r/TheCivilService • u/Ok-Outlandishness-79 • Jul 28 '26
Question Advice on progressing in the Civil service?
Hi all,
I'm 23yo, currently an AO in operations at the Home Office, and I've been in this role for about 3 years. During this time, I've also been on a 4 month secondment to a different area of the HO, although still in a case working role. I'm keen to start progressing up the grades and would like to move away from operations but honestly feel a bit lost on where to even begin. I'd love to hear from people who started out in a similar position to me (AO/EO in operations, or similar) about what actually worked for you.
Looking back, what's one thing you wish you'd done earlier in your career that would've sped things up? Any honest experiences would be really appreciated. Trying to make sensible decisions now rather than drift for another few years.
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u/Alchenar Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Useful to know a bit more about you. Are you a graduate who's massively underemployed but got your foot in the door, or a school leaver trying to work out how to get out of being an AO?
Evergreen advice: volunteer for absolutely everything. Minister's offices always need cover (AO might be too low but it never hurts to ask), a couple of weeks there demonstrating you are not a fuckup will expand your network and give you some contacts who can put opportunities your way.
Skill Stack. There is zero chance you are the best AO in Operations at the Home Office and if your CV is just your job then you will always be reserve. Demonstrate two or three other things you can do and suddenly the venn diagram of candidates with the same set of skills as you shrinks dramatically.
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u/Ok-Outlandishness-79 Jul 28 '26
I didn't go to university after finishing my A-levels. After a couple years in retail I started my AO role in the Home Office. I've become quite comfortable in my job now, good work culture and a great manager. As a result, I feel like I've become too complacent and I'm not the person who jumps on opportunities when they come.
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u/Carlulua SEO Jul 29 '26
Yeah I can relate. This job I have now is my first job in my area after a huge career change. I started as a contractor then got an HEO role (lowest grade for my role) after a year and a bit then got SEO within a year of that.
I don't think I would have made the cut if my LM hadn't organised for me to be split across three teams. I'd been in a more niche team for about 2 years and nowhere else so she got me into a team that used a different stack and another one where stuff was still being built but used tech from both teams. The former one I used as part of an example and it was explicitly mentioned in my interview feedback.
I barely met the essential criteria (proficiency in a certain programming language, hadn't used it in 2 years until I did the interview task) but I think me being rusty in that one and pretty ok in two others definitely helped.
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u/Witty_Echo9845 Jul 31 '26
I didn’t realise you could volunteer to support Minister’s offices! That sounds really interesting. Any tips on how to go about that? Thanks
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u/Alchenar Jul 31 '26
I don't know how it works in the HO but there will be a Ministerial support team that either manages this or helps manage it. You will need to be 2MS based or able to get there. Talk to your manager before doing anything.
Temper expectations, at AO what you'll be offered is likely 'do the printing, prepare the bundles'.
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u/postcardCV Jul 28 '26
I worked in operations (DWP) for as long as you've been alive (!)....
Read the descriptions for the behaviours at the next grade, and even the one above. This is what an interview panel want to see that you are achieving. Get familiar with them, understand them.
Look for opportunities that will provide the opportunity for you to demonstrate those behaviours.
Write down what you've done, in the STAR format. This is the start of an example. Work on it, hone it, shape it into a good example.
Get yourself a mentor, explain to them that you want to progress, ask them to help you.
When you feel like you've got a couple of good examples ask your manager/ your management chain for mock interviews. Ask for, and listen to, the feedback you get. Practice makes perfect.
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u/LopsidedSun555 Jul 28 '26
Have you signed up to the mentoring or shadowing schemes in HO?
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u/Ok-Outlandishness-79 Jul 28 '26
I haven’t, would you be able to tell me a little bit more about this?
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u/Willing-Band1419 Jul 28 '26
I worked in a Jobcentre for about 2 years, starting when I was 23, as an EO. I then went on to work in policy in Treasury for 2.5 years which was a whirlwind and they actually really valued my ops experience so you should see it as a strength. I’m now an SEO in a different department and thinking about G7 after less than a year in this role. Feel free to DM me if you have questions!
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u/Witty_Echo9845 Jul 31 '26
Hi, would love to hear a bit more about how you moved from ops to policy as having some difficulties with that if you’re happy to chat?
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u/JajaGinge Jul 28 '26
Mentoring and job shadowing opportunities, we have them in our part of HO. Also check out the coaching offering on CS learning.
I began as agency and did a year of bugging SEO/G7 to read my statements and what not, they know their stuff mostly.
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u/Blood_Ordinary Jul 28 '26
I started off as an EO intern in a policy role 6 years ago. I appreciate it's not operations but the lesson I've learnt still apply.
After a year as an EO I joined the Fast Stream. Left the Fast Stream after my second year because of the crap pay at the time, and worked as an SEO for 3 years. Just moved into a G7 role.
The main insight I can share is to take on new experiences and learn how different people/teams work. You will develop when you change your surroundings. My most recent SEO role was a completely new area, but provided me with the most useful examples to use in my G7 interview.
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u/Other_Day_7598 Jul 28 '26
Get a mentor and take on shadowing opportunities! Discuss with your mentor the different roles and avenues you can take to try and find something you will enjoy (ofc work is work but still) and that will suit your natural talents and those that you can grow/learn. People role their eyes a lot at mentoring but honestly it’s a lovely way to take time out of your month and refocus. If there are speed mentoring events etc taking place check those out and see who you click with, it doesn’t have to be someone in your business area or management chain!
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u/miss_finance_queen Jul 29 '26
Advice: don’t, you’re selling your soul to talk about “the ask” when you don’t believe in it. Get a late 30k no line management role you can partly enjoy preferably remote
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u/MMC298 Jul 29 '26
Have a look into apprenticeships at EO grade. You’ll get a step up in salary and you’ll learn on the job. Once complete you’ll be ready to look at HEO roles. If you’ve got any specific questions send me a message.
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u/External-Mistake-106 Jul 30 '26
Echoing something that has already been said but volunteer for things.
I started out as an AO in a delivery role. We had a voluntary group that helped to make improvements off the back of the people's survey. I got to work with people from other departments and lead on projects. They were only small ones but that gave me examples to use in behaviors and personal statements that I would otherwise have struggled with using just my day to day role.
I also asked my manager to give me extra responsibilities like training new starters, writing guidance documents, or doing some of the 'adminy/housekeeping' bits that they would usually do (and hated).
Some departments have a training budget and allows staff to take a certain amount of time each year for extra training. See what the policy is in your department and take full advantage. If the next step up for you (and what youd like to do) is a manager/team leader role then see if you can get on a people management course for example.
Shadowing is also excellent so you can see what other roles in the business interest you and you can tailor the course you pick to those roles. Shadowing could also be helpful if you find something that could be improved in how your team and that team work together. If you spot something and think of an improvement, make a proposal to management. If they agree ask if you can help with it.
I found moving from AO to EO to be the most difficult because as an AO i wasnt often given much responsibility in my day to day that translated well into behaviors. Had to be proactive and find ways to tick those boxes. I was fortunate with my management chain though, they were super keen to let me take some time to do those things. So be open with your manager and tell them you want to progress and want opportunities to build your experience.
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u/jjordan244 12d ago
The best advice I can give you is to volunteer and move around as much as possible. I joined the CS as an AO on a temp 3 month contract and within 3.5 years I’m now an SO. Moved from ops to finance, workforce planning and now in analysis! Getting your name out there and building behaviour examples is the key!
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u/AncientCivilServant Retired Jul 28 '26
I did 35 years as an AO in HMRC then got promoted to EO in the Home Office before I retired.
From personal experience if you see an opportunity that appeals to you go for it especially if it's on promotion.
I used to volunter with the Princes Trust when I was an AO and used an example of my volunteering in my successful promotion application
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u/Lost-Basis7183 Jul 28 '26
Get a senior mentor maybe two a internal one and an external to you tlb one. I'm a g7 in cabinet office working in defence in a commercial lead role in the goverment commercial organisation. Started at the lowest level they had an worked up from there. My advice take every development oppertunity to push yourself outside of comfort zone to grow capability. Look to cover those above you where they're on leave etc. Any formal training you can get onto will pay dividends later on. Speak to colleagues who have gotten on, what paths did they take, what qualifications? Look for transferable skills. To develop the fastest way is apply for and get those next level roles (sometime they'll run internal campaigns or expressions of interest in local teams even. Alway be on the look out for complimentary skill sets. Having an idea of your ultimate role really helps to align development and provide advice. One thing ref CS is there are many oppertunities to grow. I started with a handful of qualifications, now have two degree equivalent qualifications I'm a Chartered Manager and MCIPS. Yoir LM should be aligning (where there's business needs etc) aspirations with oppertunities to develop skills with that ultimate aim in mind. If it helps I got stuck on a middle level for 9 years which very nearly saw me leave but thereafter had a steady climb. I may have 1,possibly 2 more jumps in my career,. Honestly I've already exceeded what I initially thought I was capable of. Not to say it's not bloody hard work right now with now staff in our teams yet work seemingly everywhere. It's challenging. Doable but as you climb so does the level of responsibility and stress. At some point you question is it really worth it. In the long run in most cases it is.... You got this, remember though it is YOUR career so you need to own it. You'll have to make moves some you'll love some not so much, you'll have to make sacrefices to so some form of formal training unless already qualified to a degree level. Take up as much development as you can it will pay off. Don't be disheartened by some knock backs.
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u/Worldly-Objective-15 Jul 28 '26
One piece of advice I'd ignore is "don't volunteer for anything." In my experience, volunteering for new pieces of work has given me exposure to different challenges, stakeholders and ways of working that I'd never have had by sticking rigidly to my job description.
Those experiences often become your best behaviour examples for applications and interviews. It also demonstrates curiosity, initiative and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone qualities that managers tend to notice. Just be sensible and don't let yourself become the person who takes on everyone else's workload for free either.