Civil Service CV Template + Statement and Behaviours
Civil Service roles are assessed on Success Profiles, so a CV alone is rarely enough. This kit covers both: an ATS-safe Civil Service CV, and a Statement of Suitability and behaviour-example template with STAR prompts for the nine behaviours. Fill it in, then check it free at Cvedo.
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What's inside
- A worked HEO statement to model, with two full STAR behaviour examples.
- A Statement of Suitability section, plus STAR blocks for all nine Success Profiles behaviours.
- The real format: behaviours scored against the advert, ~250 words each; statement ~750–1,000 words.
- A matching ATS-safe Civil Service CV: a blank plus a filled example.
Why it passes an ATS
- Single column, top to bottom. No tables, text boxes or sidebars that scramble ATS parsing.
- Standard headings (Work experience, Education, Skills) that applicant tracking systems recognise.
- Contact details in the body, never in a Word header or footer (where many parsers ignore them).
- System font (Calibri 11) and plain bullets. No photos, icons or graphics.
- No date of birth or photo, British spelling, references on request.
- A real, editable Word file that opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice.
Editing it safely
- Replace the bracketed prompts with your own words; keep the section headings as they are.
- Don't add tables, columns, text boxes, photos or logos.
- Keep your name and contact details at the top of the page, not in a header.
- Delete the grey Cvedo line at the bottom before you send it.
- Save as .docx; only export a PDF from Word/Google Docs (never a scanned or image PDF).
Frequently asked questions
What are Success Profiles?
The Civil Service assesses applications across Behaviours, Strengths, Experience, Ability and Technical skills. Most adverts test a few behaviours plus a Statement of Suitability, and this kit is built around that.
How many behaviours do I write?
Only the ones the advert lists, usually three to five (all nine for the Senior Civil Service). The blank includes all nine so you can pick; complete just the ones asked for.
How long should each part be?
Behaviour examples are commonly capped around 250 words each, and a Statement of Suitability is usually 750 to 1,000 words. Always follow the limits in the advert.
Does Cvedo write it for me?
No. The template gives you the structure and STAR prompts; the words are yours. The free checker then scores your statement against the behaviours and flags gaps.
Related guides
- Civil Service Success Profiles Explained (2026 Guide)
- The 9 Civil Service Behaviours, With Examples (2026)
- STAR Method for Civil Service Statements (2026 Guide)