Applying for a Civil Service job can feel like a monumental task, especially when you’re faced with writing those 250-word statements. These statements are your chance to showcase your skills, experiences, and how well you align with the specific behaviours required for the role. Today, we’re going to delve into one of these crucial behaviours: Developing Self and Others at the Administrative Assistant (AA) level. Let’s break it down so you can approach it with confidence and ease.
The Behaviour: Developing Self and Others
Developing Self and Others is a core behaviour in the Civil Service competency framework. It involves a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, both for yourself and those around you. At the AA level, this means taking ownership of your personal development, seeking out learning opportunities, and supporting your colleagues in their growth.
At this grade, it’s about demonstrating a willingness to learn, showing initiative in acquiring new skills, and being proactive in sharing knowledge. You’re not expected to lead formal training sessions, but you might be involved in mentoring new starters or suggesting improvements in team processes.
Below this grade, roles might be more focused on following instructions and completing tasks under supervision, with less emphasis on personal initiative in development.
Above this grade, there’s a stronger focus on leadership in development—mentoring, coaching, and creating development plans for others.
250-Word Statement Tips
Crafting a compelling 250-word statement might seem daunting, but with the right approach, you can effectively convey your capabilities. Here are some tips to guide you:
- Understand the Behaviour: Make sure you fully understand what Developing Self and Others means at the AA level. Tailor your statement to highlight your learning initiatives and how you help others grow.
- Use the B-STAR Method: Structure your statement using the B-STAR method. This ensures you cover all essential elements clearly and concisely.
- Belief: Begin with your belief in the importance of continuous learning and development.
- Situation: Describe a relevant situation where you took initiative.
- Task: Explain the specific task you were responsible for.
- Action: Detail the actions you took to develop yourself or others.
- Result: Conclude with the results of your actions, emphasizing positive outcomes and learning experiences.
- Be Specific: Provide concrete examples that clearly illustrate your points. Vague statements don’t carry much weight, but specific incidents show your practical experience.
- Show Impact: Highlight the impact of your development efforts on yourself and others. This demonstrates not just what you did, but why it mattered.
- Keep it Concise: Stick to the word limit. Every word should add value, so be succinct and avoid unnecessary details.
- Review and Revise: Edit your statement multiple times. Check for clarity, grammar, and ensure it aligns with the Developing Self and Others behaviour.
Here’s an example statement to illustrate how to apply these tips effectively…
250 Word Statement Example
I believe in the importance of continuous learning and development, both for myself and for my colleagues. Focusing on self-improvement and sharing knowledge helps us all grow and contribute more effectively.
As an administrative assistant in the Civil Service, I recognised that my Excel skills were not as strong as they could be. Given how frequently we use Excel for data management, I saw this as a crucial area for development. To address this, I enrolled in an online Excel course to enhance my skills.
After completing the course, I applied my new knowledge by creating more efficient spreadsheets for our team. I also took the initiative to share what I learned with my colleagues. I organised a small workshop where I demonstrated useful Excel functions and shortcuts that could save time and reduce errors.
To ensure that the learning was effective, I provided handouts with step-by-step instructions and encouraged my colleagues to ask questions and practice the new skills.
Listening to feedback from my colleagues, I identified additional areas for improvement. For example, some colleagues suggested that they would benefit from advanced training on data analysis tools within Excel. I took this feedback to heart and proposed a series of more in-depth workshops.
As a result, our team became more proficient in Excel, leading to increased productivity and fewer errors in our data management tasks. My colleagues appreciated the opportunity to develop new skills, and I gained confidence in my ability to contribute to the team’s overall development.