Civil/Public Sector - Ministry/Stat Boards employees knowledge needed!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Would anyone share their experience in jumping from stat board to ministry? It is tough? and any other things that I need to take note of?

Its more dependent on vacancy. You can try to applied and express your interest. I knew a guy who applied when there was no vacancy. The ministry kept his request and a year later, they called him up when a vacancy opened up. Do take note that your current boss will know about it. If you are trying to transfer quietly and suddenly, this method is not it.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Like every office, there are the lazy and ambitious.

The lazy will work at the minimum and have some level of work life balance. The price is slow promotions and having younger coworkers promote over you and becoming your boss. If you are able to stomach that, there will be work life balance.

The ambitious are the ones who work ever on weekends. That was how they can clock 60 hour work week. Higher chance of good PB and promotions.

This is why there are conflicting stories. You need to ask yourself, what do you want? If its work life balance you are looking for, let me warn you, you will not promote fast. You need to come to terms with that.

Kind of surprised that people are actually given the choice to be hardworking or lazy. I ever heard of directors replying to emails at 2am in the morning or weekend 10pm, civil service no less. And there are many people who believe that civil service is a retirement place.

Won't the bosses come down hard on those who are less hard striving than they are? Every year there's an appraisal, and the staff is grilled on his or her KPIs, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Kind of surprised that people are actually given the choice to be hardworking or lazy. I ever heard of directors replying to emails at 2am in the morning or weekend 10pm, civil service no less. And there are many people who believe that civil service is a retirement place.

Won't the bosses come down hard on those who are less hard striving than they are? Every year there's an appraisal, and the staff is grilled on his or her KPIs, isn't it?

Civil service culture is distinct in 2 groups between 10% scholars/hi-po and 90% rest of the "farmers". The Directors won't come down too hard as this is an accepted reality, going all out to whack your lower levels might end up worse as they gang up to resist and result in missing own department KPIs.

In reality, it is so hard to fire a civil servant that even if the person cmi, as long as he has no discipline issues, there is nothing the Director can do. Most scholars/hi-po will just concentrate on meeting KPI and move on in their careers after staying a few years in the position then bother to get into trench warfare with the majority.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Kind of surprised that people are actually given the choice to be hardworking or lazy. I ever heard of directors replying to emails at 2am in the morning or weekend 10pm, civil service no less. And there are many people who believe that civil service is a retirement place.

Won't the bosses come down hard on those who are less hard striving than they are? Every year there's an appraisal, and the staff is grilled on his or her KPIs, isn't it?

Every organisation will have its share of slackers, who will do just the minimum. The bosses are not everywhere and they can't police all the workflow. All the lazy have to do is maintain the current processes, make sure nothing bad happens, and they can easily pass the time away. I am not just speaking about Civil service, this is also happening at private sector. That is why they will meet their KPIs but not beyond it. As for directors replying at 2am, that is exactly my point. These are the workaholics that will be promoted fast, and that is the level of intensity the competition is at the civil service. Don't expect fast promotions if you want work life balance. You are not going to be able to work at that level of intensity. Why I warn about coming to terms with this is because I saw how it ate at some of my colleagues. They couldn't or wouldn't put in the hours and when younger people with half their seniority could promoted over them. They get very bitter.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Every organisation will have its share of slackers, who will do just the minimum. The bosses are not everywhere and they can't police all the workflow. All the lazy have to do is maintain the current processes, make sure nothing bad happens, and they can easily pass the time away. I am not just speaking about Civil service, this is also happening at private sector. That is why they will meet their KPIs but not beyond it. As for directors replying at 2am, that is exactly my point. These are the workaholics that will be promoted fast, and that is the level of intensity the competition is at the civil service. Don't expect fast promotions if you want work life balance. You are not going to be able to work at that level of intensity. Why I warn about coming to terms with this is because I saw how it ate at some of my colleagues. They couldn't or wouldn't put in the hours and when younger people with half their seniority could promoted over them. They get very bitter.

Not really. I find the most bitter ones are actually those who really worked hard with long hours and stress hoping that their CEP will be upgraded. But in reality in government if you are not a scholar, even if you really give your all out, the best is probably some sort of Senior/Director position in their late 40s or early 50s. In fact many end up at DD or SDD level.

This group IMO is the most bitter, much more than the slacker long timers who more or less accepted they would never progress far. I suppose they do have a point because they are somewhat "conned" into doing the grunt work in their younger days and yet will never be a CE or PS. But over the years they would have gotten good performance bonus and MX8/7 pay is actually already quite decent, so I don't think their grievances are 100% justified also.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Some general information is shared between the gov agencies. For example, your PB grade will be shared. I knew a guy who got an E grade, and left the service. A few years later, when he tried to applied to other gov agencies, he found out he was blacklisted. That E grade he got followed him forever. He can't be a civil servant ever again.

Hi bro how did he found out he was blacklisted? Also what about min-stats board and vice versa? Are the sharing more or less as intense? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not really. I find the most bitter ones are actually those who really worked hard with long hours and stress hoping that their CEP will be upgraded. But in reality in government if you are not a scholar, even if you really give your all out, the best is probably some sort of Senior/Director position in their late 40s or early 50s. In fact many end up at DD or SDD level.

This group IMO is the most bitter, much more than the slacker long timers who more or less accepted they would never progress far. I suppose they do have a point because they are somewhat "conned" into doing the grunt work in their younger days and yet will never be a CE or PS. But over the years they would have gotten good performance bonus and MX8/7 pay is actually already quite decent, so I don't think their grievances are 100% justified also.

its all about expectations end of the day. those who compare themselves to average singaporean if ur already making 350k to 400k as a civil servant director really nothing more to complain. those who keep thinking they deserve pte sector ceo or investment banker pay of course will just get more bitter and envious over time. greed is endless one.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Its more dependent on vacancy. You can try to applied and express your interest. I knew a guy who applied when there was no vacancy. The ministry kept his request and a year later, they called him up when a vacancy opened up. Do take note that your current boss will know about it. If you are trying to transfer quietly and suddenly, this method is not it.

You are wrong, boss wont know u go interview until the day you are accepted by the new agency and they initiate a transfer. When they initiate the transfer will than your boss know u actually wanna siam, but this only applies if u ministry to ministry transfer, if u go from ministry to stat board, than u need to resign.

Anyone works in EDB? Normally what is the typical working hours in EDB? till how late?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Every organisation will have its share of slackers, who will do just the minimum. The bosses are not everywhere and they can't police all the workflow. All the lazy have to do is maintain the current processes, make sure nothing bad happens, and they can easily pass the time away. I am not just speaking about Civil service, this is also happening at private sector. That is why they will meet their KPIs but not beyond it. As for directors replying at 2am, that is exactly my point. These are the workaholics that will be promoted fast, and that is the level of intensity the competition is at the civil service. Don't expect fast promotions if you want work life balance. You are not going to be able to work at that level of intensity. Why I warn about coming to terms with this is because I saw how it ate at some of my colleagues. They couldn't or wouldn't put in the hours and when younger people with half their seniority could promoted over them. They get very bitter.

Don't think they would be bitter lah. In CS PS as they always like to say, wait long enough and it will be your turn, isn't it? The ones who chiong fancy themselves to be some high flyer when in reality the CEP is a fixed target.