• 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…


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • 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…