How can teachers get jobs in the Civil Service? We hear this question a lot and this blog will help answer and reassure you that teachers are valued by the Civil Service.
Those Who Can hosted an inspiring webinar with the Home Office, we were contacted by a former primary school teacher who left teaching for a career in the Civil Service. Ben started as a member of the Project Delivery team and is now a Portfolio Analyst at The Home Office. Ben’s line manager was so impressed with Ben’s work ethic that he wanted to know how the Civil Service could attract more teachers into the profession and that is why they got in contact with us.
The key webinar takeaways were:
- Home Office & Civil Service welcomes applications from teachers
- Age is no barrier as you will bring valuable experience
- The Civil service offers hybrid and flexible working
Transitioning From Teaching To A Career In The Civil Service
Are you a teacher looking to embark on a new journey in the public sector?
Transitioning from teaching to the Civil Service can offer a rewarding and impactful career change. Whether you’re drawn to policy-making, public administration, or public service, the Civil Service provides a diverse range of opportunities to make a difference in society. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can secure a job in the Civil Service and hear inspiring stories of educators who have successfully made the transition.
Understanding The Civil Service
The Civil Service is the backbone of government operations, responsible for implementing government policies and delivering public services. It offers roles across various departments and agencies, covering areas such as healthcare, education, defence, finance, and more. From entry-level positions to senior leadership roles, there’s a wide array of opportunities for individuals with different backgrounds and expertise.
Steps To Secure A Job In The Civil Service
- Research and Identify Suitable Roles
Start by researching different departments and roles within the Civil Service to find the ones that align with your skills, interests, and career aspirations. Search https://civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk for open roles – some of the jobs posted may contain jargon you don’t understand, these are probably not the right roles to apply for so look for job roles where you feel you can confidently demonstrate the skills mentioned.
GOV.UK provide comprehensive listings of job vacancies and information about various government departments.
You will have acquired many skills throughout your time as a teacher and it is important to quantify these in a way a prospective employer will understand. Take time to conduct a key skills assessment on yourself, if you need support we have a short course on this: Key Skills Audit
- Tailor Your Application
Craft your application to highlight relevant skills and experiences gained from your teaching career.
Emphasise transferable skills such as communication, organisation, leadership, and problem-solving. Be sure to customise your CV and cover letter for each position you apply for.
Ensure your CV and application is skills focused. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Actions, Result) to showcase your achievements. If you are unsure how to do this we have a created a short course to help teachers understand their skills and how to articulate them using the STAR method: STAR Method Guide
- Prepare for Assessments and Interviews
Many Civil Service roles involve assessments and competency-based interviews. Familiarise yourself with the Civil Service Competency Framework and prepare examples that demonstrate how you meet the required competencies.
Practice and preparation are key, think about typical interview questions and prepare answers using the STAR Method. Rehearse mock interviews and assessments to build confidence and readiness.
- Network and Seek Guidance
Using personal connections or LinkedIn, connect with current or former Civil Servants. Seek guidance from career advisors or mentors who can provide insights into navigating the application process and transitioning from teaching to the Civil Service.
Inspiring Stories: Teachers Turned Civil Servants
Benjamin Summers former Primary Teacher to Portfolio Analyst at The Home Office
“It’s been about a year and a half since I left teaching and moved to the Civil Service. In that time I have been lucky enough to gain Practitioner Level Qualifications in Prince2 and Agile Project Management and a Foundation Level Qualification in Contract Management. I have also secured a promotion to a new role and a new department within the Home Office after only a year in the organisation. I have found many of my skills have been transferrable to Project Delivery in the Civil Service.
Analysing children’s data in the run-up to assessments has helped me with analysing data related to government projects and programmes. Difficult conversations with parents, children and other members of staff have transitioned into stakeholder management skills. It isn’t just what I have brought with me though, the development opportunities in the Civil Service have been great. Not just through the qualifications I mentioned earlier, but I have also learnt much from colleagues.
If you are thinking of leaving teaching for the Civil Service, I would highly recommend the move.
Tips for finding a role in the Civil Service:
1) Familiarise yourself with the application expectations. It is not the same as applying for teaching roles. Read up about strengths and behaviours and the expectations of these at the grade you are applying for. When I completed applications, I would ensure to quote key phrases from the Strength and Behaviour Success Profiles to ensure my evidence was clear to the recruiters. It is also important to use the STAR method when giving your examples.
2) Set up alerts on Civil Service Jobs. Seems simple, but this saved me a lot of time as job opportunities were sent to me. A teaching day is already one of the longest days anyone works – this will save you having to trawl through the job board in the evenings.
3) Create examples for each behaviour. Another way I streamlined my application approach was to create examples for different behaviours and keep them stored on my laptop. That way I could quickly find relevant experience for the role I was applying for. Just ensure you tweak any answers so they fit closely to the role you are applying for.
4) Don’t get disheartened. I applied for probably around 30 roles before getting my first interview for the Civil Service (but that first interview secured me a job). The whole process is very different to securing a teaching job. Read feedback from applications and use this to shape your future applications. It is a learning process.
Now is the perfect time to begin looking at a transition to the Civil Service if you are thinking of leaving this summer. The whole process can be slow, particularly once it gets to security clearances. I interviewed in April and did not start with the Civil Service until September.
This can be to your benefit as the notice periods in teaching are so long. Hopefully, something here will help a teacher somewhere to secure a role with the Civil Service. Many teachers are working in the Civil Service as it is an employer that recognises transferable skills and you could be the next one to make the move.”
Ben has very kindly said he is happy to connect with teachers who are serious about a career in the Civil Services and will offer advice where he can. LinkedIn Benjamin Summers
More examples of teachers we have mentored, who now work for the Civil Service:
Aanya – From Classroom to Policy Advisor
Aanya, a former high school history teacher, transitioned to the Civil Service to pursue her passion for shaping education policy. After completing a graduate internship with the Department for Education, Aanya secured a permanent role as a policy advisor. She now works on initiatives aimed at improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged students.
What does a policy advisor do?
You’ll usually work across a range of functions in either the public, private or charity sector: local and central government – researching, developing and implementing public policies that affect everyone. This type of role could involve advising senior or elected officials such as MPs.
Chris – Making an Impact in Public Health
Chris spent over a decade as a science teacher before transitioning to the Civil Service to work in public health. Drawing on his background in education, Chris now leads outreach programs that promote healthy living and disease prevention in local communities. His innovative approach has garnered recognition from government agencies and community organisations.
What do Public health practitioners do?
Public health practitioners work in many places and in many areas of public health. They may support healthy lifestyle programmes, helping individuals and groups to stop smoking and take more exercise. They may work on immunisation programmes and screening, based in local communities or in public health teams specialising in health protection.
Some public health practitioners may play an important role in national and local health campaigns. Others may work in the public health knowledge and intelligence teams in local government organisations and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
If you know anyone who works for the Civil Service, arrange to have a chat with them so you can find out for yourself the realities of the role and if you would be a good fit.
In Conclusion
Transitioning from teaching to the Civil Service offers an opportunity to leverage your skills and expertise in a new and impactful way. By conducting thorough research, tailoring your application, and preparing diligently, you can position yourself for success in securing a job within the Civil Service. Draw inspiration from educators like Benjamin, Aanya and Chris who have made a meaningful difference in their new roles. Your journey towards a rewarding career in public service awaits!
If you feel you need support changing careers, please do get in contact with us. We have helped thousands of teachers find rewarding careers after dedicating time to the classroom.
Our STAR Method short course will help you frame your teaching experiences effectively, it is the preferred method for applications for Civil Service jobs.
