Practising aloud helps you refine timing and confidence. You can also record yourself or ask a coach to provide feedback on tone, pace, and structure.
If you’ve ever scored 4 or less in a Civil Service interview and wondered why, watch this short video, it explains exactly what holds candidates back leading to interview rejections and how to reach scores of 5s and 6s.
🎥 Watch: Civil Service Interviews — Why You’re Stuck Getting 4s or Less
Elizabeth Conley explains why strong examples often fail to score highly and what you can do to reach
5s and 6s in your next interview.
How to Answer Behaviour Questions
Behaviour questions are designed to assess how you have demonstrated specific Civil Service Behaviours in real situations. Each Behaviour is tested through a structured question, and your answers are scored from 1 to 7 based on how clearly you show evidence at the required grade level.
Coaching Tip: Before the interview, check which Behaviours are listed in the job advert or Success Profile. Prepare one strong example for each, using the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action, Result.
When answering:
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Situation & Task (Briefly): Set the scene in 20–30 seconds.
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Action (Most detail): Explain exactly what you did, step by step, focusing on the skills, decisions, and behaviours that matter for the role.
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Result (Concise): Finish with what happened, what impact you had, and what you learned.
Coaching Tip: The Action stage carries most of the marks, so focus on how you delivered the outcome, not just what the team achieved. Use “I” rather than “we” to show ownership.
End your answer with a short reflection such as:
“This example demonstrates how I deliver at pace while maintaining accuracy — key for this role.”
Practise timing your examples aloud. Four minutes per answer is usually enough to provide depth without rambling. Ask someone to listen or record yourself to check clarity, tone, and pace.
If you’re not sure whether your examples are strong enough for the grade you’re applying for, professional feedback can make a real difference.
How to Answer Civil Service Behaviour Questions
Strength-based questions are designed to uncover what you naturally enjoy doing and what energises you. The Civil Service uses these questions to assess how well your personal strengths align with the role and organisation.
Unlike Behaviour questions, which require detailed STAR examples, Strength questions are quicker and more instinctive. The panel is looking for authenticity, enthusiasm, and self-awareness.
Coaching Tip: You’ll usually be asked around 10–12 quick-fire Strength questions. Typical examples include:
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“Would others describe you as adaptable?”
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“Do you enjoy building relationships?”
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“Are you someone who likes working to tight deadlines?”
Aim to respond immediately — a short pause is fine, but avoid sounding rehearsed. Speak naturally and positively, and wherever possible, back up your response with a short example:
“Yes, I’d say I’m adaptable. For instance, when my team was restructured, I quickly adjusted to a new system and helped others learn it.”
Coaching Tip: Answers should last about 30–45 seconds. The panel will mark both your content and energy — so show genuine enthusiasm and be yourself. Avoid overthinking what you think they want to hear.
Strength-based interviews can feel fast-paced, but preparation still matters. Review the Strengths Directory listed on GOV.UK and identify a few that genuinely describe you. Then practise articulating why each one helps you perform well.
If you have an entry-level Civil Service interview (AO–EO) coming up, you can strengthen your preparation with our instantly available online course below.
Succeed At Your Next Civil Service AO-EO Interview
One-One Civil Service Interview Coaching
f you want personal feedback and guidance before your interview, our experienced coaches can help. Interview Skills Clinic are approved Civil Service coaching providers and have over a decade of experience helping candidates succeed — from entry-level roles right through to Director General and Senior Civil Service positions.
We’ll help you:
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Strengthen and structure your Behaviour examples.
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Develop confident, authentic answers for Strength-based questions.
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Understand exactly what interviewers are looking for under the Success Profiles framework.
Coaching Tip: Even one coaching session can transform how you approach questions and boost your interview confidence.
