What are your long-term career plans?

"In the next five years, I hope to be still working as a civil servant. I am looking for long-term employment with job security. I don't mind hard work, but I am looking for reliable work that offers flexibility and fosters a healthy work-life balance. I have a great deal of integrity and a strong ethical nature, and I enjoy helping people. The kind of rewarding and meaningful work I would look forward to as a civil servant is in line with what I am looking for. I feel as if I am the perfect person for this position and that this is the perfect job for me."

Many complain that a position in the civil service has little growth opportunity, and you could be grounded doing the same work you are performing long term. Though this is true for many positions available to the public, it is not necessarily true for all positions. So examine your career plan and how well working in the Civil Service would align with these goals and further your career to effectively answer this question.

Some positions have opportunities for growth from within through their 'The Civil Service Accelerated Development Schemes'. These "aim to develop high-potential individuals to build a robust and diverse pipeline to the most senior and critical Civil Service roles." They also offer a 'Future Leaders Scheme.' Thoroughly research all of the opportunities available to familiarize whether the position you are contending for will open the right doors to where you would like to take your career.