Dear Reader
We have so many civil servants subscribed to our newsletter. So if you were working in Number 10 or on the Ukraine desk in the FCDO and welcomed President Zelenskiy back from a quiet US trip, you have our thoughts and prayers.
We had a busy couple of weeks at Unofficial Guides, with a Q&A with Harry and another Career Conversation. It has been wonderful meeting you through these events and hearing from our growing community.
January Career Conversation: Don't Give UP💡
“Your first job doesn’t define your career—what you do with the opportunity does.”
Our first Career Conversation with Harry Phinda was fantastic! We had a great discussion about persistence, navigating the application process, and finding alternative routes into the Civil Service.
Missed the session? Check out the highlights of the session in our latest blog. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to break into government.
🚀 New Civil Service Application Guide Launched!
Last week, we announced the public launch of our second application guide, which is packed with tips on completing written applications for the UK Civil Service!
This guide is perfect for you if you're unsure about how to:
➜ Improve your 250-word behaviour examples
➜ Draft a statement of suitability
➜ Structure your CV
It would mean a lot to us if you could share the guide with anyone you know that might benefit so we can help as many people as possible
Q&A with Nathan & Harry – Navigating Civil Service Jobs and Job Descriptions
📅 Date: 12th of March 2025
⏰ Time: 6-7pm
After the success of our last Q&A, we’re doing it again! This is your chance to ask us anything about the Civil Service Jobs website and job descriptions. We will walk through how to find the right jobs, set up the right alerts, and explore other sites where Civil Service jobs appear!
Invite a friend or colleague who might find this useful – the more, the merrier!
March Career Conversation: Pooja Patel
Pooja Patel - Joint Head for Sector Cyber Security and Strategy
📅 Date: 19th of March
⏰ Time: 5.30-6.30pm
She has been working in the Science and Tech fields for the last 7 years, and is passionate about bringing more women of colour into leadership roles in tech, cyber, and security professions.
Pooja has built up expertise in policy and analysis from working across key global issues, such as cyber, synthetic biology, AI, and Large Language Models and regional expertise in Middle East and Asia.
If you’re interested in Cyber, AI and getting into the Civil Service, this is not one to miss!
📌 Being on this list means your questions get priority during the session!
Interesting Job Alert – Policy Adviser: Growth Strategy and Coordination
“Economic growth is the number one mission of this government. Without growth, we cannot cut hospital waiting lists or put more police on the streets.” – Rachel Reeves
The Labour government has put all its focus on growth—want to be part of the team delivering it?
If you’re interested in shaping economic policy and driving growth strategies, this could be a fascinating role to explore.
February Career Conversation: Unlocking Insights & Opportunities
We had over 140 people sign up for our last Career Conversation with Anum Ahmed where we had a great discussion about her 10-year journey. Anum shared so many great lessons such as:
💡 “Your career isn’t linear, and that’s okay. Take the opportunities that align with your values, even if they don’t seem like the ‘perfect’ next step.”
This is why networking and continuous learning are so important. If you missed the session, we’ll share key highlights on The Unofficial Blog very soon!
Thank You for Being Part of Our Community!
We’re now over 3,500+ members strong – and growing! We have plenty more to come. Your support, questions, and engagement make this space what it is.
We’d really appreciate it if you could spare a few minutes to give some feedback to help us improve our sessions and resources.
If you haven’t already, follow me on LinkedIn for more career insights and resources.
Got questions? Email us at team@unofficialguides.co.uk!
Here’s to another month of growth and opportunities.
Nathan - Founder
Unofficial Guides Team
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