Civil Service - wrong move?

[jayysb8987]

Hi, I've been in the Civil Service for a couple of years now. I recently started a new job after years in an operational role, I felt the job was draining and I was ready for a changed into something new. The job sounded great and I passed the interview and started.

I relocated for this role and love the new city I live in, I also jumped up a grade. I am aware you need to be more of a self starter, however this is a complete career change for me and I have no experience in the area I am working in - which management is aware, they encourages me to ask questions. However, I am just not enjoying it! I've been at the new role about a month - I have not received any training and it is a small team and they are including me in different task, I have no clue at all what is going on.

I am not enjoying the job at all - another person on my team does the same job as me and their job title is completely different - if I had of seen her job advertised; I wouldn't have applied - I feel slightly duped by the recruitment process.

I know starting a new job is tough but with the lack of training and the general lack of interest in what I am doing is making it hard to get motivation. I have already started applying for new jobs - people have advised me against this. However, I feel out of my depth and would rather return to a more people focused position opposed to a job like this. Has anyone moved departments/ positions within Civil Service and felt like they've maybe made the wrong move?

I could have written your post! I’ve moved up a grade into an operational role, small team, fast paced and the expectations placed on me that after a month of minimal training, is that I’m good to go!

I have no intention of remaining in a job that makes me miserable.

I plan on assessing my situation after 6 months , if I’m not happy then I shall apply for other positions.

Have you moved from operational to either a more corporate or policy role? They are so different. Dit you

I've been in the civil service for a long while. For me one of the best things about it is the range of roles/careers available. Equally, I've worked in several departments now and they are all so different, both culturally and expectation at different grades etc totally different.

Re the same job different job title, I am the queen of making up up new job titles for the same job! If you've worked in an operational role those tend to be very standard, agreed role profiles, everyone the same etc, whereas in policy depts it tends to be yeah I need someone to do this at this grade, I'll make up a job and say it's vaguely similar to another to get round the job evaluation and grading process.

Thanks for replying, I feel the same way- trying to take it day by day at the moment. I have already started applying for other jobs, I have been advised from people to stick it out for around 6 months also. I feel unhappy/ unmotivated and it’s getting me in a bad mental space, so if another opportunity comes up I’m going to take it.

Hope things get better in your role!

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Yea I moved from an operational role to a more corporate role. I have been told by serval colleagues that it will take me a while to adjust. Everyone is very nice, but so busy and I don’t feel supported. I am aware that I am supposed to be a self starter and I’m happy to do that however I would expect to be given a baseline/ at least some minimal training as a foundation.

I have always worked in customer focused/facing roles so was expecting it to be a big adjustment. However, I really don’t think this kind of role is for me. If I had of seen the job I currently have advertised instead of worded differently I really don’t think I would have applied for it.

Hopefully things will improve for the both of us. Good luck 🤞🏾

@jayysb8987 sorry to hear you are feeling like this, it's not a nice feeling and if you know it's not for you then you should absolutely start looking I reckon. I've recently moved to a new team in CS to a very different role and have also had zero training, plus boss is not approachable so I not comfortable asking questions. I have been in my role about 5 weeks but I know it's not for me. Am looking for other jobs - inside and outside CS but if I don't find anything soon I will have to resign as it's really impacting on my health and making me feel physically unwell.
Good luck and hope you find something more suitable soon!

Don't worry about the waiting 6 months thing - if it's wrong for your it's wrong for you.

I moved from my last job after 4 months and that was only because they got cross and made me stay the max notice period. I was back on CS jobs 2 weeks after starting and has another job within about a month.