Civil service behaviour statements, made clear.
Independent guidance, real examples, and practical tools to help you write strong behaviour statements for Civil Service applications — from AA to SCS.
The 9 Civil Service behaviours
Each behaviour is assessed at sift and interview. Click any behaviour to see grade-specific examples, writing guides, and interview questions.
Seeing the Big Picture
Understanding how your work fits into the wider organisation and public purpose.
Changing and Improving
Being open to change and suggesting ways to make things better.
Making Effective Decisions
Using evidence and judgement to make sound decisions quickly.
Leadership
Showing enthusiasm and direction to help teams achieve their goals.
Communicating and Influencing
Sharing information clearly and persuading others to take action.
Working Together
Building good relationships and working effectively with others.
Developing Self and Others
Seeking feedback and helping others to grow and improve.
Managing a Quality Service
Organising work to deliver high-quality outcomes for the public.
Delivering at Pace
Taking responsibility for delivering timely, quality results.
Start with your grade
Find examples and guidance tailored to the grade you are applying for.
Featured examples
Retail supervisor spots a regional pattern in customer complaints and escalates data-driven insight to head office, leading to a policy revision.
Delivering at Pace EO 250 wordsTeam member clears a 200-case backlog in three weeks while maintaining accuracy standards and supporting a new colleague.
Working Together AO 250 wordsTeam member facilitates a constructive discussion between colleagues with conflicting priorities, resulting in a hybrid approach.
Tools and templates
STAR Statement Template
Download the same structure used in every example on this site. A fill-in-the-blanks template for 250-word behaviour statements.
Download templateWord Counter
Paste your draft and check the word count against your limit. Set your target (250, 500, or 750 words) and get live feedback.
Use word counterExample Library
Browse examples by behaviour, grade, and scenario. Every example is word-count accurate and includes a STAR breakdown.
Browse examplesWhy trust this site?
BehaviourStatements.com is written by civil servants and former assessors who have sat on sift panels and conducted interviews. Every example is original, word-count accurate, and designed to help you understand what assessors actually look for.
We are not affiliated with the UK Government or Civil Service. We cite GOV.UK sources where factual guidance is referenced, and we date our claims when guidance changes.