Preparing for assessment

It is important to take the guidance on this site, which is generic across many Civil Service organisations, in the context of your particular application. Please pay particular attention to the role specification and the objectives, mission statement, aims, values and behavioural frameworks of the role to which you are applying.

In general you may find it helpful to consider how you meet the requirements against the role profile and consider examples of this that you can share at your Individual Leadership Assessment (ILA),  Alternative Leadership Assessment (ALA) or Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE).

For a SEE you may particularly want to think about examples of your leadership style and how you would facilitate a group discussion or respond to a staff panel Q&A session. Please see the videos from past candidates and one of our psychologists here.

For an ILA and ALA there will be a requirement to complete online psychometrics. Please ensure you make time for these and complete them as soon as you can after receiving the links to the assessments. Please note that it is important, particularly for tests of aptitude that you do these as quickly as you can, in an undisturbed setting – see hints and tips for more details and for practice tests.  If you require any adjustments to be made to any part of the application or assessment process please make your contact aware in advance of the day on which the session is scheduled.

For the SEE please allow time to prepare for the exercise and check the instructions carefully. Generally presentation aids are not suggested (i.e. no slides) and it is key for you to think about how you will come across to the staff panel.

If you are external to the Civil Service you may want to spend additional time considering core Civil Service Values – such as impartiality and diversity and inclusion as well as ensuring you are abreast of current affairs in central government, and your chosen department in particular.

Assessors / Psychologists

Your assessments will be supported by assessors. These assessors are Chartered Occupational Psychologists  registered with the British Psychological Society. They are specialists in business Psychology and the measurement of work place behaviour.

In terms of qualifications they will have at least a first degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Occupational Psychology and will have undergone a rigorous chartership process that takes a minimum of two years and requires extensive evidence of competence in the profession. Furthermore, when they join the assessment team they go through an observation, training and assessment process and continuing professional development. The reports that they write undergo rigorous quality assurance from another Chartered Psychologist before being submitted.

Please be reassured that they are technical specialists who are interested in your personality preferences and how that behaviour shows itself in the workplace. They are a completely different profession to Clinical Psychologists and will not pry into your mental health, personal life or childhood.