Going from Private Sector to a Public Sector Job..

Marktheshark

Public sector with super ann pensions you can be out with your feet up 18 years before Joe public if you can get your head round the pension scheme.
How much is 18 years of your time worth.

Stylehutz

Most people have not answered the original question but from experience changing from Private to public sector its been a doddle. Less stressful having the government as your employer rather than a Private individual or Company. Due to the cutbacks you are not expected to meet your targets where in the Private sector i imagine you still are.

jayII

I found it harder. It took a while to find a job at my level and my working day and week is much harder than when I was in the private sector. I'm also paid less.

However I stay because I value the job security, because I'm a bit of an idealist so I like knowing I'm doing some good (I work with some of the most vulnerable people in society). The employer pension contributions also bring my pay up to an equivalent level to private sector, so I'm not actually losing out financially.

Oh, and I really enjoy my job when I'm not being sworn at, or worse.

sangie595

Marktheshark wrote: »

Public sector with super ann pensions you can be out with your feet up 18 years before Joe public if you can get your head round the pension scheme.
How much is 18 years of your time worth.

Really? With the exception of the police force and the military, do let us know where this is the case. Even years ago you could not retire until 55 - and then with a reduced pension, which you had paid for. Now, all my members will work until 66 and will get a further reduced pension. Which they are paying for. Every single member of "Joe public" was entitled to save for their retirement and/or invest in pension provisions. Just as public sector workers could opt out of the pension scheme which they were paying in to. I don't know of anywhere in the public sector where you can, or ever could, retire with a full pension at the age of 48!

dippy3103

Marktheshark wrote: »

Public sector with super ann pensions you can be out with your feet up 18 years before Joe public if you can get your head round the pension scheme.
How much is 18 years of your time worth.

I have been paying into my civil service pension for 20 years. Like everyone else my age I will be retiring at 70.

TELLIT01

For the vast majority of public sectors the idea of retiring early on a gold plated pension is a total myth. I know of 3 people who have worked in the public sector long enough to get their full 'works' pension i.e. 40 years service, and none of them would be able to survive on that alone. It might have been possible when the retirement age for women was 60 so that by just working a couple of additional years there would be the state pension too, but that is no longer the case.
Until you climb fairly high up the tree, pay is not good - certainly no better than in the private sector in my location. My wife works in the private sector, doing a job which is far less stressful and demanding than the one I did at DWP. She works shorter hours and earns more than I did. Given the size of the 'public sector' as an employer, I'm sure it would be possible to find examples where staff in similar jobs to the private sector are paid more, just as it would be possible to show the opposite.
Holiday entitlement for new employees is no better than private sector either. Targets had to be hit or there could be severe repurcussions, up to and including dismissal. Anybody who still believes that public sector employment equates to a lovely relaxed environment with jobs for life and a massive pension is deluded.

Andy_L

sangie595 wrote: »

Really? With the exception of the police force and the military, do let us know where this is the case. Even years ago you could not retire until 55 - and then with a reduced pension, which you had paid for.

In the LGPS you could go at 55 with 30 years service, meeting the "rule of 85". If your employer agreed there would be no reduction in pension, back in the day they frequently agreed as it was a way of getting rid of staff cheaper/easier than via redundancies.

Wyndham

NoNoDrama wrote: »

Good to hear the myth dispersed about the job advertisements being their for token reasons.

Looking maybe at admissions? Processing applications for University's etc.

Customer service/logistics background so super resilient to stress and fast pace ... not sure how I would tie in my experience to their application. Planning, diary management, organisation are my main skills - any suggestions what kind of departments where these skills will be best suited too?

If you're looking at Universities, they are Public Sector... but not as we know it! Nor are they Private Sector.... If you're seriously interested in University Admissions, either post more here about why, or PM me - I've been doing it for years and may be able to help.... but I need to understand a bit more about a) your skills and b) your level/salary expectations.

marlot

"How easy is it to make the transfer from Private to Public?"

I did it five years ago, but it was to a government agency where I'd previously done some consulting. The biggest change was the continual re-organisations. Every year or two. Hugely disconcerting the first time it happened. In my five years, I've now had five bosses.

My opinion is that the pay package is better than private sector at more junior levels, but worse at more senior. The pension is excellent - and the reason I've stayed.

"I hear a lot of these jobs are just advertised because they need to under law but usually go to someone internally, is this true or a myth?"

In the part of the civil service where I work, they are scrupulous about fair treatment. But ... that doesn't make it easy for an external - I recommend reading up on the civil service competences, and how to pass a competence based interview.

Fireflyaway

I have worked in both, currently in public sector. I personally prefer it. There is room for progression and the pension is good. Being on an incremental scale, I get a pay rise every year ( up to a ceiling) providing my work is satisfactory. I like that its organised and that we are doing a job that benefits people rather than just making profit for directors.
I manage an admin team and out of 6 of them only 1 was previously public sector. If its general admin its the skills and attitude that count. Only if you want something more specialised at a higher level would previous experience be needed - working in electoral services or scrutiny or housing etc.