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Career Spotlight: How Rohan became an Economic Advisor
Who I Am My name is Rohan, and I’m an Economic Advisor at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. I’ve previously worked on border security at the Home Office, inflation forecasting at the OBR, and the Covid-19 economic response in the Cabinet Office. The Path That Led Me Here I’ve always been drawn…
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How to Succeed in the Civil Service: Calvin’s Story
For my first blog for the Unofficial Civil Service Guide, I wanted to share some reflections from my career in the Civil Service so far for those who have recently joined. I’ve been in the Civil Service for just over 7 years and have been fortunate enough to work in 5 departments across multiple professions…
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Civil Service Career Spotlight: How Mel Hume Built an 18-Year Civil Service Career
Who I am I find myself 18 years deep into my Civil Service career, spending most of those years in HMRC before moving to the Department for Education (DfE) last year. I have always been strongly motivated by societal outcomes – I firmly believe Civil Servants are the backbone of a well-functioning society. The Path…
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David’s 3 Keys to Civil Service Career Success
Careers rarely follow a straight path, especially in the Civil Service. Our conversation with David Francis, former Senior Civil Servant and Director of the West London Alliance, was testament to that. At 18, David started his career as a chartered surveyor and has ended up leading huge national, regional and local programmes, including Help to…
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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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