Civil service fixed term appointments... extension?

andrewm1981

I'm very excited to be joining the civil service next week, in what I think will be an interesting job. Having worked for one company for 15 years, I'm a little unsure about the fixed term contract. Obviously, on the face of it it means that after 2 years (the contract length)... good bye. From my research the government, not wanting to risk having to payout millions in redundancy packages, recruits everyone on fixed term appointments.

But in reality... what are the odds of that? I put my all into the job that I do, and knowing that after 2 years it's all over would be depressing! If you do a good job are there good chances that once you've got your foot in the door, you can hop departments and start a new contract?!

Thanks in advance :-)

TELLIT01

Nobody can say what the situation will be in 2 years time and what the likelihood is of a fixed term contract being extended.
What I can say is that during my time at DWP there were periods when no fixed term contracts were extended, and other times when some were. From past experience there is less than a 50/50 chance of it being extended.
The possibility of hopping departments would depend on where you were working. The office I was in ended up only working on one benefit so there would be nowhere to hop. There were no other offices within a 30 mile radius.

andrewm1981

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Less than 50% chance sounds a little scary. I was hoping for nearer 90%! I'll be working within the Cabinet Office in Whitehall so there's a huge array of potential jobs on the doorstep so that must be a good thing. I really want to make a career out of this so this is all a little disheartening :-(

antonic

As a current Civil Servant (who joined in the previous century), I can advise you that a Fixed Term Contract is exactly what is says on the tin - a job for a fixed term with it being highly unlikely that you will be made permanent at the end.

Now I know thats negative, but the positive for you, is that once your in the Civil Service you can develop your competencies and start looking for permanent jobs in other CS Departments.

Good luck !

Gingernutty

andrewm1981 wrote: »

If you do a good job are there good chances that once you've got your foot in the door, you can hop departments and start a new contract?!

There are no chances. It doesn't matter how good you are.

Fixed term is fixed term.

The final months are a stressful round of seeing job adverts, applying for them and annoying your department as you take random days off for interviews.

Once you 'get in', it gives you the opportunity to see other departments and apply for them as your job is just about to expire.

TELLIT01

I can't say with certainty, but would think there will be greater opportunity to look for other CS jobs when you are working in London than elsewhere. That is not the same as saying that a fixed term contract will be extended.

sammyjammy

Nobody can forsee the future and nobody can tell you whether there is a chance of being made permanent. As you ave been recruited throguh fair and open cometition once you start your CS job you can then apply for permanent posts across the Civil Service at both your current grade and on promotion so why wait and worry for two years?

Darksparkle

I've known fixed term contracts to be made permanent and others haven't. Depends entirely on the business needs at that time.

For the business doesn't need you then they won't keep you on no matter how good you are.

Applying for other jobs might be an option but some require you to have passed the one year probation

andrewm1981

In the job description, it does say "2 years with the potential to continue based on needs" so I guess wait and see. Work, as I intend to for the first year to pass the probationary period (of a year, right?), then feel the vibe sort-of-speak, and start to apply for jobs after 18-20 months if it feels like the contract would be renewed. I wouldn't want to P anyone off by applying for jobs from day 1!

Thanks for your help guys :-)

sammyjammy

andrewm1981 wrote: »

In the job description, it does say "2 years with the potential to continue based on needs" so I guess wait and see. Work, as I intend to for the first year to pass the probationary period (of a year, right?), then feel the vibe sort-of-speak, and start to apply for jobs after 18-20 months if it feels like the contract would be renewed. I wouldn't want to P anyone off by applying for jobs from day 1!

Thanks for your help guys :-)

Absolutely not from Day 1 but you have to put yourself first, after all everyone else will, just remember it can be quite a long process particualrly if you apply for posts in other Departments, by the time you've been in post 18 months you will have developed more skills and better competencies, win win.

Best of luck.

lisa110rry

Andrew, maybe just to cheer you up a bit, my own experience (though not with the Civil Service).

Detesting my job in a northern university, I decided to take redundancy and began looking for jobs. Got a job with a tier 1 constructor whilst waiting for redundancy so stepped from a job 30 miles from home to one 8 miles from home, on an 18 month - 2 year contract. I loved it and withing six months my salary had been increased to a point where I was earning more than I had at the Uni. 2.5 years down the line, the project was finished but I was kept on for the next one - which took 2.5 years. By then, my name and abilities were known and I still work in construction, though now not on site but instead running an SME on a day to day basis.

Things can go really well as well as sometimes not so. Chin up, get into the job and give it 110%!