Thinking of applying for public sector job

I am in the same boat! I put an estimated start and end date for the courses I did, but can't remember the exact start and end.

There was an option for ticking if you're still working in a place. I was not sure how far back I should go with work experience. Do they want to know what one did 25 or 30 years ago?

Best of luck with your application!

It will very much depend where you are working and the tone and mindset of the people you're working with.

Better work life balance, security, Less money, huge resistance to change. If you're used to getting things done fast with little oversight it might be frustrating. I don't think the unions have as much influence anymore.

There is still ageism though less the private sector, again it will depend where you are.

Hello all,

I did this, approx 4 years ago, after a lot of soul-searching and thinking. I haven't regretted it, but it wouldn't be for everyone.

Like a number of the posters here, I had been in IT in the private sector. I had worked over the years for various multinationals, and at the end was in Managed Services, which can be very rewarding, but at the safe time insecure. You are only as good as your company's bid at the next renewal date, and if, like me, you re on the wrong side of 50, that can be worrying.

I had been thinking of making the move, but knew that there would be a severe salary consequence. (in my case, a drop of just over 33% of salary to go into the public sector role at the bottom of the grade). I honestly didn't know whether I could sustain that financial hit, but decided to try it out while applying.

During the 9 month recruitment process (yes, it really did take that long) I lived strictly on that "new" salary only (in so far as I could calculate it) and the excess I put into a savings account. I wasn't tempted to spend it (actually I was, but I stayed strong). I know this was the only way I could truly tell if I could manage the salary cut. I could, just, but it was VERY tight.

So when the point came where I was offered the role (I had been on a panel for two months) I was able to take it up without a jolt in my standard of living, as I was used to it by that time. And I had the excess salary I had put by as an emergency cushion for unexpected life expenses.

The first year was the hardest, money wise, but with increments and occasional pay rate changes I am now 50% of the way between the old (private) and the new (starting) pay rates, and things have eased a lot.

Work life balance is improved incredibly. I do work hard in my role in the public service, but I am no longer expected to be on call 24x7x365 for no extra money. I can go on holiday knowing I won't have to jump on a conference call to resolve an issue.

I eneded up getting cancer last year, and was off for a couple of months having radiotherapy and on drug treatments. Work were very supportive and I didn't have the worry of just being turfed out that I would have had with previous employers.

There are a lot of practical differences when you join the public sector, and it takes a while to pick through them all, but overall I have found them very rewarding.

People who know me say it has taken years off me.

Bob

If you join the civil service, there's loads of mobility options, so you should be able to move around and choose a role and organisation that suits you after your initial two years. This doesn't apply to public service/agency posts.

It might take a while.