No progression in civil service...
 

Hi all, I'm quite interested in knowing how my peers around my level are doing right now in the private sector, because I'm feeling stuck and helpless in the civil service.

I graduated with BA in Econs/Pols from an overseas university (UMelb). No honours because I couldn't afford another year of study, but got the highest level of a pass degree. Got hired by a Ministry almost fresh out of school. Made full Manager fairly early (< 6 years). Life seemed good.

But, for the last 3 years, I've been in the same position with no sign of further progression in both salary or rank.

The first time someone got promoted over me, I let it go; the promotee entered around the same time as me, and performed at a similar level to me. Plus, he was a scholar; I understood this was a big bonus.

The second and third chances for promotion were really a kick in the face though. People junior to me, who often came to me for assistance, got promoted over me for the last 2 years. Only difference between me and them is that they were scholars who took their honours year. Up to this point, I thought if I worked hard and proved my steel, I could beat any scholar. Now... I'm not sure anymore.

My people like me, and work well for me. I hang out with my boss at least once a week and we get along. I told him how I felt last year and he said he would try to look into it. Then someone else is promoted over me. When I ask him about it, he says he has not much control over it.

Now I feel underappreciated and betrayed for my loyalty. I spoke to two peers of similar experience in the private sector (9-10 years in finance-related fields), and both earn about 50% more than me.

I feel like I've given my best years to the government for nothing. Should I switch to the private sector? Maybe take this chance to pursue an MBA?

If anyone has any kind of convincing argument for staying in the civil service, would love to hear it.

Which area of finance is it? Private sector finance can be unstable, although pay is high.

One key reason to stay is that it seems like your job is very stable and rather comfortable.. Additionally, given that you're a manager, I would think that your salary is quite good.

For the promotions, objectively thinking, are there any characteristics that the ones who get promoted have that you don't have?

My job right now is similar to auditing, although with much more networking, plus I have people management responsibilities.

I've been headhunted on behalf of banks numerous times, but never took them seriously until now. I do like my current job, but having stagnated for 3 years, with other offers on the table already, really makes me question my unrewarded loyalty.

I've tried to be as objective as I can, but apart from being scholars who have higher education levels (one has Honours, the other has a Masters), I don't see how the ones promoted over me are 'better'. I take more initiative, and do better work judging from numbers alone. If this is how it's going to be from now on, then my only choices for further advancement are to get my postgrad, or switch to the private sector...

scholars on fast track and farmers hitting glass ceiling early r nothing new.

u sld have known that before you joined. most ppl join public service knowing and accepting this fact. (myself included)

it is almost naive to think that someone like u with no political muscle can change this deeply embedded culture.

either accept this culture or jump out while u r still relatively young.

I have been working in the private sector since 2012 and spent 1 year doing my masters in between. No harm trying private sector. You get to see things from another perspective.

Can share your;
- starting salary?
- current salary?

Started with 3.3k, now I'm basically stuck at 8k. I've had barely 1k increment in regular salary in 2-3 years, and at my rank I need a promotion that I'm repeatedly being passed over for to get any significant increase.

I started with 2.9k in 2012.

Right now drawing 6.2k. With bonus in should be slightly over 7k.

How many years of working experience do you have at 8k? Assuming 16-17 months package, your annual salary is $128-$136k which is very high when compared to the outside world. Civil servants like to fantasize about the pte sector where they think everyone earns a high salary. Truth is, the high paying jobs are in the MNCs where you have to compete with FTs and other expats from the company's home country who are parachuted (and rightly so) into the management roles.

If you can't make the cut in your cushy civil service job, what makes you think you can so easily jump into the pte sector? Also, pte sector rarely hires "out of touch" civil servants.....

9 years working experience, coming up to 10 this year.

I feel like I did make the cut, but I'm constantly being passed over for scholars, who are juniors that I literally mentored. How is it fair for someone who relied on my supervision to be promoted over me?

Plus, I've had headhunters for banks offering me better positions, so I know I've made the cut for the private sector as well. The only thing stopping me is that I like my job, and my team, and of course the stability that comes with a civil service job, but the civil service is simply not offering me renumeration competitive enough to keep me there anymore.

Imagine being passed over for promotion for 3 years, knowing full well the last two candidates weren't better workers than you. I see now that the civil service cares far more about qualifications on paper as opposed to actual performance. As a previous poster mentioned, I guess I was naive thinking I could change civil service culture just by working harder than the scholars.