Need a "career" change. Thinking of teaching

G

griffid

Registered User
Messages
33
I'm in the civil service as a clerical officer when I really should be at least an executive officer as I have a degree. It was bad luck and is a long story but basically I took the post and left my other job because I thought it's a foot in the door and I should be able to move up quickly enough by applying for other jobs on the publicjobs.ie site or for internal promotion. That was before I knew I would be stuck for 3 years on a commission where there is actually nothing for me to do. Now most people don't believe me when I say that but honest to god, there is NOTHING to do. There's only so much initiative you can take when you have no regular duties. So I recently had an interview for a better job in another part of the civil service and was told (in the feedback form) that I didn't show good innitiative, planning and organisation skills in my examples from my current employment. They were the best I could come up with without resorting to making it up!!! So as I'm getting nowhere here, I'm seriously considering a h-dip. Has anyone been in a similar situation? What would you advise me?

Sorry this is so long....
 
Could you take a leave of absence from your current position? I've heard it's possible to take a year (or more) off and still have a job guaranteed to come back to within the civil service. You could then consider taking a hdp for teaching - I know there's one in NUI Galway - see www.nuigalway.ie for details.. I think there's some around Dublin as well . Where are you located and would you be able to move for college ?
 
No, I have to stay working. You're right about the career break. Problem with that is the lack of money. We're about to start with mortgages and all of that stuff and there's no way I could take a year out. I'd have to do whatever I do as an evening or online course while still living at home (in Dublin) with the mammy and daddy.
 
Most upsetting thing about this post is that so many of us are paying a proportion of our income, to pay you to do absolutely nothing, and to pay others to interview you, and tell you that you have done absolutely nothing.

This is not an attack on you, as any of us could be in the same situation.

The system sucks, and we are so complacent about it.
 
Tell me about it. Think I enjoy sitting here doing nothing? I hate it! I'm dying to work. People laugh and say how easy I have it and they'd love to have one day where they get to do nothing. That just kills me, I want to do stuff. I can feel my brain getting mushier and mushier every day and I seem to get stupider too as words don't come as easily as they used (which is especially bad seeing as I have a degree in English). And the worst part is people think I should enjoy having nothing to do! And don't forget I pay taxes too. Just as much as anyone else so I'm contributing to my own lethargy. As for why teaching. It seems an obvious move for me. I have an arts degree, as I say one of the subjects is English, and seeing as both my parents and one sister are teachers, it does seem a natural choice.
 
griffid said:
That was before I knew I would be stuck for 3 years on a commission where there is actually nothing for me to do. Now most people don't believe me when I say that but honest to god, there is NOTHING to do. There's only so much initiative you can take when you have no regular duties.
Click to expand...
I know nothing about Civil Service ways, but it does seem ludicrous that this kind of situation should be allowed to continue. Have you raised this issue formally (i.e. in writing) with your manager, or the HR manager responsible for your area for their response?
 
I've been on the transfer list for about 2 and a half years. One of the transfer officers rang me, about this time last year, to assure me I had not been forgotten but that there just are no transfers available as nobody wants to fill my position down here (who in their right mind would) and so I'm stuck. I was put down here as my first position in the civil service, "off the street" so to speak. I was only supposed to be here for 6 months, then the commission report wasn't ready but it was thought it would be finished within the next 3 months. It wasn't finished then either, they thought it would only be until the following June, then the September was the new date, and on and on.
 
That doesn't really answer my question. Have you raised a formal issue with your manager/HR telling them that you have little or no work to do?
 
they know. As I say, there's nothing they can do about it. They can't move me. Thats all besides the point of my post anyway. I'm looking for advice on making a career change, not pointers on how to get ahead in a civil service thats overflowing with staff and run by ministers with their heads in the clouds.
 
In fairness Rainyday, is it not obvious that his manager is probably part of the system that has allows numerous public servants to get paid, by us, to do absolutely nothing?

He would be rocking the proverbial boat.

If someone was to post and say that they were considering going on the dole after they got their degree, so as to take some time-out, we (I included) would all be down their throats, in relation to them being thieves.

I was surprised that there was no such reaction (indication of our complacencey) in this thread.

Indirectly, the Civil Service (we) is paying out more than the dole, to allow people to do.......nothing. And it stinks.
 
Lads and Lassies,

Can we please try to keep to the original posters question?

thanks,
ajapale
 
thanks ajapale, I tried to steer it back that way but it didn't work.

There's no point blaming me for the inadequacies of the system of 'mal-administration' (as Mary Harney put it). I joined hoping to work. It hasn't worked out and now I'm trying to get out and do something where I earn my money. I would have thought the admission would be commended rather than berated. And not all of us do nothing, there are people run off their feet but who are not allowed have support from those of us who do nothing because "thats how the system works".

In relation to this:

"In fairness Rainyday, is it not obvious that his manager is probably part of the system that has allows numerous public servants to get paid, by us, to do absolutely nothing?

He would be rocking the proverbial boat."

I'm a she, please don't assume everyone who wants to work is a he. I'm sure thats not what you meant, I'm just saying.
 
Sorry about the gender error, and no I actually wasn't berating you but admiring your stance and honesty.

I wish I could assist with teaching advice.........best of luck!
 
I just find it strange that if you have a real problem with not enough work, why would you not be prepared to 'rock the boat' and get this issue resolved in the interim period, even if you are considering other career options in the meantime. The question isn't whether your manager knows or not - the question is what action will he/she take when the issue is raised to them in writing (with a cc to the HR manager).
 
This online course was launched a few years ago (apparently to the dismay of many teachers) -it's a hdip in primary education. There is some time required for on-site work (which speaking as a parent you would hope would be the case !!)

Is it teaching at the primary or secondary level that you are interested in ?
 
Unregistered said:
Sorry about the gender error, and no I actually wasn't berating you but admiring your stance and honesty.

I wish I could assist with teaching advice.........best of luck!
Click to expand...


No problem, fully understand the gender thing and hope you didn't take offense to my pointing it out to you. Thanks for the good wishes.
 
They are well aware of my situation here. Like I say, I've been on the transfer list for the past couple of years. They can't get anyone to replace me here so their hands are a bit tied too. This office is closing soon and I will be put into the department somewhere. My biggest problem is that I am a clerical officer but am capable of (and should be in) a higher grade, in a management type postition. This is my main gripe with the system because, for all its "equal opportunities" stuff, it's a very unfair recruitment process. And then the soul-destroying experience of getting through the lot, thinking I'm in with a good chance of getting to where I should and want to be, only to be told that the job I've been in for 3 years shows I don't have the experience. I couldn't get the experience here. Fair dues to whoever got the job but it was heartbreaking for me to know I can do the job but they didn't realise the situation I'm in restricted me. It's nothing to do with rocking the boat. Personnel can't do anything for me, they can't force anyone into this position as it would just be unfair so I've been here eversince with all the changing dates and mind-numbng boredom. Hopefully when we do finally shut up (and it's almost a certainty this time) I will be put somewhere where I can get experience and prove myself but there's still the lack of promotion opportunities blah blah blah so I'm just not sure that this is the career for me.
 
dubinamerica said:
This online course was launched a few years ago (apparently to the dismay of many teachers) -it's a hdip in primary education. There is some time required for on-site work (which speaking as a parent you would hope would be the case !!)

Is it teaching at the primary or secondary level that you are interested in ?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it now!
 
Hi Griffid,
I can't offer any better suggestions at thee moment but a friend of mine changed from the civil service to teaching so I'll ask her how she went about it. All I can say at this point is I also admire your stance and wish you well...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top