Reply to: Public v Private Sector - Making the transition

[The Spartan]

"Must understand the application of IEEE829".

Yes that one has become quite popular of late, makes me chuckle when I see it in adverts

[bless 'em all]

I know plenty of testers who have the advanced certs in testing yet due to my experience I'm a fair way ahead of them fortunately

The fact that you can pick up Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced ISTQB in software testing without having to have ever tested software is one example.

Not having the foundation level cert is often a deal-breaker, but can anyone really say that what this cert covers is of any value to someone actually doing the job?

The only people who ever refer to it are the agents/numpties who write job specs for things they know nothing about.

"Must understand the application of IEEE829".

[The Spartan]

The certificates have one purpose; to get your CV past the numpties, i.e. impress ignorant, promoted beyond their ability managers with a way of covering their arses if you f**k up, as in 'I hired a guy with all the best papers so it isn't my fault'.

Mich I couldn't agree more I find the whole thing very frustrating and so annoying. Oh let's make this guy senior because he's got the advanced certification

[Mich the Tester]

ITIL is used a lot in government but anything like ITIL, PRINCE2, ISEB etc will get you noticed but itr doesn't necessarily mean you can do the job. I know plenty of testers who have the advanced certs in testing yet due to my experience I'm a fair way ahead of them fortunately

The certificates have one purpose; to get your CV past the numpties, i.e. impress ignorant, promoted beyond their ability managers with a way of covering their arses if you f**k up, as in 'I hired a guy with all the best papers so it isn't my fault'.

[Sysman]

So the best idea for a plan B is to invent a new 'best practice', sell the book, sell the franchise to lots of insultants and then sod off to a tropical island with the money before someone notices it doesn't work.

I recall a certain public sector project which took hook line and sinker on some modular methodology or other.

The resulting project ran like a dog.

[The Spartan]

ITIL is used a lot in government but anything like ITIL, PRINCE2, ISEB etc will get you noticed but itr doesn't necessarily mean you can do the job. I know plenty of testers who have the advanced certs in testing yet due to my experience I'm a fair way ahead of them fortunately

[original PM]

Very common indeed.

Makes me feel better!

[Mich the Tester]

Never worked in public sector but I seem to come across more and more people in private sector who have some qualifications (Prince2, ITIL etc) who spout best practice but have no actual idea how to relate it to real world situations.

Is this common or am I just unlucky?

Very common indeed.

[original PM]

Never worked in public sector but I seem to come across more and more people in private sector who have some qualifications (Prince2, ITIL etc) who spout best practice but have no actual idea how to relate it to real world situations.

Is this common or am I just unlucky?

[Mich the Tester]

Anything that sounds like a buzz word or something that google or FB are using lol

That's what generally happens people latch onto new concepts that sound great in theory but in practice don't quite work.

So the best idea for a plan B is to invent a new 'best practice', sell the book, sell the franchise to lots of insultants and then sod off to a tropical island with the money before someone notices it doesn't work.

[The Spartan]

What makes practice 'best' and who defines it?

Shouldn't it be called 'the practice that worked OK for somebody somewhere'?

Anything that sounds like a buzz word or something that google or FB are using lol

That's what generally happens people latch onto new concepts that sound great in theory but in practice don't quite work.

[Notascooby]

I've found that anyone with any urgency or the ability to make a decision without committee within the Pub-S left and joined the Pri-S either during or shortly after my time on the project. Those who were career civil servants were only interested in their next yearly review score and not being held accountable for any decisions.

Although my time in the various government depts was as a body-shopped consultant and not a contractor, it was pretty much the samething without any the financial benefits. After 12 months I certainly lost the will to live. The only way it works is for any project to be entirely outsourced so day-2-day decisions are out of the hands or you treat the gig as an oppertunity to pursue plan-b or do some CBT / certification revision etc.

[Mich the Tester]

I've contracted almost entirely in the Public Sector and, yes, there are differences in the approach to delivery. I've been involved in projects where 'best practice' was applied religiously and others where I could hardly believe that that ANY organisation, public or private, could operate in such an unprofessional and chaotic way.

Which would I rather work on? Give me best practice every time.

What makes practice 'best' and who defines it?

Shouldn't it be called 'the practice that worked OK for somebody somewhere'?

[bless 'em all]

I've contracted almost entirely in the Public Sector and, yes, there are differences in the approach to delivery. I've been involved in projects where 'best practice' was applied religiously and others where I could hardly believe that that ANY organisation, public or private, could operate in such an unprofessional and chaotic way.

Which would I rather work on? Give me best practice every time.

[JoJoGabor]

Once and only once did a gig in the public sector years ago. Came out thinking what a bunch of a$r% covering gits. Knowledge lacking, it was awful. Never again.

I did 2 public sector stints, one in UK which I quit early and one for 3 months in Australia. This statement holds true and backs up the comment about "Because its best practice" This comment will go unchallenged in public sector because it covers people @rses. In private sector that will be challenged, and weighed up against the cost and a balance between the risks and cost is made. So people have to be rprepared to justify it. Things are normally run much much better and leaner in private sector. I personally would never do a public sector gig again, too frustrating for somebody who wants to deliver decent work