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Career Spotlight: How Ruqaiya Isa Built a 29-Year Civil Service Career
Who I Am I am a Chartered Project Professional with 29 years in the Civil Service. Mentoring, raising mental health awareness, and volunteering as an NHS Responder are really important to me. Balancing my career and family life with three daughters is something I’m incredibly proud of, and it’s what keeps me motivated. The Path…
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Demystifying Civil Service Behaviours: Scott’s 3 Lessons
Mindset and methodology were at the heart of our career conversation with Scott Fielding, a former Senior Civil Servant working as a consultant at Deloitte. Scott shared a candid account of how he cut through the complex language and process of Civil Service applications to secure new roles & promotions across six government departments. Here…
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3 Lessons from a Director General: Justin Russell’s Journey
Mindset and mission were at the heart of our recent career conversation with Justin Russell, a seasoned public servant with decades of experience across the Civil Service. As the first senior guest in the Unofficial Guides event series, Justin offered a candid and generous account of his journey – from academic beginnings to strategy roles…
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3 Career Truths Horatio Wishes He’d Heard Sooner
From public scrutiny to personal zigzags, Horatio Georgestone’s Civil Service story is anything but linear. As part of our Unofficial Guides event series, he pulled back the curtain on the messy, meaningful lessons that have shaped his leadership. The result? An honest conversation about growth, resilience and redefining what success looks like. Here are three…
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Starting a Career in Diplomacy: Thomas’ Story
Who I Am Hi! I’m Thomas, I am currently on the Diplomatic and Development Fast Stream in the FCDO. I joined because I wanted to help make a positive difference in the world and also to learn from incredible people and work on interesting issues! The Path That Led Me Here Before the Civil Service…
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3 Tips for Speaking to a Hiring Manager
When people ask me for advice about getting into the civil service, deciphering a job description, or navigating the application process, I recommend speaking to the hiring manager. Why? Because hiring managers clarify what they’re looking for in a candidate, what the role entails day-to-day, and what the workplace culture is like. Beyond that, it’s…
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A Career in National Security: Pooja’s story
When Pooja Patel speaks, you listen. A civil servant whose career has been shaped by some of the UK government’s most pressing challenges – Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and national cybersecurity -Pooja’s story is one of grounded leadership, clear-eyed resilience, and fiercely held purpose. This conversation, hosted by Nathan White from The Unofficial Guide to…
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Mastering Civil Service Applications: Key Insights from Our Workshop
Earlier this month, we hosted another one of our Application Workshops. This is part of our ongoing mission at Unofficial Guides to level the playing field for anyone trying to break into the Civil Service. With a brilliant group of early and mid-career professionals, we rolled our sleeves and dove deep into the real work…
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3 Career Lessons from Jen Upton’s Journey in Diplomacy
Introduction “My kids have the dubious distinction of being evacuated at six weeks old – twice.” Jen Upton’s story is filled with remarkable moments that show just how unpredictable a career in diplomacy can be. Jen Upton, a former diplomat with over 20 years of experience in the UK Foreign Office, shared her candid insights…
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Finding Your Place In the Civil Service: Stephanie’s Story
Meet Stephanie Brown Hello everyone! My name is Stephanie Brown, and I joined the Civil Service in September 2023 as a Fast Streamer. In my first posting I was based in DWP, and this year have moved over to Scottish Government which is a completely different experience. I have been fortunate enough to work with…
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The Unofficial Guides 