Civil service provisional job offers

[SevenHundredandFortyThreeThree]

I'm a civil servant. I've recently applied for and been offered a job in another government dept.

The CS jobs website was updated today stating 'provisional offer subject to pre-employment checks'. I have accepted this.

Anyone know what these checks are and how long they take? I'm keen to resign by 4 Oct so that I can take up my new role straight after Christmas. The website advises not to resign until the pre-employment checks are done. I'm not anticipating any issues as I'm already a civil servant and have been security vetted etc. Just aware that everything CS recruitment-related takes eons.

There will be the usual references, but depending where you are moving from/to you may require a different level of security clearance, or a new application for security clearance if you don’t already have it. From experience, SC can take anything from a couple of weeks to a few months! Do not resign until you are told you are ready to go.

Call SSCL and find out what stage they are at with your vetting.

You have to nag them unfortunately!

That's really helpful, thanks. How does it work with references- do I tell my manager about the offer but not resign yet?

Yes, I would tell my line manager that I’d had an offer, but that I am not resigning yet due to pre-employment checks. All very standard and expected in the Civil Service.

Applying for new jobs in the private sector all seems very cloak and dagger stuff; nobody wants anyone to know anything. In the Civil Service I have asked my current line manager to give feedback on my application form before I submitted it, and asked colleagues and managers to do mock interviews for me. The Civil Service encourages development moves and promotion, so no need to hide anything.

Yes, if you’ve been offered the job officially, subject to checks, I would tell my manager out of courtesy. You can explain that you’ve been offered the role but are not resigning yet due to the usual checks, but you wanted to let them know it’s forthcoming. It gives you time to start planning a handover and your manager time to start thinking about recruitment.

Personally i would wait until you have gone through the full,process. I am seriously hoping Rachel will instigate a job freeze in the civil service and full look at all departments to cut money in the budget. I can hope anyway

Technically if you're already a civil servant then you don't resign, the two HR departments arrange a transfer and there will be some paperwork for you to complete. Absolutely don't resign - you'll lose your continuous service! I think there's some guidance on gov UK on the transfer process

It should just be a transfer, we've never had references for anyone joining us from other departments. Depending on the department you're joining and the security clearance you require it can take quite a while. Worth chasing it though. Hope it comes through for you soon.

Depends on what additional security checks may need doing. Can take 3 months from an offer but you are usually told the expected timeframe.

Thanks very much, everyone. I'll have a chat with my manager. HR at the new department have already said they will arrange it as a transfer but good to know that I therefore shouldn't be referring to resignation (people often move between the two depts so I expect HR will be able to tell me all about how it works). This is my first move within the CS so I have been thinking of it in private sector terms- very cloak and dagger, as you say @HappyAsASandboy

@Vaxtable This is already happening across many departments. It's been interesting seeing it from this side- I deal with lots of other depts as part of my role and a few do seem to be overstaffed (not good), while others are absolutely pared back to the bone and running on a shoestring (also not good). I think this is part of the difficulty with centrally administered budgets and allocation of resources- much less efficient than the invisible hand, especially where resources are sometimes allocated for reasons of political expediency rather than according to actual need- but the idea that you can just cut is wrong.