Investment Banking to Civil Service... thoughts welcome

[PermMCCon]

I've been on two. First one was pretty good. Not how I envisaged PS to be. Did another and it was the worst gig I've ever been on. It was the epitome of everything bad I've heard about PS. 6 weeks in and still hadn't done a bean of work. Couldn't stand it so left.

I'd take a gig if I was on the bench and it suited me but I'd be happier never to go near PS ever again.

I have seen many a thread warning us of listening to Northernlad UK... apparently it’s a bit like visiting the dark web...

[PermMCCon]

I used to work permie in what is now the DWP \ ITSA before I went contracting. I was mid manager HEO level.

The CS is very officious. Lots of annual reporting and feedback. They stick (or rather my Department did) to PRINCE framework. It works well but produces lots of paper and lots of meetings. I cant say things took an inordinate length of time.

You were micro managed by the grade above because they wanted to get promoted and they did that by showing they stuck to the procedures. It is not for everyone.

That said, I got a very good inflation proofed pension out of them which I am now enjoying.

Well, that does not sound like me or the environment I am used to. I have been known to take Programme short cuts and risks which in turn successfully helped us to be that much nearer on time / budget / quality...

Successful to date hence the extra responsibilities etc but hey, I could go into the Civil Service and help to change it! Get them to move at our IB speed!

Following Prince2 to the letter sounds slowwwwwww

Ps I know that wanting to change the Civil Service to become more like IB is probably a pipe dream, but you never know, every little change will help

[SueEllen]

Well, that does not sound like me or the environment I am used to. I have been known to take Programme short cuts and risks which in turn successfully helped us to be that much nearer on time / budget / quality...

Successful to date hence the extra responsibilities etc but hey, I could go into the Civil Service and help to change it! Get them to move at our IB speed!

Following Prince2 to the letter sounds slowwwwwww

Ps I know that wanting to change the Civil Service to become more like IB is probably a pipe dream, but you never know, every little change will help

Won't happen - some PS projects are to replace manual processes e.g. people. Edge cases and when it fecks up means that some of those people still need to be employed to deal with it. Their empire builder managers see their role as making it as difficult as possible for you to deliver the project.

[BlasterBates]

Well, that does not sound like me or the environment I am used to. I have been known to take Programme short cuts and risks which in turn successfully helped us to be that much nearer on time / budget / quality...

Successful to date hence the extra responsibilities etc but hey, I could go into the Civil Service and help to change it! Get them to move at our IB speed!

Following Prince2 to the letter sounds slowwwwwww

Ps I know that wanting to change the Civil Service to become more like IB is probably a pipe dream, but you never know, every little change will help

If you successfully change the culture to be like an IB then you will end up as fed up as you are now, so it would self defeating.

The Civil service has no need to be like an IB it's main aim is to avoid disruption rather than "destroy" itself as IB's do on a regular basis.
IB's rush ahead chasing profits, making huge mistakes in the process and it's the government's job to step in and sort out the mess.

[malvolio]

If you successfully change the culture to be like an IB then you will end up as fed up as you are now, so it would self defeating.

The Civil service has no need to be like an IB it's main aim is to avoid disruption rather than "destroy" itself as IB's do on a regular basis.
IB's rush ahead chasing profits, making huge mistakes in the process and it's the government's job to step in and sort out the mess.

Yep, agreed. I've worked with a couple of IBs. One of them was using its hot-standby datacentre as a sandpit for development work. Another had no change control at all, being firmly wedded to Agile as a way to not worry about such trivia. They are not good business models to emulate...

[northernladuk]

I have seen many a thread warning us of listening to Northernlad UK... apparently it’s a bit like visiting the dark web...

And?

[BR14]

And?

apparently it’s a bit like visiting the dark web...

Can't see it myself, but some people only want the answers they like to hear

[PermMCCon]

If you successfully change the culture to be like an IB then you will end up as fed up as you are now, so it would self defeating.

The Civil service has no need to be like an IB it's main aim is to avoid disruption rather than "destroy" itself as IB's do on a regular basis.
IB's rush ahead chasing profits, making huge mistakes in the process and it's the government's job to step in and sort out the mess.

Best reply I think, thanks.

You are partly right off course, you would never ever want the CS to become like an IB shop and lets face it, we all know that’s not what I meant.

What I really meant was the pace - getting programmes to continue moving at speed and stick to time-budget-quality that’s all.

I would agree that CS suddenly being like an IB would be self defeating.

Thanks for all the replies, very interesting stuff and I am still deciding whether I will be moving!

[saptastic]

Best reply I think, thanks.

You are partly right off course, you would never ever want the CS to become like an IB shop and lets face it, we all know that’s not what I meant.

What I really meant was the pace - getting programmes to continue moving at speed and stick to time-budget-quality that’s all.

I would agree that CS suddenly being like an IB would be self defeating.

Thanks for all the replies, very interesting stuff and I am still deciding whether I will be moving!

I think it is a good call. Spend the last 5/10 years building up a public sector pension and not having any stress out of hours. Main stress is having to sit through endless pointless meetings and seeing how public money is spent. Let us know if you make it.

[GreenMirror]

You are far more likely to be IR35 caught.