Need a template for your Civil Service CV? We have free government CV templates below that’ll help you impress Civil Service recruiters as well as writing advice.
1. Copy-and-paste government CV template
If you just want a free government CV template that puts the structure in place for you so you can quickly fill in your own details, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a blank CV template that you can copy and paste into any word processor:
2. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) CV template
Targeting a job at His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs as a recent graduate? Use this template to get HMRC recruiters interested in hiring you:
Who should use this government CV template
Anyone writing a CV with a lack of relevant job experience should use this template. It’s designed to draw readers’ eyes to your skills and training before your experience section, so you can make your best case for how you fit the role.
3. HM Passport Office (HMPO) CV template
Here’s a good CV template for applying for a job at His Majesty’s Passport Office:
Who should use this government CV template
If you have a work history entry related to the HMPO role you want, use this template. The template’s work experience section is the main draw, dominating the first page of your CV, but still leaving plenty of room for your skills, education, and hobbies and interests section.
4. Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) CV template
Below is a free government CV template for a Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) position:
Who should use this government CV template
Experienced applicants should use this template because it gives you a great outline for highlighting your work experience to DWP recruiters. It shows you how to add hard numbers and specific examples of how you can help the DWP reach its goals.
5. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) CV template
This is a good CV template to use if you’re applying to work at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA):
Who should use this government CV template
When you’re applying for an entry-level Civil Service job, use a template like this one. It’s a great entry-level template because it highlights your work experience near the top of your CV but also includes an education section at the bottom of the first page so you can show that you meet the basic requirements of the role.
6. Security Service (MI5)/Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) CV template
Want to serve your country as an intelligence officer? Here’s an MI5 / MI6 CV template you can download and then edit with your own details:
Who should use this government CV template
Applicants with relevant work experience and an impressive educational background should use this template. Both the work experience section and education section stand out on the first page of this free government CV template.
Tips for using your government CV template
According to guidance from the Civil Service, there’s no set format for a government CV. But there are still unique aspects to consider when making a CV for a Civil Service role.
So our experts put together four tips to help you make a job-winning application for a government role:
1. Showcase your Civil Service Behaviours and Success Profiles
When you submit your government CV, your goal is to move on to the assessment stage. In this phase of the application process, you may be asked to take various tests and attend an interview to assess your Civil Service Behaviours and Success Profiles — government terms for your hard and soft skills.
To get through the CV sift, show your hard skills (learnt talents, like maths) and soft skills (abilities connected to your personality, such as communication) on your CV using the STAR method to detail your experience and accomplishments:
- Situation: Describe specific situations you’ve faced
- Task: Explain the tasks you handled during these situations
- Action: Outline the actions you took
- Result: Use hard numbers to show the positive results of your actions
Here’s a good example of a CV bullet point that uses the STAR method:
- Efficiently handled a surge in passport applications during peak season by streamlining verification processes and training junior staff, resulting in a 30% increase in monthly application processing with 99% accuracy
2. Tailor your content to a specific government job advert
Struggling to decide which of your details to emphasise on your CV? All you need to do is take another look at the government job advert you’re targeting.
The recruiter should clearly state what skills and experience an ideal candidate should have. These are the abilities and bits of your work history that you should focus on when you write your CV for the Civil Service.
3. Write a strong personal statement to go with it
As part of your application for a Civil Service job, you’ll likely need to write a personal statement — also commonly referred to as a cover letter, and not to be confused with a personal statement for a CV.
The Civil Service website describes exactly what they’re looking for in this statement, and we’ll briefly summarise those requirements here for your convenience:
- Use the full word count (or close to it) to fully outline your fit for the role — check the job advert for a word count to follow.
- Follow the STAR method (which we detail above) to show what you’ve accomplished, rather than listing your responsibilities.
- Ensure your personal statement is error-free by proofreading it and asking someone else to take a look as well.
One more item to note is that while you typically don’t put references on your CV for a government job, you should definitely drop the name of a Civil Service referee — if you have one and they’re okay with it — when you write your cover letter.
Employers in both public and private organisations are more likely to view you as a good candidate if you have a recommendation from someone they work with.
4. Use a simple CV template for government job applications
Government agencies tend to be traditional, so don’t use a flashy CV template with graphics and pictures to apply for a Civil Service job. Instead, use a simple CV template with minimalist designs.
Frequently asked questions about government CV templates
Have unanswered questions about CV templates for government jobs? We answer them below.
1. Should I use a CV template from a government website?
We don’t advise using the templates we’ve seen from government sources, because they tend to be very basic. Professionally designed CV templates, on the other hand, feature expert designs with bold headers and expert CV font pairings to help you stand out to employers in any industry.
Just make sure you use a CV template made for UK job seekers to ensure you include all the information UK employers expect to see.
2. Can I use a CV builder to make my government CV?
Yes, you can and should use a CV builder to make your government CV. A good CV maker uses AI and human expertise to help you build a job application document that is perfectly formatted and well-written.
Another reason to use a CV builder for your government job application is to save time. The best builders take just minutes to deliver a job-winning CV.
3. How far back should my government CV go?
Your government CV should go as far back as necessary to show how your work experience matches the job requirements.
However, if you have a wealth of related experience, going back 10 years is enough. The main point is to highlight your most relevant jobs, leaving off irrelevant details to make your CV concise and easy to read.
4. How can I make my CV PDF for free?
Making your CV a PDF for free is easy. You can write your CV in either Microsoft Word or Google Docs, and then download it as a PDF for free. Here’s how:
- In Word, go to File → Save As… → File Format: PDF
- in Google Docs, go to File → Download → PDF Document (.pdf)
