How boring is working in public sector!

[LondonManc]

I did one public sector contract in my long IT contracting career and it was one too many.

The only way to get through it is to totally kick back and join the others in becoming part (and parcel?) of the problem, rather than part of the solution...

It would probably kill Suity.

[OwlHoot]

It would probably kill Suity.

He'd be like a hen in a fox house

Actually, that's a bit what I felt like. The more incompetent people are at their jobs, the more devious and cunning they have to be to compensate.

[DimPrawn]

but the NHS is a glorious thing that we British should be proud of

Amen, how to get the worst value for money health system in the World....

[psychocandy]

Worked in NHS, local government and non-profit organisation.

They all have their cons - things move slowly indeed. Rates can be crap.
A lot of the permies can be stuck in their ways (i.e. worked there for 20 years).

Pros - Tend to find the environment is friendly. Not so many empire builders etc. Best contracts I've done in terms of nice places have been nhs and local government.

[DaveB]

Most of the PS stuff I've done hasn't been like that at all, including NHS work. Been involved in delivering quite a few major cross government projects involving genuine innovation, and what will be the biggest national data collection exercise to date when it goes live in a few years.

On the other hand I've worked with Private Sector clients that are exactly like those described in this thread.

It's not the sector that the problem it's the individual clients.

To be fair, GDS are still arsholes.

[ctdctd]

As a PM - I look at environments like that and roll up my sleeves, try and deliver something of benefit in my time there and in most cases leave with a level of satisfaction knowing that despite all the roadblocks and challenges along the way, I did what I could.

Some people relish this type of challenging environment. It's not for everyone mind.

Don't get me started on PM's who deliver what they think is required and then leave the business to struggle on once they have left

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

The only way to get through it is to totally kick back, pick up a mug, some biscuits and join the rest of the time wasters, congregating round someone's desk, the start of a never ending coffee break, discussing why those overpaid w@nkers in the England team are so tulip at football.

Suity would probably fit right in.

[fullyautomatix]

Thing is, the public sector is entrusted to spend billions of our cash, no accountability and billions more given if the project goes wrong. This means, once you hop on the gravy train , you make sure that it runs at breakneck speed and never stops.

[SouthernManc78]

I'm contracted for a certain police force in London at the minute and they have very poor supplier relationships from what I can see, they even pay up front on some so there is very little incentive to deliver on time for the supplier as there is no financial penalties when they don't!

[northernladuk]

TBH the title is a waste of time. You can't judge the entire PS, all the different methods of engagement, the level you are working at and the types of work (project, bau, programmes etc) and conclude they are boring just because you've done a few months with the Police.

There are some similarities due to the fact it's all paid for the public etc that's as far as it goes. So many different roles in different environments delivering different solutions. It's different to private, not necessarily worse.

You going to make a call on the entire Private Sector on your first gig with a client?