Reply to: How boring is working in public sector!

[northernladuk]

Hi NLUK, I did get my contract checked and it was out with IR35

Am sure it is. Your working practices appear not to agree from that little snippet.

[Yampy]

You not a little worried about IR35?

Hi NLUK, I did get my contract checked and it was out with IR35

[Coalman]

As others have stated, these experiences are not limited to PS. Any large corporate will have similar issues. Working for large energy provider, considering the power stations they manage there are some scary IT issues!

[WTFH]

If you think it's boring working in the public sector, try working in the oil industry.

[northernladuk]

I've been on contract to a local council for 1 year now, doing 'projects' that in the real world are considered to be BAU work streams.

You not a little worried about IR35?

[Yampy]

I've been on contract to a local council for 1 year now, doing 'projects' that in the real world are considered to be BAU work streams. They have a fairly large permanent IT complement who should be maintaining the environment but they are not. They spend most of their time in meetings, workshops, training or working from home. The council in effect are paying twice over. Even simple upgrades to mainstream systems are done by external companies managed by contractors. It's a pretty toxic environment as the permanent staff constantly block and delay contractors. Getting kinda used to it now but it is an eye opener

[saptastic]

PS = Meetings

[SouthernManc78]

Fine. I would have said leaves plenty of good roles for the rest of is but bearing in mind what us going on it won't matter in 8 months or so.

You are aware of that aren't you?

Yes I was aware of the changes thanks, I know my post may be a bit presumptuous about PS roles but I'd spoke with a few other contractors on site who had similar opinions.

This post was meant to blow off some steam and gain the opinions of a wider audience, which from what I can tell are pretty divided.

[SueEllen]

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.

Actually it depends on the project.

Smaller projects can be pulled if they look like they are failing.

They are also subject to ministerial whims. This means they can be ramped up, changed drastically or cancelled when the minister changes. The middle one is the most annoying.

As already stated one PS project doesn't equal all PS projects.

[northernladuk]

I won't be in any rush to go back into the public sector I can tell you!

Fine. I would have said leaves plenty of good roles for the rest of is but bearing in mind what us going on it won't matter in 8 months or so.

You are aware of that aren't you?

[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?

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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