Civil Service Work Strengths Test: Examples, Tips & Practice
The Civil Service has a significant role in the UK’s public sector, and as such, it offers a wide range of positions, from healthcare and law enforcement to administrative services and policy development. To find the best people for the job, the hiring process for the Civil Service comprises several steps that include one or more evaluation tests.
One of these tests is the Civil Service Work Strengths Test, which is a behavioural evaluation that assesses your work-related strengths, how they fit the role you applied for, and how they indicate your potential in succeeding on the job. These factors are crucial to the Civil Service Success Profiles. This test gives your recruiters a first glimpse of your personality, so to pass it, you need to provide a good impression of your character and demonstrate how you are the perfect person for the job.
On the following page, you will find all the information you need about the Civil Service Work Strengths Test, with the test’s structure, sample questions, and tips.
What Is the Civil Service Work Strengths Test?
The Civil Service Work Strengths Test is a behavioural assessment designed to evaluate your professional strengths by analysing your daily routine, performances, drives and motivations. Your work strengths indicate if you are a good match for the role you applied for and if this job fits your needs and sense of fulfilment.
The test, which is taken online, comprises three sections – one work-preferences assessment and two Situational Judgement Tests.
The Civil Service Work Strengths test has no time limit, and it usually takes two to four minutes to respond to each question.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section A
This section of the test is a self-assessment of your preferences at work.
You will be presented with a series of statements regarding work-related behaviours. You will need to rate each statement on a scale of ‘very strongly disagree’ to ‘very strongly agree’ according to your level of agreement or disagreement.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section B
This section assesses your responses and way of action in various work-related situations.
You will be presented with a common Civil Service scenario followed by several possible actions and reactions. You will need to rate the effectiveness of each action on a scale of ‘effective’ to ‘counterproductive’ –
- Effective – a good action that will help to resolve the situation
- Partially effective – a useful action that will be of some help in the situation
- Ineffective – a poor action that will not help the situation
- Counterproductive – an unacceptable action that will make the situation worse
You are allowed to give the same rating for more than one reaction.
Some scenarios will be presented in a video containing subtitles and a British Sign Language translation.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section C
Similar to section B of the test, this section also assesses your responses and reactions to work-related situations.
You will be presented with a scenario followed by four possible reactions. You will need to mark which response you are most likely to take and which one you are least likely to take.
Now let’s see how it looks!
Civil Service Work Strengths Test Practice Questions
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section A Sample Question #1
Read the statement carefully and choose the most appropriate answer for you. You can mark only one answer.
I rarely make hasty decisions
In this question the measured trait is Deliberation.
The trait of deliberation reflects the ability to consider different options and courses of action before carefully deciding on the most effective way to go. The ability to exercise judgment is related to caution, thoroughness, and ability to examine various aspects of the problem.
Low scores may indicate impulsivity, impatience and inattentive decision-making. However, sometimes it is needed to make quicker and more intuitive decisions. In such situations, a significantly higher tendency to consider every detail can be a double-edged sword. Most jobs require average to high scores in this trait.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section A Sample Question #2
Read the statement carefully and choose the most appropriate answer for you. You can mark only one answer.
I'm known for my sound judgement
In this question the measured trait is Competence.
This trait reflects an inner experience of confidence in abilities, in a way that allows for adequate coping with challenges and difficulties. Low scores indicate a low sense of competence compared to actual abilities, which can lead to misjudgment of tasks as more difficult than they actually are and avoidance. At work, the employee's sense of security and ability are of great importance, so that they can be trusted to do their job and cope well with challenges and difficulties. Therefore, it is advisable to get high scores in this feature.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section B Sample Question #1
You are the manager of a team in a public service agency. One of your team members, who has been consistently reliable and productive in the past, has started to miss deadlines and produce subpar work. When you try to discuss this with them, they become defensive and uncooperative. Meanwhile, other team members have started complaining about the decline in the quality of work from the team member in question.
Rate the responses according to their effectiveness on a scale of ‘effective’ to ‘counterproductive’
1. Criticize the team member in front of the rest of the team or resort to disciplinary action.
2. Involve a human resources representative or a senior manager in the conversation with the team member to provide additional support and guidance.
3. Schedule a private meeting with the team member and express your concerns compassionately yet firmly.
4. Ignore the problem and hope that it resolves itself.
The ranking is
- Effective – response 3
- Partially effective – response 2
- Ineffective – response 1
- Counterproductive – response 4
Response 3 is the most effective because it takes a compassionate and collaborative approach to address the performance issues of the team member in question. By scheduling a private meeting, you can express your concerns calmly and professionally and acknowledge the team member's past accomplishments. This approach helps to establish trust and respect between you and the team member, making it more likely that the team member will be receptive to feedback and suggestions.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section B Sample Question #2
You work at a government agency that provides social services to citizens. One day, a client comes to your office and expresses frustration and anger about the agency's long wait times and slow response in processing their request for financial assistance. The client starts yelling and banging on your desk, demanding immediate action.
Rate the responses according to their effectiveness on a scale of ‘effective’ to ‘counterproductive’
1. You ignore the client's outburst and continue working on your computer, hoping the client will calm down on their own. As the client's behaviour is unacceptable and unprofessional, you don’t need to engage with them.
2. You remain calm and acknowledge the client's frustration. You apologize for any inconvenience caused and ask the client to explain the issue in detail. You assure them that you will do everything in your power to expedite the request and inform the client of the following steps and the estimated time frame for resolution.
3. You offer to escalate the issue to a higher authority. You assure the client that the agency takes their concerns seriously and will work to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
4. You calm the client by changing the subject and discussing unrelated topics, such as the weather, sports, or personal life.
The ranking is
- Effective – response 2
- Partially effective – response 3
- Ineffective – response 4
- Counterproductive – response 1
Response 2 is the most effective because, by remaining calm, you show that you control the situation and can handle the client's outburst without escalating it. Acknowledging the client's frustration and apologizing for any inconvenience caused shows that you understand the client's perspective and take their concerns seriously. By informing the client of the following steps and the estimated time frame for resolution, you show that you are taking action and keeping the client informed.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section C Sample Question #1
Your team is working on a project that requires input from a team member who is out of the office on vacation.
Which of the following actions would you be most likely to take?
1. Delay the project until the team member returns from vacation.
2. Schedule a meeting with the team member to discuss the project upon their return from vacation.
3. Contact the absent team member to check if they can access their email or phone and provide input remotely.
4. Delegate the absent team member's work to another team member without consulting them.
Response 1 is less effective because confronting the team member and expressing frustration or anger can create a negative work environment and damage team morale. This approach is unlikely to produce positive results and can even lead to further missed deadlines if the team member feels demotivated or stressed.
Response 2 is valid because it shows concern for the team member's well-being and demonstrates a willingness to help them overcome any issues they may face. By reaching out to the team member, the project manager can better understand the situation and identify any necessary resources or support to help the team member meet the deadline.
Response 3 is less effective because ignoring the missed deadline and hoping the team member will catch up on their own can lead to missed deadlines and damaged stakeholder relationships. This approach does not address the issue at hand and can result in significant consequences for the project and team if the problem is not addressed promptly and effectively.
Response 4 is valid because it allows the project to move forward and provides a clear plan for completing the project on time. By adjusting the timeline and communicating the new deadline to the team member and stakeholders, the project manager can ensure that everyone is aware of the new expectations and can adjust their plans accordingly.
Civil Service Work Strengths Test – Section C Sample Question #2
A team member has missed a deadline for an important project.
Which of the following actions would you be most likely to take?
1. Confront the team member and express frustration or anger over the missed deadline.
2. Reach out to the team member to find out if they are experiencing any issues or need support to help them meet the deadline.
3. Ignore the missed deadline and hope that the team member will catch up on their own.
4. Adjust the project timeline and communicate the new deadline to the team member and other stakeholders.
Response 1 is less effective because confronting the team member and expressing frustration or anger can create a negative work environment and damage team morale. This approach is unlikely to produce positive results and can even lead to further missed deadlines if the team member feels demotivated or stressed.
Response 2 is valid because it shows concern for the team member's well-being and demonstrates a willingness to help them overcome any issues they may face. By reaching out to the team member, the project manager can better understand the situation and identify any necessary resources or support to help the team member meet the deadline.
Response 3 is less effective because ignoring the missed deadline and hoping the team member will catch up on their own can lead to missed deadlines and damaged stakeholder relationships. This approach does not address the issue at hand and can result in significant consequences for the project and team if the problem is not addressed promptly and effectively.
Response 4 is valid because it allows the project to move forward and provides a clear plan for completing the project on time. By adjusting the timeline and communicating the new deadline to the team member and stakeholders, the project manager can ensure that everyone is aware of the new expectations and can adjust their plans accordingly.
What Strengths Are Measured on the Civil Service Work Strengths Test?
The Civil Service Work Strengths Test measures work strength according to three factors –
- Performance – your behaviour and course of action while demonstrating a high level of proficiency and capability.
- Engagement – your motivation and enthusiasm while performing an activity.
- Use – the frequency you perform an activity.
These three factors are based on the premise that if you do something you love and are suited to your behaviour and abilities, you will be more productive when doing it, and thus you have a higher chance of success.
The strengths measured in the test are usually divided into two groups according to the role and managerial position:
Administrative to Executive Officer Level
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Collegiality and relationship building
• Adaptivity
• Organization and decisiveness
• Service orientation
• Focus
Higher Executive Officer to Grade 6 Level
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Collegiality and relationship building
• Adaptivity
• Influence
• Strategic thinking
💡 Learn more about Civil Service Strength definitions
Civil Service Work Strengths Test Score
Your Civil Service Work Strengths test score is produced according to your pattern of responses to the questions, which is compared to a representative group of candidates who also took the test.
Your score will be presented as a percentile out of 100%, indicating your performance relative to the representative group. As such, if your percentile score is 55%, that means that you scored better than 55% of the group.
After the test deadline, the sum of all candidates' scores will determine the test's passing mark.
Your score will be banked for six months if you receive a passing mark or above. That means you can apply to other Civil Service jobs without retaking the test. If your score is lower than the passing mark, you will need to retake it when applying to other Civil Service positions.
How to Prepare for the Civil Service Work Strengths Test?
The best way to prepare for the Civil Service Work Strengths Test is to familiarize yourself with the test’s structure, sections, and types of questions. You will also need to learn how to highlight your best competencies and learn how to demonstrate that you are the perfect match for the job.
JobTestPrep is currently developing a preparation plan for the Service Work Strengths Test – for more details, ✉ contact us! ✉
Tips and Techniques to Help You Pass the Exam
As with many personality assessments, the Work Strengths Test has candidates burrowing into their own minds questioning how each and every one of their answers reflects on them in the eyes of potential employers. The pressure of being judged can get to your head. Here are a few helpful tips to stay calm and ace the assessment:
Know the job
Before taking the test, read the job’s description and make sure you know what qualities and traits are required in this position. This will help you to choose the best answers that will make your strengths shine.
Read the scenarios carefully
Pay attention to all the details in the scenarios. Some of the optional responses may seem right at first, but if you look deeper, you will realize that they do not match the scenario. If you are not sure, read it again!
What Other Civil Service Tests I’ll Likely Need to Take?
During your recruitment process for the Civil Service, you may be asked to take one or more aptitude and personality tests, depending on the position and its requirements.
See a list of all the Civil Service ability tests –