The 9 civil service behaviours
Every Civil Service application is assessed against one or more of these nine behaviours. 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.
How behaviours are assessed
Behaviours are assessed at two stages: sift (where your written statements are scored) and interview (where you answer questions about your examples). Most departments ask for 250 words per behaviour at AA–HEO level, and 500–750 words at SEO and above.
The job advert tells you which behaviours are being assessed. Do not prepare examples for behaviours that are not required — focus your energy on the ones that matter.
How to choose your examples
Pick one specific example per behaviour. Choose a real situation from your work, volunteering, or education. One well-told example beats three vague ones. For help finding examples, see our Experience Library.