How to Pass Civil Service Tests

This is the very first stage of the Civil Service application process. This step involves uploading a copy of your CV to the Civil Service’s recruitment servers, as well as filling in additional application forms. This will include a competency questionnaire, in which you’ll need to give examples of when you’ve shown that you possess the core competencies valued highly by the Civil Service. The word limit for each answer you give is 200 words.

The Civil Service Sift Test is the second stage of the vetting process, used to measure how well you know the core competencies, and how likely you are to apply them correctly. This is essentially a situational judgement test, but with an added focus on the core competencies. Make sure that you revise the core competencies and know how to apply them in real-life scenarios.

If your application form is successful, and you pass the Civil Service sift test, you’ll be invited to sit the Civil Service online test. As previously mentioned, this is a collection of assessments that you’ll need to pass in order to be invited to the assessment centre. We’ll discuss these in more detail and provide sample questions, but for now take a look at the list of tests you will have to sit as part of this stage of the Civil Service application process:

• Verbal Reasoning Test;
• Numerical Reasoning Test;
• Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Test;
• Abstract Reasoning Test;
• Personality Test;
• Situational Judgement Test.

The Civil Service E-Tray assessment is an online test used to judge your knowledge and application of core competencies, as well as your ability to handle data and information correctly. It’s a kind of role playing exercise which will have you at a virtual workstation, making your way through tasks in the form of emails. If you would like to know more about the E-Tray assessments, click here.

If you pass the online tests, you’ll be invited to an assessment centre. This will be an opportunity to show your skills to the employers in person, as you attend a day of exercises and assessments. Here are some of the tasks that could be given to you to complete:

• Psychometric tests – These will be similar to the ones you took during the Civil Service online tests stage of the application process. The reason for sitting them again is simply to verify that you weren’t cheating or getting help during the online assessments.
• Role play exercises – You will be given a role to perform, with interviewers participating in the exercise as well. You’ll have to work within a scenario, adhering to the competencies as much as possible.
• Group activities – These can take different forms, but all will measure your ability to work as a group, assign tasks, and manage your time effectively. You’ll be given a short space of time to prepare something as a group, then have to play out whatever you’ve decided on. These activities can include role plays, presentations, and discussions.
• Individual Presentations – Here, you’ll be given a topic and some time to prepare a presentation based on it. You’ll then have to present your ideas to the recruiters at the assessment centre.
• Written exercises – These are designed to test your ability to write a response to a question or complete a written-based task. You’ll likely be given data to work with to support your argument or otherwise discuss in your written exercise.

After the assessment centre, you’ll have the final face-to-face interview. This is an opportunity for the recruiters to get a better understanding of who you are as a person, as well as gather how well you know and can apply the Civil Service core competencies. Think back to how you answered questions in any tests and activities which involves the core competencies during the application process, since the interviewers may ask for you to expand on the answers you gave.

With hundreds of questions at the ready, this online testing suite gives you everything you need to start practising your numerical reasoning skills and prepare yourself for the Civil Service numerical reasoning test!

The verbal reasoning test can be tricky for those who haven’t practised, so be sure to use this online testing suite to familiarise yourself with the question format.

Situational judgement tests are used in two different stages of the Civil Service application process: first in the Sift tests, and second in the online testing phase. This means that you have twice the reason to get access to this situational judgement testing suite and prepare for success!

While there’s technically not a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer in a personality test, and you should always answer honestly, it helps to have an idea of what questions you might face so that you can prepare to answer them properly. This downloadable eBook comes with plenty of sample personality test questions.

Abstract reasoning is one of the trickiest parts of any application process it appears in. For some, the skill of identifying patterns comes naturally, but everyone else needs to make sure that they’re prepared. Use the questions, answers, and explanations in this downloadable eBook to prepare your brain for the abstract reasoning test.

Critical thinking tests can be difficult if you aren’t in the frame of mind for them. Therefore, you need to take time learning what the questions are like and how to answer them. This bundle includes online testing questions for critical thinking tests, allowing you to prepare as well as possible.