Civil Svc/ Statboard - Typical Timeline for making a Hiring Decision

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Like to know this as well. Currently am on contract and told by my supervisor unlikely to have headcount. Am hoping to settle down and start a family soon too.

Run already. Wait for what? Try Ministry. Usually better headcount situation than SB. You will start on contract but that’s more like a probation

Why leh? Having had to manage out someone, it is damn hard. Near impossible. So now they keep new hires on 1-2 year contract so they can get rid of the bad apples. Policy intention but sometimes abused by the mid management

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. I'm quite sure that I'm not a bad apple as my performance has been consistently good and I'm enthusiastic about taking on even more challenges. Unlike some of my older colleagues who understandably prefer not to take on additional work, I'm filled with energy and eager to do more. Unfortunately, my supervisor has mentioned this "headcount" thing that prevents me from continuing on, even if I wanted to.

I'm just confused about this headcount thing. Is it a budgetary issue? Cause I definitely earn significantly lesser to my other colleagues. I know for sure because they will chit chat about their salary openly.

I'm not really concerned about not being able to get another job but I'm just thinking if I should continue staying on in the CS. Needing to find a new job every other year is just seriously not very ideal..

Originally Posted by Unregistered

First time posting here. I’ve found some of the info on this thread helpful, so I’d like to share my own experience applying with the Public Service.

Background: Applied sometime towards EOY.

Week 0 – applied online thru C@G. Contacted by HR to share more abt. the JD and obtain general info. Received a prompt to complete questionnaires on the portal
Week +1 – Received panel interview date
Week +2 – Panel interview (I had to reschedule)
Week + 5 – Attended rescheduled panel interview. Contacted by HR a couple of days later that the hiring dept was interested to proceed w hiring. HR requested for salary info and referee details. Was told to complete some online assessments
Week +8 – HR requested for previous employment’s referees
Week +10 – Radio silence from HR. Sent an email chaser, told to wait for their update
Week +14 – Received verbal offer from HR
Week +15 – Accepted verbal offer
Week +16 – Received LOA

Pending: pre-employment medical check.

All the best to those in the same boat as me!

the role u apply for is under perm headcount?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Like to know this as well. Currently am on contract and told by my supervisor unlikely to have headcount. Am hoping to settle down and start a family soon too.

was in the same predicament as u, more or less.

your current full time contract with the govt agency is due to expire when?

and you are already on how many contract (s) with the agency/SB/Ministry?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. I'm quite sure that I'm not a bad apple as my performance has been consistently good and I'm enthusiastic about taking on even more challenges. Unlike some of my older colleagues who understandably prefer not to take on additional work, I'm filled with energy and eager to do more. Unfortunately, my supervisor has mentioned this "headcount" thing that prevents me from continuing on, even if I wanted to.

I'm just confused about this headcount thing. Is it a budgetary issue? Cause I definitely earn significantly lesser to my other colleagues. I know for sure because they will chit chat about their salary openly.

I'm not really concerned about not being able to get another job but I'm just thinking if I should continue staying on in the CS. Needing to find a new job every other year is just seriously not very ideal..

Sorry I wasn’t saying you are bad Apple. I’m saying why they have 2 year contract before perm at Ministries.

For SB, it can be the same probation type of contract or what you are facing, headcount constraints

The entire public service can only take a certain number of total headcount so that the private sector will have enough left. What the number is… well only the PSC/PSD scholars and the economists and stats service on that issue will know.

This headcount is then divided among all the Ministries and Stat Board. If they don’t give the SB the headcount, they just cannot hire more perm. They can get around it with contracts. But PSD learnt and say contract can only be renewed maximum of X times.

So you can be good, but your boss really got their hands tied. You also need to see how strong your super scale boss is in the organisation. You see some depts always can convert to perm, but some always have to let people go.

Take the time to network, plug in to gossip, and find a good boss

In general Ministries don’t need to play the contract game. Because they will take the headcount they need before giving the balance to its stat boards.

Enough of the big picture crap. Network, apply for other roles, find good boss. Good luck

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sorry I wasn’t saying you are bad Apple. I’m saying why they have 2 year contract before perm at Ministries.

For SB, it can be the same probation type of contract or what you are facing, headcount constraints

The entire public service can only take a certain number of total headcount so that the private sector will have enough left. What the number is… well only the PSC/PSD scholars and the economists and stats service on that issue will know.

This headcount is then divided among all the Ministries and Stat Board. If they don’t give the SB the headcount, they just cannot hire more perm. They can get around it with contracts. But PSD learnt and say contract can only be renewed maximum of X times.

So you can be good, but your boss really got their hands tied. You also need to see how strong your super scale boss is in the organisation. You see some depts always can convert to perm, but some always have to let people go.

Take the time to network, plug in to gossip, and find a good boss

In general Ministries don’t need to play the contract game. Because they will take the headcount they need before giving the balance to its stat boards.

Enough of the big picture crap. Network, apply for other roles, find good boss. Good luck

been thrgh the gist of the predicament mentioned myself.
no matter how nice they try to paint that u r full time contract staff with the SB,
benefits/welfare will somehow be different or a portion of what the perm staff gets.
and the part abt PSD allowing max number of times for the contract renewal is true.
mines was 1st contract (1year) in 2019.
2nd contract aka 1st extension (1year) in 2020
3rd contract aka 2nd & final extension (2 years) in 2021-2022.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

been thrgh the gist of the predicament mentioned myself.
no matter how nice they try to paint that u r full time contract staff with the SB,
benefits/welfare will somehow be different or a portion of what the perm staff gets.
and the part abt PSD allowing max number of times for the contract renewal is true.
mines was 1st contract (1year) in 2019.
2nd contract aka 1st extension (1year) in 2020
3rd contract aka 2nd & final extension (2 years) in 2021-2022.

After 3rd contract, convert to perm ma ?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

After 3rd contract, convert to perm ma ?

sadly nope.

previous SB having to release me after 4yrs+ in total.
since having taken 3 full time contracts with them.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

sadly nope.

previous SB having to release me after 4yrs+ in total.
since having taken 3 full time contracts with them.

mind to share which SB is that? and what's your title/position?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

mind to share which SB is that? and what's your title/position?

Senior Associate was my last post (2021-2022) at the said SB under the MTI umbrella.