The sift process explained

The sift is the paper (or online) assessment of your application before interview. Trained assessors score your statements against the behaviours or criteria in the advert.

How scoring usually works

Each behaviour is scored on a scale (often 1–7). Departments set a minimum and sometimes a tie-break. Your overall chance depends on meeting the bar on every scored behaviour, not on a sparkling CV alone.

What helps

• Examples at the right grade depth.
• Clear personal actions.
• Results linked to the behaviour.

See also assessment scoring.