How are Civil Service interviews scored?

Behaviour answers are scored 1-7 against the grade's descriptors, usually needing 4 or more in each. Strength questions are scored separately. The panel adds the scores and ranks candidates who meet the minimum.

Can I use the same examples as in my application?

Yes, if they are strong. Many candidates do, and the interview gives you the chance to add detail. Have a second example ready in case the panel asks for a different one.

How long should an answer be?

Around two to three minutes per behaviour question is common. The panel will stop you or ask follow-up questions if they need more.

Civil Service Interview Questions: by Behaviour, With How Answers Are Scored

Civil Service interviews usually mix behaviour questions, which ask for a real example of each behaviour in the advert, with strength questions, which are quick and unprepared, and sometimes technical questions or a presentation. Behaviour answers are scored on the same 1-7 scale as the written application, so the examples that scored well in your statements are a good starting point. The questions below are typical of the style; your panel will word them its own way.

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Behaviour questions by behaviour

Panels usually ask one main question per behaviour in the advert, then follow up ("What did you do yourself?", "What would you do differently?"). Prepare one strong example per behaviour, at the level of the grade you are applying for, and a reserve.

Behaviour	Typical questions
Seeing the Big Picture	Tell us about a time you made sure your work supported your organisation's wider objectives. / Describe a time you used your understanding of a wider issue to shape a piece of work. / Give an example of when you considered the impact of your work on people from different backgrounds.
Changing and Improving	Tell us about a time you suggested or made an improvement to the way your team worked. / Describe a change you introduced that others were reluctant about. How did you handle it? / Give an example of when you used feedback to improve a process or service.
Making Effective Decisions	Tell us about a difficult decision you made using evidence. What options did you consider? / Describe a time you had to make a decision with incomplete information. / Give an example of when you gave advice that changed someone else's decision.
Leadership	Tell us about a time you got others behind a shared goal. / Describe a time you made sure everyone in a team was treated fairly and included. / Give an example of when you took responsibility for something that went wrong.
Communicating and Influencing	Tell us about a time you explained something complex to someone without specialist knowledge. / Describe a time you persuaded someone who disagreed with you. / Give an example of when you adapted your message for different audiences.
Working Together	Tell us about a time you built a working relationship with a team or organisation outside your own. / Describe a time you supported a colleague who was struggling. / Give an example of when you shared information or resources to achieve a common goal.
Developing Self and Others	Tell us about a skill you developed recently and how you went about it. / Describe a time you helped a colleague to develop. / Give an example of feedback you received and what you did with it.
Managing a Quality Service	Tell us about a time you improved the service a customer received. / Describe a time you dealt with a complaint or a service failure. / Give an example of how you made sure a service met the needs of different customers.
Delivering at Pace	Tell us about a time you delivered something to a tight deadline. / Describe a time you had to reprioritise when something unexpected happened. / Give an example of when you kept a piece of work on track despite setbacks.

How answers are scored

Each behaviour answer is scored on the 7-point scale, against the descriptors for the grade: 4 is acceptable, 6 strong, 7 outstanding. Panels listen for the same things as in a written statement: your own actions, the reasons behind them and a measurable result. Follow-up questions often probe the parts a short answer left out, so know your example in detail.

Strength questions

Strength questions are short and come quickly, for example "What energises you at work?", "Do you prefer to start new tasks or finish existing ones?" or "How do you feel when you have a lot of deadlines?". There is no example to prepare: the panel listens for genuine enthusiasm and natural preference, and scores strengths separately from behaviours. Answer honestly and briefly.

Preparing your examples

Start from your written behaviour statements: they were scored on the same scale.
Expand the Action part: at interview you have time to explain why you chose each step.
Know the numbers in your result.
Have a second example for each behaviour in case the panel asks for another.
Practise out loud, to about two to three minutes per answer.