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How Nina got into the Civil Service
My journey applying to the Civil Service began when I left my teaching career of 18 years. I worked in an amazing, supportive primary school but the workload had left me burnt out and wondering if I could manage this work/life balance until retirement. The short answer was no. With a heavy heart, I left…
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Building a Career in Scotland: Gregor’s Journey
Meet Gregor I first joined the Civil Service back as an 18-year-old back in January 2017 as an EO Team Leader in the Department for Work & Pensions. The Civil Service motivates me as everyday we have the opportunity to make a difference in whatever role we are in. Before the Civil Service I grew…
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3 Lessons from Kamilla Kingstone
In September, we interviewed Kamila Kingstone, a former Fast Streamer who worked across departments, Number 10, and the Cabinet Office. She shared incredible insights into the mindset that helped her have impact and maintain her values in demanding environments. Here are the three key lessons we took from the session: 1. Act with Intention “What…
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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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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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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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The opportunities are out there – seize them!
By Anna Ogilby, People Development Lead at the UK Health Security Agency Who are you and how long have you been a civil servant? I’m Anna, I live in East Yorkshire with my 4 daughters. I have been in the Civil Service for nearly 9 years now. What were you doing before you became a…
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The Unofficial Guides 