What would you do if a man dropped a bag you suspected was money and ran off?

"If someone abandoned a bag of cash, there's probably a good reason for it, and I likely wouldn't want to involve myself in the situation. I wouldn't touch it and would alert the proper authorities without delay. I would then document with my video on my cellphone in case anyone else attempted to take it, and would inform them that the authorities were on their way."

This seemingly fun ice-breaker question is designed to get you out of interview mode and loosen up. When questions like this arise, you need to be personable and offer insights into your personality. However, this question holds another purpose: to see how well your values align with what they are looking for in a candidate. When answering this question, you'll want to align your values with the core values of the Civil Service.

As stated in the statutory guidance of the Civil Service Code, "These core values support good government and ensure the achievement of the highest possible standards in all that the Civil Service does. This in turn helps the Civil Service to gain and retain the respect of ministers, Parliament, the public and its customers: 'integrity' is putting the obligations of public service above your own personal interests; 'honesty' is being truthful and open; 'objectivity' is basing your advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence; and 'impartiality' is acting solely according to the merits of the case."