Success profiles: candidate guide
Information about the Success Profiles assessment framework used for recruitment across the Scottish Government, along with guidance on how to apply.
Technical skills
The Technical element of the Success Profile is the demonstration of specific professional skills, knowledge or qualifications.
There are more than 20 professions in the Civil Service with a wide range of roles available, some of which are specialised. The specific skills, knowledge or qualifications required for these roles will be defined by each Head of Profession.
Qualifications
If a role requires a particular qualification or membership of a professional body, you may be asked to provide evidence of your qualification(s) or membership.
Your technical/professional skills may be assessed alongside other elements of the Success Profile to get a more rounded picture of your suitability for the role. The job description will outline the elements required for the role and the selection method(s) that will be used.
Why we assess Technical skills
The roles within Professions are sometimes specialised and you may be asked to show that you have specific skills, knowledge or qualifications to be successful.
An example of a specialised role is a Government Finance Officer, this may require candidates to have accountancy qualifications and knowledge of the way Finance is managed within Government.
How we assess Technical skills
Some professions have a professional framework. The frameworks are deigned to assess the specific skills, qualifications and knowledge needed for that profession’s roles.
The job advert will list any technical requirements you may need for the role. It will also explain which assessment method we will use. Some examples of these are:
- technical test
- job related simulation
- briefing or analysis exercise
- technical specific presentation
- interview question
Example interview questions
- What key elements would you include in an effective communications strategy? (Communications Profession)
- Describe how you would approach debugging a complex issue in a software application. What tools and methods would you use? (DDaT, Digital Profession)
Contact
Contact the Recruitment Team at: ScottishGovernmentRecruitment@gov.scot