HMRC application process

There is no single HMRC application process. HMRC says its recruitment is tailored to each role and the job advert sets out the process for that job. You may be asked for a CV or a personal statement, to do online tests, or to take part in an interview or assessment. Every successful candidate then clears security checks and a health declaration. Vacancies are advertised on Civil Service Jobs, so start with how to use Civil Service Jobs.

Read the advert first

The advert tells you which pieces apply. The same department recruits for customer service advisers, compliance caseworkers, digital roles and the Tax Graduates scheme, and the stages differ. For an entry-level example, see the HMRC customer service adviser profile.

Check eligibility too. Some HMRC jobs are open only to existing civil servants recruited through fair and open competition, and the advert says if so. That does not include contractors, contingent labour or fixed-term appointments. If you resign, or a fixed-term appointment ends before an offer is made, your application is withdrawn. For everyone else, Civil Service nationality rules and right to work checks apply.

Written evidence and the sift

When the advert asks for a CV or personal statement, write against the behaviours or criteria it lists. The Civil Service personal statement guide and Civil Service behaviours guide cover this, and how the sift works explains how statements are scored. HMRC has a page on AI and recruitment, and says AI is a supplement to your own skills and experience.

Online tests

If tests are used, HMRC says some online test questions are presented as videos. A written transcript is available within the test, and the videos have subtitles and audio description. Other adjustments can be requested. The situational judgement tests guide and Civil Service online tests guide cover common formats.

The interview

HMRC says most of its interviews take place remotely. Information about how to join comes in the invitation email. Some interviews are pre-recorded, with a set time for each response, and some are live over video or face to face. You may also be asked to give a presentation, which the invitation will say.

Most questions are competency-based, and HMRC recommends the STAR method: situation, task, action, result. Its advice includes reading the job description, relating the essential criteria to your own experience, practising answers with someone you trust, timing any presentation, finding a quiet space with good lighting for online interviews, and asking your own questions at the end. Our STAR method guide and video interview guide go further.

Reasonable adjustments

HMRC’s published booklet gives examples of help during selection. You can ask for extra time on a pre-recorded interview, for instance if you have a speech impediment. For some neurodivergent candidates, an alternative to a pre-recorded interview such as a Teams or face-to-face interview can be considered. If you have a neurodivergent condition, questions can be provided shortly before a live interview, and for an interview in an HMRC office you can request a pre-visit to check light, noise and layout. Epilepsy can be accommodated with scheduled breaks, and British Sign Language users can request extra time per question.

HMRC says any request is reviewed discreetly and case by case, and what you tell them does not affect how your application proceeds. See asking for reasonable adjustments in recruitment.

Security checks and health declaration

Before you join, HMRC carries out security checks, and the level varies by role. The security clearance guide explains the levels. All successful candidates also complete a health declaration as part of pre-employment checks, and occupational health may follow up if more information is needed. HMRC’s terms say a full-time week is 37 hours excluding unpaid breaks. For pay, check the advert and put the figure into the take-home pay calculator.