To go for promotion or not? Civil Service

[KeepOnCleaning]

I really can't make up my mind and I need some help thinking this through. I am currently SEO grade and considering G7. I believe my current role is more at a G7 level, so I feel undervalued where I am currently, although I enjoy my job on the whole. However, the role isn't my main area of interest and I'm wary of the manager who isn't going to be the easiest to work with. I have discussed with my manager the possibility of getting my current role re-graded. He has said it may be possible, but will be a long drawn out process and I shouldn't hold my breath. He thinks I should go for the job being advertised, as even if they re-grade my current one in the future, this would give me some wider experience. The role would be moving away from a current quite technical role, into more of a management, big ideas role, which isn't really my personality, but part of the new job will be taking some of my current responsibilities and merging them into this new role.

So pros are that it will give me wider experience and I will feel compensated at a level that I believe I am worth. Cons are that the manager will be difficult and the job doesn't play to my strengths or area of interest.

Any advice? Obviously, even if I apply I may not be offered the role. And there is no guarantee of anything changing in the future with my current role.

I'm a seasoned Civil Servant.

Don't bother with regrading. The process is you regrade the post through the JEGS process, then they have to recruit to it on fair & open competition, as an SEO you can't just be promoted into the G7 post. Post is upgraded, person isn't. So someone else could come along and get "your" job, meanwhile you become surplus. Usually posts are upgraded once someone leaves (that's happened to me - galling!) or as part of OD work eg restructuring a team/business area (have done that too, v difficult for all involved).

When it comes to promotion - just apply. And don't limit yourself to this one role. If you want a G7 job look at everything that's going. You don't have the option until you get the job so there is no point overthinking it just now, put your energy into getting the job. I agree with your manager too on getting some wider experience.

Agree with PP that regrading is not the road to go down, and also that you shouldn’t limit yourself to just this role. Realistically it might take a few tries to get to G7 - but once you do, it will be far easier to make sideways moves.

You could do both as long as you are happy with the risk someone else gets ‘your job’ and you end up surplus. I have been regraded and promoted. Promotion is quicker. Whether you succeed at being regraded may depend on how they word the job spec. If you have a specialist role and they mention membership of professional organisations and professional qualifications you hold, then all to the good. Doesn’t sound like your manager is very keen though. I found it more difficult being interviewed by people I knew. Whatever you do, treat it at least as seriously as any other application. Be prepared for other panel members to challenge your boss, as they should do - fair and open competition. You must really prove you are the best candidate.

Thanks for the comments I got. I applied for the promotion - I figured nothing to lose by applying, and I have been selected for interview. Any tips welcome on prepping for a G7 interview. There are 6 behaviour profiles being assessed, so I'm planning to prepare a couple of responses for each of them, so I can adapt depending on the question. I'm less sure about behaviours that I haven't really had to do in my current role, such as decision making.

For decision making you need to have some kind of issue where you considered multiple options to resolve. You gathered evidence, consulted lots of people, weighed up options, made a decision, and then the positive impact of that decision.