Civil Service Success Profiles CV: How to Pass Sift (2026)

Map every Civil Service Behaviour to your CV evidence using the STAR framework. Includes HEO, SEO and G7 worked examples.

Quick answer

Behaviours, Strengths, Experience, how to weave Success Profiles into the Civil Service Jobs free-text CV box.

The Civil Service uses Success Profiles for almost every external role. Your CV, and the personal statement that sits in the same Civil Service Jobs application, must evidence the specific Behaviours listed in the role advert.

The five elements

Behaviours, Strengths, Experience, Technical and Ability. Most adverts score on Behaviours plus one or two of the others.

Behaviour levels matter

"Leading and Communicating" at Level 3 (HEO/SEO) requires different evidence than Level 4 (G7). Mirror the language of the level.

Use STAR every time

Situation, Task, Action, Result. Recruiters score against the Action and Result lines specifically, don't bury them.

Stay within character limits

The free-text CV box on Civil Service Jobs has a hard character limit (often 1,250 words). Front-load the most relevant Behaviour evidence on page 1.

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