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Original poster

taking a job in civil service (dstl) is it worth taking a pay cut?

33 replies

Marmaladegin · 16/04/2022 16:28

Any feedback from CS workers in general and dstl in particular gratefully received:

Have interview for a potentially interesting (I hope) job at dstl. The top of the advertised scale would be marginally lower than my current salary. I'm currently a (quite expensive) teacher. I do not hate my job, but it is tricky to balance around a family. Some people seem to go on about the flexibility and less stressful nature of working for the CS, compared to teaching. But others bemoan the difficulty of achieving salary progression. What are your experiences please, in terms of progression, job satisfaction and flexibility?

OP posts:
tealandteal · 16/04/2022 16:52

I don’t work for the civil service but would they offer the top of the band or pay scale? I’m not sure what room for negotiation there is. If they offered the bottom would you still be interested?

NewYorkHello · 16/04/2022 16:58

Agree with the pp - in my department they will only offer new starters the bottom of the pay scale. Very very occasionally someone might get offered more but it needs high level approval.

Everywhere is different so hopefully someone with experience at dstl will respond

Easylittlethrowaway · 16/04/2022 17:01

I started my civil service career at dstl and it was fantastic. I’m jealous!

Original poster
Marmaladegin · 16/04/2022 17:03

Totally agree- surely it must be probable they won't offer the top... if they offer the middle, I'd have to feel there were some real upsides to compensate (such as job satisfaction and flexibility) and if they offered the bottom, I simply couldn't afford to take it!

OP posts:
Original poster
Marmaladegin · 16/04/2022 17:04

@Easylittlethrowaway

I started my civil service career at dstl and it was fantastic. I’m jealous!
Oh well that sounds hopeful! Could you be more specific about what was great please?
OP posts:
SheWoreYellow · 16/04/2022 17:05

They’ll offer the bottom unless you are already civil service I would think. Maybe that’s something to ask now.

Original poster
Marmaladegin · 16/04/2022 17:06

@SheWoreYellow

They’ll offer the bottom unless you are already civil service I would think. Maybe that’s something to ask now.
Really? You would ask prior to interview?
OP posts:
DoubleHelix79 · 16/04/2022 17:07

In my department everyone starts at the bottom of the band, pretty much no exceptions. Do look at the pension though, they can be worth a lot. I once estimated my defined benefits pension as worth the equivalent about 20k per year.

Hasenpfeffer · 16/04/2022 17:07

New starters to the CS always start at the bottom, there is slim to no chance of negotiating any higher and that is usually in circumstances where there are a specific technical skills or qualifications needed.

TwinklyBranch · 16/04/2022 17:11

It's hardly worth the bother applying if you can't/won't accept the minimum salary band.

Jastree · 16/04/2022 17:11

I think you'll start on the bottom. Also, it takes a while to move up the scale. Sorry, that's just my CS experience.
Having said that, work life balance is important where I work, has always been but moreso during the pandemic. We have flexi working and where I am you can choose your hours/ days.

SuperheroBirds · 16/04/2022 17:11

I’m a Civil Servant, although not in DSTL. For me the benefits are flexi time (most departments have core hours in the middle of the day, but other than that you make up the time as you see fit) so you can pretty much set your own hours, build up flexi by doing some long days to get extra time off, the decent pension (although not sure how this compares to teachers’), fairly decent working conditions. It is also very easy to request part time hours, and other than Christmas I’ve never struggled to book holiday time off.

Lollymollyholly · 16/04/2022 17:13

I work in recruitment for the civil service and as an external applicant, you will come in at the bottom of the scale - the advert shouldn't have really gone out externally with the different pay scales on it because there's no room for negotiation.

Flexible working is great if you get a good department. My department are brilliant for it, but I do know of others with much less flexibility than us, for example restricting with core hours, set break times etc.

Also, once you're in you can apply for other jobs within the Civil service that are only advertised to internal applicants; it really does open doors. Anyone can apply for a promotion and it's fair and open competition so the opportunity to progress is rife.

I can't comment on job satisfaction as I've never worked for DSTL but we recruit for them a fair bit and we don't seem to see the same posts very often, so incumbents must be happy where they are as the turn over doesn't seem high.

Hope this helps x

SuperheroBirds · 16/04/2022 17:14

The down side, is that pay progression and annual pay rises are pretty much non existent. Also, you’d likely only start on 25 days holiday which if you are used to having all the school holidays off with your family, might be a struggle.

topcat2014 · 16/04/2022 17:16

You should never take a pay cut on changing jobs, not as if teaching is overpaid as it is.

By all means ask about salary and progression. That is the whole point of working after all.

Don't rule out private sector but remember pensions etc

HermioneWeasley · 16/04/2022 17:17

If you’re struggling to fit teaching around family how would something that only offers 25 days holiday a year work better?

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 16/04/2022 17:17

@SuperheroBirds

I’m a Civil Servant, although not in DSTL. For me the benefits are flexi time (most departments have core hours in the middle of the day, but other than that you make up the time as you see fit) so you can pretty much set your own hours, build up flexi by doing some long days to get extra time off, the decent pension (although not sure how this compares to teachers’), fairly decent working conditions. It is also very easy to request part time hours, and other than Christmas I’ve never struggled to book holiday time off.
I’m with Defra, I agree with this.

I joined nearly 20 years ago, and didn’t start at the bottom of the salary band, but, I had been bought on service for a few years and was able to demonstrate departmental competencies to correlate to a mid point in the band.

Easylittlethrowaway · 16/04/2022 17:21

@Marmaladegin I was entry level and straight out of uni and I was only there for a year before the team relocated, but it was a great working environment, flexible, supportive, fun. Fully supported me with applying for a promotion when it was time to move on. Got to do some travelling too which I really enjoyed.

MarianosOnHisWay · 16/04/2022 17:23

@HermioneWeasley

If you’re struggling to fit teaching around family how would something that only offers 25 days holiday a year work better?
Because it’s not about the days in the year, it’s about the hours in the day
Original poster
Marmaladegin · 16/04/2022 17:24

@MarianosOnHisWay indeed, thank you!

OP posts:
NewYorkHello · 16/04/2022 19:51

And one more thing to add, I’ve been in my grade more than 10 years and I’m still very close to the bottom of the pay scale. Just something to be aware of! Despite that I do love being a civil servant. It’s hard work though.

GinPalace2 · 16/04/2022 21:08

Definitely do a comparison of pensions in terms of employee and employer contributions and accrual rate/benefits.

FlatterNow · 16/04/2022 21:22

Actually my experience of the Civil Service is that external recruits could negotiate whereas internal could not. So it may vary by department.

Original poster
Marmaladegin · 18/04/2022 08:14

@FlatterNow thank you, I'm a little optimistic about the pay scale, it is a specialist role.

Thank you everyone for replying. I've decided I've nothing to lose by doing the interview. Just off now to try and find pension details to compare against teacher pensions (which are not as good as they used to be).

OP posts:
jeblee · 29/04/2022 16:52

I've just been offered a job at DSTL, I was offered a position with a fairly low pay scale but they said if the money put me off accepting I could call them to discuss higher pay, a new post could be created with more responsibility. You may find if you go through an interview and they're keen to hire you, they could be open to negotiation.
I found your post because I'm trying to find out how flexible work/life balance is, I'm going to be doing a huge commute as I really don't want to relocate my kids right now. I've seen they offer remote working but I was told they could only offer hybrid working.
Still deciding whether to accept the offer, let me know if you do go for anything!