Civil service FTC

[Honeybee107]

Hi, I’m looking at a career change and very interested in the civil service. I’m currently weighing up two jobs. One is permanent but in a department I’m not too enthused about, the other is in a department that is much more aligned with my interests but fixed term. I just wondered if anyone has any experience of the inner workings of civil service? How likely is a fixed term contract to be extended or made permanent? TIA

Anecdotally I know someone who did convert a FTC to a permanent role but I think it was a prolonged and difficult process. But not sure if that’s the same in every department.

I would say that there’s a current recruitment pause/freeze in my dept (which happens fairly regularly). I’d think that would make the likelihood of extending a contract or making it permanent more difficult.

If the role was converted to permanent it’s possible/probable that you’d have to apply for the role.

However, saying all this…..how engaged and interested you are in the role is key. So the FTC may be the best choice. And once you’re in the CS there are lots of internal vacancies that you would be eligible to apply for!

Good Luck!

CS is bound by recruitment principles which are around fair and open competition. So, the only way you could be made perm in my view is if they advertise the role at a later date and you get it. You would be in competition with others at that point. You would be in a strong position as you would be in the role but no guarantee.

Check out Civil Service Commission recruitment principles.

You can be converted to perm, I have known that happen, but I wouldn’t bank on it. The reason they recruit on FTC is usually because they don’t think (or know) they will need the role beyond that. Most are fixed/short term projects, working on a Bill, covering a temporary uplift in service demand etc.

2 yrs is a good shelf life for any CS role anyway, lots of people would be looking to move to another role then anyway.