Guides

Guides to working in the public sector.

Practical, independent and plain-English — written by GovJobs, free to read, and updated as the rules change. 40 guides and counting.

NHS7 min read

How to write an NHS personal statement (with structure and examples)

A practical, section-by-section guide to the supporting information box on NHS Jobs and TRAC applications — what to include, how to mirror the person specification, and a worked example.

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NHS6 min read

NHS Agenda for Change pay bands explained

What the NHS pay bands (Band 2 to Band 9) actually mean, how pay points and increments work, and where common roles like healthcare assistants, nurses and AHPs sit.

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Councils6 min read

Council pay grades and the NJC pay scales explained

How local government salaries work: the NJC "Green Book" spinal column points, why each council has its own grades, and how to compare council job adverts.

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Civil Service7 min read

How to apply for a UK Civil Service job

The Civil Service application process explained: grades from AO to SCS, Success Profiles, behaviour statements, and how strengths and the Civil Service values fit in.

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Interviews6 min read

The STAR method for public-sector interviews

How to answer competency and behaviour-based interview questions used across the NHS, councils and the Civil Service — with a worked STAR example and common mistakes.

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Teaching6 min read

Teaching jobs in England: QTS, pay scales and how to apply

What you need to teach in England — qualified teacher status, the main and upper pay ranges, TLR payments — and how school recruitment timelines work.

Read guide→95 reads