Ensure your CV layout is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.
Civil Service CV Template (Text Format)
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Analytical and proactive Policy Officer with 6+ years of experience researching and analysing data for better decision-making in private and public sectors. Outstanding track record in influencing strategic change in government policy. Excellent communicator focused on building solid relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Committed to designing and proposing appropriate policies to achieve ministerial objectives and government priorities.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Policy Officer
EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL, Kilmarnock
August 2020–present
- Conduct research and deliver policy recommendations across multiple projects
- Assisted in the creation of the 2021 Whistleblowing policy, resulting in a recommendation for advancement and recovery of over £500,000 in stolen funds
- Prepare briefing notes on UK/EU policy documents
- Generate and present cost reports to senior officers to assist in decision-making on tax reform and other matters
- Supervise 5 assistant policy officers in researching and documenting existing and upcoming policies
Assistant Policy Officer
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL, Manchester
December 2018–July 2020
- Researched and analysed policy issues as directed by senior officers
- Liaised with internal and external stakeholders to develop high-quality policy enquiries and documentation
- Provided extensive research to support the drafting of the 2019 Performance Management policy, resulting in a commendation by the Head of Policy
- Supported internal meetings by booking rooms and appointments, drafting agendas, and taking minutes
- Offered advice and guidance to senior government officials
Administrative Officer
TRAFFORD COUNCIL, Manchester
June 2016–November 2018
- Managed and followed up on 40+ queries and complaints daily via email, telephone, and face-to-face interactions
- Produced research reports for the development of future policies and delivered findings to senior staff
- Undertook general administrative duties such as scanning, faxing, filing, and photocopying
- Used spreadsheet software to prepare invoices and payments with 100% accuracy
- Oversaw daily scheduling and responded to interdepartmental enquiries
EDUCATION
University of Bristol, Bristol
April 2012–January 2016
BSc (Hons) Politics and International Relations — upper second-class honours (II.i)
Dissertation Topic: Foreign Policy in the Digital Frontier
Clifton High School, Bristol
July 2009–February 2012
A-Levels: Economics (B), Business Studies (A), English Literature (B)
GCSEs: 10 A*–C, including English, Maths, and Economics
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
- Proficient in using spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel and LibreOffice)
- Excellent problem-solving, organizational, analytical, and communication skills
- Deep knowledge of methods used in policy development and implementation
- Expertise in negotiation and project management
- Strong experience in building productive relationships with people from different backgrounds
- Ability to accomplish targets and deliver results within a team and independently
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
Solving puzzles | Volunteering | Reading political books
How to write a UK civil service CV
Before you begin writing, make sure you know how to write a CV in a way that best emphasises your strengths.
UK civil service jobs are varied, ranging from human resource management to medicine and the sciences. So if you’re looking for a job in the Civil Service, you’ll need to tailor your CV to the specific role you’re applying for.
Need to make a name-blind civil service CV? Just use your job title in place of your name in your CV header, make an email address with your initials and job title (for example, am.analyst@gmail.com) and remove your LinkedIn profile.
Here are three tips on how to write a civil service CV that highlights your relevant skills and experience to get the recruiter’s attention:
1. Show your impact in your civil service CV’s employment history
Civil service employers look for candidates with a proven track record of success in their field. So give specific examples and hard numbers in your civil servant CV’s employment history to show what you can do.
Additionally, describing your specific achievements will help set you apart from other candidates who may only provide general information about their work experience.
Here’s an example of a civil service CV work experience entry with data and examples that show the applicant’s impact in their previous jobs:
It’s important to show evidence of your Civil Service Behaviours too — although they’re more likely to come up in the interview. And remember to use a straightforward CV template instead of a flashy one, as Civil Service roles are typically traditional.
You can easily find free government CV templates online.
2. Write an attention-grabbing personal statement for your civil service CV
Writing a standout personal statement is a great way to get your civil service CV noticed. Your personal statement should include your most job-relevant skills and experience so that recruiters will want to read on and find out more about you.
Here are some tips for writing an attention-grabbing civil service CV personal statement:
- Include skills-based keywords from the job advert to show recruiters you’re qualified for their specific jobs
- Keep your language clear and concise, summarising your most relevant skills and experience in 3–5 sentences or bullet points
- Replace cliched language with strong CV action verbs (for instance, change ‘responsible for’ to ‘spearheaded’)
Below is an example of an attention-grabbing personal statement from a civil service CV:
Analytical and proactive Policy Officer with 6+ years of experience researching and analysing data for better decision-making in private and public sectors. Outstanding track record in influencing strategic change in government policy. Excellent communicator focused on building solid relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Committed to designing and proposing appropriate policies to achieve ministerial objectives and government priorities.
3. Emphasise your civil servant skills
UK civil service jobs cover all types of professions, from policymaking to corporate finance. But all civil servants need various hard and soft skills to get hired for government work.
Skills you learnt in school, through training, or on the job are your hard skills. Your soft skills are natural abilities that will help you collaborate with your fellow civil servants and interact with members of the public.
Depending on your speciality, emphasising hard and soft skills like the ones below on your civil service CV will help you land your target role:
Unsure how to implement these tips? Try a CV maker instead, and your completed CV will be ready in minutes. And use a cover letter builder to get your full civil service application done extra fast.
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