promotion in civil service?

[tempjob]

I'm a new starter in the civil service which I'm thrilled about. However I have been placed in the HEO grade I'm feeling disappointed that I wasn't placed at the next grade up - the SEO level - as I have several years' experience and took quite a wage drop for this job. What can I do to secure a promotion in the next 12 months? I am happy to move departments/volunteer etc.

Hopefully someone else will come on with more experience... but I would say get a mentor and work at the behaviours now so that you have some good examples to share at interview.

Look at expression of interest opportunities which are temporary but often at higher grade

If you are new to CS your initial focus must be on passing probation.

Please do not be one of those people who think HEO grade tasks are beneath them. The best way to progress is to do the job you have been employed to do really well. If you have spare capacity then ask for additional work, it might sometimes be work of a junior grade, again do it really well and don’t moan. Learning the basics and doing them well is what stands you in good stead.

However, also sign up to CS jobs so you can look for vacancies at SEO level. Look at the requirements and start drafting examples using the STAR format. Take the learning and development opportunities and be open to feedback.

Did you apply for an SO or HEO role?

In practice there is nothing stopping you from applying for SO jobs now but they will looking for meaningful examples of behaviours which you might struggle with.

So, you will want to build up examples which might mean working on stuff that is really SO work or similar. There are talent schemes too you could explore.

Why did you apply for a HEO role if you wanted an SEO role? I'm not aware of "being placed" but could be wrong!

I applied for an SEO role and within 18 months got a G7 role but I applied for it at another department, the organisation I was in is very slow for promotion I'd have been waiting years, if you're willing to be flexible and move departments etc there's no reason you couldn't get promoted quickly. But some departments have a minimum requirement, I'd do at least 18 months first to pass probation and get some CS experience under your belt.

Thanks all. I applied for a job advert which was looking for x10 HEOs and SEOs and they then placed us in the roles that were a good fit for us. I was placed in an HEO role and even though I love my work, I am shocked that my 15+ years experience is considered to be on par with entry level graduates, as some of the other HEOs are aged 22. I worry that I have wasted my time in previous industries as it doesn't seem to count for much in the CS.

I will do 18 months in this role and will now concentrate on building up my experience. Any other tips? Xx

@tempjob I'm with you, I'm sorry you didn't get an SEO role, it may well just have been the recruitment process rather than your actual experience perhaps you didn't quite give the answers to strongly demonstrate S grade level behaviours, have a look at the success profiles info on the CS website to give yourself a fighting chance when a role comes up.

Your experience won't be wasted!

I would be proactive, make sure your manager knows you are keen to progress, look at requirements for S grade and see if any projects or opportunities come up in your H grade role that would look good for S grade.

I'd also seek a mentor, this is hugely helpful for preparing for interview.

Civil service interviews are quite unique - I’d imagine your answers weren’t the highest scoring so you weren’t offered the higher grade. There will have been existing HEOs applying for SEO and they will have known the system better.

Your best bet is to pass your probation and then look at moving to another dept - once you have done one probation you don’t have to repeat it when you move between departments.

Whatever you do please don’t be that bitter person who thinks they’re better than others at the same grade and lets everyone else know. I’ve got an new to civil service HEO I’m managing at the moment who thinks they should be further up the chain because of their previous experience - the job they have is actually a step up from their previous one but like you they’re looking at all the young people at same grade and higher and being quite bitter about it. It’s quite unpleasant to work with and they are difficult to mentor and bring on - they think they know more than me and aren’t humble enough to understand that they need to spend the time getting to know the civil service and demonstrating proficiency in their role in order to pass probation. It’s not going well and passing probation is looking unlikely.

Those bright young things you’re working with will keep their heads down and progress quickly, and you’ll be left behind if you keep fixating on the notion that you should be ahead of them purely because of your previous experience or the fact you happen to be older than them.