Anyone move from private to public service? Experiences?

Eithneangela said:
I have to agree with the sentiment in most of the responses to the OP. As a professional with specific skills, I moved from the private to the public sector for the specific reason of helping to wind down towards an early retirement - in other words, literally a working holiday. I found that my technical skills were not appreciated nor wanted in some cases, because my approach is a business-like one - to streamline processes, help to make staff more effective, productive etc. As this is totally against the ethos in the public sector, I took the back seat I was offered and coasted to retirement. Like the OP, the reduction in remuneration was largely offset by the very restful days at the office - no pressures, no worries, no challenges, much shorter working days, long holidays etc. etc.
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Maybe it is your attitude that's the problem.
 
I would disagree. I have encountered many people with that attitude in the private sector.
 
aristotle said:
True, but they woudn't get away with that attitude in the private sector. Thats the issue.
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Again thats a inaccurate generalization. Parts of the private sector are renown for poor performance. Just I see poor performance in PC World for example doesn't mean its the same everywhere else.
 
I suppose I am basing it on my experience. Yes there are many places in the private sector where poor performance happens and is tolerated.

But there is no doubt, surely, that the public sector on the whole needs a serious revamp. It's as clear as day and has been for years.
 
I left the private sector after 17 years for family reasons and also the security of a permanent job. I took the massive pay cut on the chin and adjusted my lifestyle to fit in. I am now working in the the public sector 2 years and whilst the most part I'm happy I just wish I could use my skills more. There are at least two members of staff in the office who do absolutely nothing all day, go sick etc. Its so frustating to watch because if it was the private sector they worked in they'd have been out on their ear a long time ago! The other annoying thing is that one of them got a promotion because of their length of service and not on their ability to do the job, they earn twice my salary and I could do a much better job in a fraction of the time. It would drive you crazy from that point of view!
 
I agree the promotion on seniority thing was a major flaw in the public service but it has been more or less abolished for about 10 years now. There is only very limited seniority promotions at the lower grades.
 
Not getting into it 1234.

You said working harder = getting paid more. Full stop.

This is quite obviously not always the case.
 
Why do people talk about the private sector and the public sector as if they are both homogeneous groups? There’s a world of a difference between working in a small business and working in a large bank. I would suggest the same is true for many of the areas of the public sector.

If the OP is moving from a large multinational company to a large public sector body but doing the same sort of job then I don’t see how they could be that different. If they are moving from a 5 person business then I’d say there will be a huge difference but the same would be true if they were moving to most large organisations, be they public or private.
 
Exactly. This attitude that anyone moving from the private sector to the public sector is automatically moving to a less dynamic, busy job is totally ridiculous and smacks of certain private sector workers trying to feel good about themselves.
 
I was working in the private sector and I made the switch and started work in the Revenue.
Whilst the people were lovely etc, it was like a really badly run holiday camp.
The waste of time, money, resources etc was staggering.
There was absolutely no motivation to work hard.
Saying that, I don't necessarily blame all the workers for this, the system that they work in, is just embarrassingly inept in every department.
I lasted nearly two years and went back into the private sector.
Honestly, I was doing three peoples jobs at one stage (for approx 2 weeks) and it still wasn't a full, proper days work.
When I asked about doing / getting extra work (just to keep me sane), I was told to slow down and pace myself (nod nod, wink wink).
Still, I have made great friends from there.
 
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