Civil Service Strengths are part of the Success Profiles recruitment framework. They are the things you do regularly, do well and that motivate you. Recruiters use them to understand whether the role is likely to suit the way you naturally work.
For the full framework, see our Civil Service Success Profiles guide. If you are trying to understand interview marks, the Civil Service interview scoring guide explains why behaviours and strengths may not use the same scale.
Strengths are different from behaviours. Civil Service behaviours change by grade, while strengths do not. A particular strength may be relevant at any grade if it fits the role.
The current Civil Service Strengths guidance describes three parts of a strength: performance, engagement and use. Performance means you can do the activity to a high level. Engagement means the activity motivates or energises you. Use means it is something you do regularly and, where possible, choose to use.
How Civil Service strengths are assessed
Strengths may be assessed through interviews, recorded video interviews, situational strengths tests, simulations or personality-style assessments. The job advert should tell you which elements of Success Profiles are being assessed and which method will be used.
For interview strength questions, the Civil Service advises candidates not to rehearse prepared answers because recruiters are looking for the initial response. That does not mean you should do no preparation. It means your preparation should focus on understanding your genuine strengths and preferred ways of working rather than memorising scripts.
Read the job advert, think about what kinds of activity you naturally enjoy and consider real examples from work or life that demonstrate those strengths. This makes it easier to answer naturally when a question is asked.
Civil Service strength question examples
Strength questions are often short and direct. Examples include:
- What energises you?
- What does a successful day look like to you?
- Do you prefer starting tasks or finishing them?
- How do you feel about deadlines?
- What are you naturally good at?
- How would people who know you well describe you?
- Do you prefer looking at the big picture or the small details?
- What type of problem do you most enjoy solving?
- How do you react when plans change unexpectedly?
- What type of work gives you the most satisfaction?
- How do you feel about persuading other people?
- What do you enjoy least at work?
These answers are usually shorter and more conversational than behaviour answers. You do not need to force every response into STAR. Answer the question directly, explain why you feel that way and use a brief real example if it helps show that the strength is genuine.
Civil Service strengths dictionary
The current GOV.UK guidance lists 36 named strengths:
- Adaptable – You adjust effectively to changes in work or environment and remain effective when circumstances change.
- Analytical – You seek and analyse information so decisions are based on the best available evidence.
- Authentic – You are self-aware and stay true to yourself, including under pressure.
- Catalyst – You are self-motivated to act and confidently use your initiative to move towards a goal.
- Challenger – You bring fresh perspectives and recognise that issues can be viewed from several angles.
- Change agent – You are positive and motivating when leading or supporting people through change.
- Confident – You take charge when needed, communicate with confidence and give direction.
- Courageous – You try new approaches and are willing to work outside your comfort zone.
- Decisive – You use judgement and take a considered approach when making decisions.
- Disciplined – You work effectively within appropriate standards, rules and guidelines.
- Efficient – You turn resources into results in an efficient and cost-effective way.
- Emotionally intelligent – You understand your own emotions and those of others and use that awareness to show empathy.
- Enabler – You see potential in other people and encourage them to learn and develop.
- Explainer – You communicate ideas clearly and simplify complexity so other people can understand.
- Focused – You aim for quality outcomes and high standards in your work.
- Inclusive – You treat people fairly, recognise individual differences and encourage people to contribute.
- Influencer – You explain the rationale for your position and gain agreement from others.
- Improver – You look for better ways of doing things and enjoy developing new ideas.
- Learner – You are curious, seek new information and look for ways to develop.
- Mediator – You help create stability and common purpose and enjoy working with others towards a shared goal.
- Mission – You are motivated by meaningful work and longer-term purpose.
- Motivator – You are highly driven and help other people move work forward.
- Negotiator – You support constructive discussion and enjoy helping parties reach agreement.
- Networker – You build and maintain positive professional relationships and connect people where useful.
- Organiser – You plan well, prepare properly and look for ways to maximise time and productivity.
- Precise – You focus on detail and make sure work is accurate.
- Preventer – You think ahead and act on risks or problems before they happen.
- Problem solver – You take a positive approach to problems and identify workable solutions.
- Relationship builder – You build trust and mutual respect quickly and maintain strong working relationships.
- Resilient – You stay composed, recover from setbacks and learn from them.
- Responsible – You take ownership of your decisions and hold yourself accountable for commitments.
- Service focused – You put customer needs at the centre of how you deliver services.
- Strategic – You consider the big picture, wider factors and longer-term effects of decisions.
- Team leader – You lead teams confidently, manage team dynamics and consider individual needs.
- Team player – You work well with others and help the team operate effectively.
- Visionary – You create and communicate a clear view of the future.
Strengths and behaviours
Some strengths naturally align with particular behaviours, but they are not the same thing. For example, Strategic and Visionary can support Seeing the Big Picture, while Analytical and Decisive can support Making Effective Decisions. Service focused is an obvious fit for Managing a Quality Service, and Influencer or Explainer may support Communicating and Influencing.
The useful point for candidates is to understand the relationship without trying to turn strengths into another behaviour framework. A role may assess both, and the recruiter is looking for different evidence from each.
Common mistakes in a strengths interview
- Do not memorise long model answers. Strengths assessment is designed to capture a more natural response.
- Do not claim that every possible strength describes you. It is more credible to know what genuinely energises you and what does not.
- Do not turn every answer into a five-minute behaviour response.
- Do not force a full STAR structure onto a simple preference question.
- Do not choose an answer only because you think it sounds senior.
Answer directly, explain enough to make the response meaningful and use a short example where it genuinely adds something.