# Anyone move from private to public service? Experiences?



## Don_08 (7 Sep 2010)

Particularly in a professional capacity. Looking at possibility of a job in public service and ignoring remuneration, what good and bad points are there between private company and public service.


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## niceoneted (7 Sep 2010)

Inefficiency, red tape, as in having to get a ridiculous number of people to sign off on things.


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## millieforbes (7 Sep 2010)

change of pace and work ethic. even in an exceptionally busy and in demand area, I find it extraordinarily slow - nothing like the same work ethic as private sector


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## ajapale (7 Sep 2010)

I think it is important to consider what part of the private sector you are moving from and what part of the public service you are considering moving to. Also your profession would have a bearing on things.


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## Staples (9 Sep 2010)

Agreed.  The range of cultures and approaches throughout the public service is vast.  it would help if you could be a bit more specific.


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## redbhoy (10 Sep 2010)

Would probably depend on what type of job you'd be going into. I left private service about 3 years ago and came into the public service.
Took a cut in pay but thought Id be able to climb the ladder and make up for that. The recession put paid to any hopes of a promotion. Still stuck on lowly Clerical Officer salary. Its a steady job, pensionable blah blah blah.
If I hadnt got a couple of responsibilities to look after Id be out the door and would sign on the dole if I could. Melted for the most part. 
Some of the people would sicken you in here how lazy they can be. And its frustrating watching muppets in management who havent a breeze.


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## Eithneangela (10 Sep 2010)

I have to agree with the sentiment in most of the responses to the OP.  As a professional with specific skills, I moved from the private to the public sector for the specific reason of helping to wind down towards an early retirement - in other words, literally a working holiday.  I found that my technical skills were not appreciated nor wanted in some cases, because my approach is a business-like one - to streamline processes, help to make staff more effective, productive etc.  As this is totally against the ethos in the public sector, I took the back seat I was offered and coasted to retirement.  Like the OP, the reduction in remuneration was largely offset by the very restful days at the office - no pressures, no worries, no challenges, much shorter working days, long holidays etc. etc.


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## liaconn (14 Sep 2010)

It depends on what part of the public sector you're talking about. Like the Private Sector there are very busy efficiently run areas, very creative dynamic areas and very inefficient badly managed areas.


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## Complainer (15 Sep 2010)

I moved after 20+ years in the private sector to a public sector role 5 years. It's really not that different. Most people work hard most of the time. There are a few wasters around - most of them are being managed through a performance management procedure. 

It is hard getting attacked by most of our media and most AAM posters on a regular basis, mind you. It is hard getting told how to do your job with absolute certainty by people who have difficulty find the difference between their elbow and their buttocks. It is hard to keep up your motivation knowing that there will be no promotional opportunties for the foreseeable future, regardless of how well you succeed.


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## Slim (15 Sep 2010)

complainer said:


> i moved after 20+ years in the private sector to a public sector role 5 years. It's really not that different. Most people work hard most of the time. There are a few wasters around - most of them are being managed through a performance management procedure.
> 
> It is hard getting attacked by most of our media and most aam posters on a regular basis, mind you. It is hard getting told how to do your job with absolute certainty by people who have difficulty find the difference between their elbow and their buttocks. It is hard to keep up your motivation knowing that there will be no promotional opportunties for the foreseeable future, regardless of how well you succeed.


 
+1


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## Bob Nellies (15 Sep 2010)

_It is hard getting attacked by most of our media and most aam posters on a regular basis, mind you. It is hard getting told how to do your job with absolute certainty by people who have difficulty find the difference between their elbow and their buttocks. It is hard to keep up your motivation knowing that there will be no promotional opportunties for the foreseeable future, regardless of how well you succeed._

At last - the truth is FINALLY coming to light...

keep it up!


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## Caveat (15 Sep 2010)

Complainer said:


> It is hard to keep up your motivation knowing that there will be no promotional opportunties for the foreseeable future, regardless of how well you succeed.


 
Hardly limited to the public sector though.  Applies to most private sector workers too.


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## Complainer (15 Sep 2010)

Caveat said:


> Hardly limited to the public sector though.  Applies to most private sector workers too.


This is not the case in many multi-nationals and even in the Financial sector, from what I'm hearing.


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## AlbacoreA (15 Sep 2010)

Dilbert would disagree...


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## aristotle (15 Sep 2010)

Caveat said:


> Hardly limited to the public sector though. Applies to most private sector workers too.


 
Not really as there is something called redundancy in the private sector and performance reviews that lead to dismissals for underperformance.


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## Complainer (15 Sep 2010)

aristotle said:


> performance reviews that lead to dismissals for underperformance.


Yep, we have those too.


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## aristotle (15 Sep 2010)

Do people really get let go from the public sector based on performance? Its a rare event I would say?

Or maybe the way to state it is the threshold is lower for a low performance in public sector?


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## AlbacoreA (15 Sep 2010)

When I find a tradesman who actually turns up I'll let you know.


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## Caveat (15 Sep 2010)

1234 said:


> In the Private Sector, you get paid according to your performance. ie. you work harder and longer, you get paid more.


 
Again with the generalising.  This is not an accurate statement at all.


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## liaconn (15 Sep 2010)

In the public sector many people are now required to take on extra work for reduced pay.


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## liaconn (15 Sep 2010)

Eithneangela said:


> I have to agree with the sentiment in most of the responses to the OP. As a professional with specific skills,* I moved from the private to the public sector for the* *specific* *reason of helping to wind down towards an early retirement - in other words, literally a working holiday.* I found that my technical skills were not appreciated nor wanted in some cases, because my approach is a business-like one - to streamline processes, help to make staff more effective, productive etc. As this is totally against the ethos in the public sector, I took the back seat I was offered and coasted to retirement. Like the OP, the reduction in remuneration was largely offset by the very restful days at the office - no pressures, no worries, no challenges, much shorter working days, long holidays etc. etc.


 
Maybe it is your attitude that's the problem.


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## aristotle (15 Sep 2010)

liaconn said:


> Maybe it is your attitude that's the problem.


 
True, but they woudn't get away with that attitude in the private sector. Thats the issue.


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## liaconn (15 Sep 2010)

I would disagree. I have encountered many people with that attitude in the private sector.


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## AlbacoreA (15 Sep 2010)

aristotle said:


> True, but they woudn't get away with that attitude in the private sector. Thats the issue.



Again thats a inaccurate generalization. Parts of the private sector are renown for poor performance. Just I see poor performance in PC World for example doesn't mean its the same everywhere else.


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## aristotle (15 Sep 2010)

I suppose I am basing it on my experience. Yes there are many places in the private sector where poor performance happens and is tolerated.

But there is no doubt, surely, that the public sector on the whole needs a serious revamp. It's as clear as day and has been for years.


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## tod1 (15 Sep 2010)

I left the private sector after 17 years for family reasons and also the security of a permanent job. I took the massive pay cut on the chin and adjusted my lifestyle to fit in. I am now working in the the public sector 2 years and whilst the most part I'm happy I just wish I could use my skills more. There are at least two members of staff in the office who do absolutely nothing all day, go sick etc. Its so frustating to watch because if it was the private sector they worked in they'd have been out on their ear a long time ago! The other annoying thing is that one of them got a promotion because of their length of service and not on their ability to do the job, they earn twice my salary and I could do a much better job in a fraction of the time. It would drive you crazy from that point of view!


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## liaconn (15 Sep 2010)

I agree the promotion on seniority thing was a major flaw in the public service but it has been more or less abolished for about 10 years now. There is only very limited seniority promotions at the lower grades.


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## NorfBank (15 Sep 2010)

1234 said:


> Which is more likely to be promoted and receive a pay rise?



The one who brown-noses the boss


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## Caveat (15 Sep 2010)

Not getting into it 1234.

You said working harder = getting paid more.  Full stop.

This is quite obviously not always the case.


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## gianni (15 Sep 2010)

liaconn said:


> Maybe it is your attitude that's the problem.



+1

I didn't like to mention it earlier but I think you may have hit the nail on the head.


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## Purple (15 Sep 2010)

Why do people talk about the private sector and the public sector as if they are both homogeneous groups? There’s a world of a difference between working in a small business and working in a large bank. I would suggest the same is true for many of the areas of the public sector.

If the OP is moving from a large multinational company to a large public sector body but doing the same sort of job then I don’t see how they could be that different. If they are moving from a 5 person business then I’d say there will be a huge difference but the same would be true if they were moving to most large organisations, be they public or private.


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## liaconn (16 Sep 2010)

Exactly. This attitude that anyone moving from the private sector to the public sector is automatically moving to a less dynamic, busy job is totally ridiculous and smacks of certain private sector workers trying to feel good about themselves.


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## alana (30 Nov 2010)

I was working in the private sector and I made the switch and started work in the Revenue.
Whilst the people were lovely etc, it was like a really badly run holiday camp.
The waste of time, money, resources etc was staggering.
There was absolutely no motivation to work hard. 
Saying that, I don't necessarily blame all the workers for this, the system that they work in, is just embarrassingly inept in every department.
I lasted nearly two years and went back into the private sector. 
Honestly, I was doing three peoples jobs at one stage (for approx 2 weeks) and it still wasn't a full, proper days work.
When I asked about doing / getting extra work (just to keep me sane), I was told to slow down and pace myself (nod nod, wink wink).
Still, I have made great friends from there.


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