Good afternoon, thank you for your kind message, I really appreciate it.

Building a career with HMRC can take persistence, so please don’t feel discouraged if it hasn’t worked out yet. Civil Service applications can be quite specific and there are a few things to consider when applying.

Sometimes the advert asks for behaviours, sometimes a personal statement, and sometimes both. It’s important to tailor your application depending on what the advert is asking for. For example, with CVs I don’t tend to use the same one for every job. I normally adjust it depending on the role I’m applying for.

The same goes for personal statements. I always read the job advert carefully and draft the statement based on what they are asking for. Sometimes they want you to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria or the person specification. In that case, I make sure I address each one with evidence. For example, rather than just saying “I work well under pressure,” I would give a short example, perhaps managing multiple priorities with limited resources and how I handled that.

One piece of advice someone once gave me is that if your application doesn’t impress you, it probably won’t impress the sifter. I took that to heart. It also helps to ask a few trusted people to read your application before submitting it. Sometimes we use a lot of workplace jargon, especially in HMRC, and an outside perspective can help make sure things are clear.

Another useful tip is to contact the vacancy holder and ask what they are looking for in a successful candidate. That can give you a lot of insight.

Warm wishes,
Pru

10 March, 2026 14:25

Goog Morning Pru,

Thanks for your message.

Kay

11 March, 2026 10:43

You’re very welcome, Kay! Anytime.

12 March, 2026 08:14