Statement checklist
A printable checklist to review your Civil Service behaviour statement before you submit. Run through these questions for every statement, it takes two minutes and catches the mistakes that cost people the sift.
Print this page or copy the checklist into a notes app. Check off each item for every behaviour statement before you paste it into the application form. If you cannot tick an item, go back and fix it.
The checklist
Structure
- Does the statement follow STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result?
- Is the Situation limited to 2 sentences?
- Is the Task stated in 1 sentence?
- Does the Action section make up at least 50% of the word count?
- Is there a clear Result with a specific outcome?
Language and tone
- Do I use "I" not "we" in the Action section?
- Have I removed filler phrases like "I felt it was important to"?
- Have I used active verbs instead of passive ones?
- Is the tone professional but not overly formal?
- Have I avoided jargon and acronyms without explanation?
Content and evidence
- Is the example specific and real: not generic?
- Does the Result include a number or measurable outcome?
- Have I shown what I did, not just what happened?
- Does the example focus on the behaviour being assessed?
- Have I included evidence of reflection or learning where relevant?
Word count and formatting
- Is the word count within the limit stated in the job advert?
- Have I left a 5-word margin (e.g., 245–250 for a 250-word limit)?
- Have I checked for spelling and grammar errors?
- Are there no formatting issues from copying and pasting?
- Have I removed any bullet points or numbering if the form does not allow them?
Final review
- Have I read the statement aloud to check it flows?
- Would someone outside my organisation understand what I did?
- Is this example genuinely mine, not copied or adapted too closely from an online example?
- Have I saved a backup copy outside the application form?
Common mistakes this checklist catches
"We decided to restructure the team.". Who decided? What did you do? Rewrite: "I proposed restructuring the team and presented the plan to senior management."
"The project was a success.". How do you know? Rewrite: "The project delivered £12,000 of savings in the first quarter and received positive feedback from the client."
A statement about "Managing a Quality Service" that spends 80% of the words describing how you led the team. Leadership is a different behaviour. Refocus on the quality outcomes, monitoring, and user needs.