Public sector CV (UK)
Civil Service, council, government agency, NHS support roles. Written for how the public sector actually shortlists.
Reviewed by Anthony, founder · Updated
How public sector shortlisting works
Every public sector vacancy publishes a framework. Person specification, Success Profile, or competency list. The shortlisting panel scores each candidate against each criterion using only the evidence on the application. If a criterion isn't evidenced, you don't get the points, even if you can clearly do the job.
This is good news. It means the rules are written down. You don't have to guess what the recruiter wants.
Civil Service Success Profiles
The five pillars:
Behaviours. Leadership, Communicating & Influencing, Delivering at Pace, and others. Each has a grade-level definition.
Strengths. What energises you, often assessed at interview.
Experience. Relevant prior roles and tasks.
Ability. Aptitude tests, written exercises.
Technical. Specific job knowledge (policy, finance, digital, science).
Read the ad. It names which two or three behaviours apply. Your CV and statement need to evidence each one at the grade you're applying to.
STAR for the supporting statement
The CV stays factual. The supporting statement carries the STAR evidence (Situation, Task, Action, Result). One STAR example per behaviour, usually 250 words.
Lead with the action you took. The panel scores actions, not context. “I” not “we”.
Council and local government
Most councils use a similar competency framework with their own language: customer focus, value for money, equality and inclusion, partnership working. The same rules apply. Read the framework, evidence each competency, use the council's wording.
Role-specific guides
Tailor to a real Civil Service or council job.
Paste the job ad with its Success Profile or competency list. Sausage Dog rewrites your CV to evidence each criterion in the framework's language. Free tier covers one a day.
Frequently asked
How is a public sector CV different?+
Public sector hiring is scored against a published framework. Civil Service Success Profiles, NHS person specifications, council competencies. It's not recruiter vibes. Your CV needs to evidence each criterion in the framework, in the framework's language.
What are Civil Service Success Profiles?+
A five-pillar framework: Behaviours, Strengths, Experience, Ability, Technical. Most roles assess two or three behaviours. Each behaviour has a definition at your grade. Your CV and statements need to show evidence at the right grade level.
Should I use STAR on my public sector CV?+
For the supporting statement, yes. Situation, Task, Action, Result. The CV itself is usually a normal CV with the supporting statement carrying the STAR-formatted evidence. Both should reference the same behaviours.
Do I need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check?+
Many public sector roles require one. Mention any current Enhanced or Standard DBS on your CV. It shows the recruiter you can start work without delay.
How long should a public sector CV be?+
Two pages for most roles. Civil Service applications often ask for a separate 250 or 750-word statement per behaviour, so the CV stays factual and the statements carry the evidence.