Welcome to Your Guide for Mastering Civil Service Interviews
Whether you’re preparing for a Grade 7 Civil Service interview or simply curious about what to expect, you’re in the right place. This post will walk you through one of the key behaviors you’ll need to demonstrate: Communicating & Influencing. You’ll learn what it means at the Grade 7 level, see common interview questions, and get a helpful guide on how to structure your answers. Let’s jump in!
Contents
What is Communicating & Influencing?
Communicating & Influencing refers to how effectively you communicate with others and persuade them to adopt your ideas or viewpoints. At the Grade 7 level, this behavior is crucial because you’ll often be leading teams, working with senior stakeholders, and making decisions that impact a range of people.
At this level, the focus is on strategic communication. You’ll need to adjust your communication style for different audiences, build strong working relationships, and influence others even when they may have competing interests. This differs from lower levels, where communication is more focused on conveying information rather than shaping opinions or strategies.
Common Interview Questions for Communicating & Influencing
- Can you give an example of a time when you had to influence senior stakeholders to adopt your approach?
- Tell me about a situation where you had to change your communication style to suit a particular audience.
- How do you handle disagreements or conflicts in a team setting?
- Can you describe a time when you successfully persuaded someone to change their mind?
- See more…
How to Answer Using the B-STAR Method
To help structure your answers, you can use the B-STAR method. This method ensures your answers are clear, focused, and highlight your key strengths.
B – Belief
Explain your core belief or approach to communicating and influencing. This shows the interviewer what principles guide your behavior.
S – Situation
Briefly describe the situation that required you to use your communication or influencing skills.
T – Task
Explain what your specific task was in this situation, including your goals and what you needed to achieve.
A – Action
Detail the actions you took to communicate effectively or influence others. Be specific about the steps you took and why.
R – Result
Summarize the outcome of your actions. What did you achieve? How did your communication or influencing skills lead to a successful result?
Sample B-STAR Answer
Question: Can you give an example of a time when you had to influence senior stakeholders to adopt your approach?
Answer:
Belief: I believe that clear, evidence-based communication is key to influencing stakeholders effectively.
Situation: In my previous role, we were working on a project to improve operational efficiency, but there was resistance from senior leadership who were concerned about costs.
Task: My task was to present a proposal that not only addressed their concerns but also persuaded them to approve the project.
Action: I carefully researched and gathered data on the long-term savings the project would bring. I adapted my presentation style to focus on the financial benefits and addressed each of their concerns directly. I also engaged them in one-on-one conversations to answer questions and build rapport.
Result: The stakeholders approved the project, and within six months, we saw a 15% improvement in efficiency, with projected long-term savings of over £500,000.
Why This Answer Works
💡 Belief: Demonstrates a strong guiding principle that underpins the candidate’s communication and influencing style. It shows self-awareness and thoughtfulness.
💼 Situation: Clearly outlines the context and sets the stage for the challenge, giving the interviewer a clear picture of what was at stake.
🎯 Task: Highlights the specific goal the candidate was working towards, showing focus and intent.
🎤 Action: Details the steps taken to influence senior stakeholders, showing both strategic thinking and adaptability.
🏆 Result: Quantifies the success and ties it back to the original goal, showing the positive impact of the candidate’s actions.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Being vague: Avoid generalizations. Be specific in describing your actions and the impact they had.
- Ignoring the ‘Belief’ part: Always start by explaining your belief or approach. This sets a strong foundation.
- Skipping the result: Always link your actions to a clear outcome. Without a result, your answer lacks impact.
- Rambling: Keep your answers concise and focused. Stay on point with each part of the B-STAR method.
Key Takeaways
At the Grade 7 level, Communicating & Influencing is about more than just getting your message across. You need to strategically adjust your communication style, influence senior stakeholders, and work across teams to drive results. By using the B-STAR method, you can ensure your answers are well-structured, impactful, and showcase your ability to communicate and influence effectively.
