Why Choose the Public Sector For Your Next Role?
The pandemic has acted as a catalyst for public sector organisations to rethink how they support the communities they serve. Digital transformation plans years in the making were fast-tracked, leading to initiatives to secure the best data, digital and tech experts who could help them transition vital services online and develop solutions that unlock greater efficiencies.
Such increased activity has led to a spike in public sector and non-profit opportunities, with professionals in the private sector increasingly opting to make the leap. To contextualise, public sector employment increased in September 2021 compared with the previous quarter and the previous year. While roles in both sectors are similar regarding methodologies and aspects such as coding languages, targets tend to differ, with private sector organisations geared towards profit and public sector entities placing more focus on efficiency and service delivery.
A common public sector misconception is that it is not as progressive in its approach to technology. In reality, the sector has evolved in recent years, with the pandemic accelerating this dramatic evolution, alongside the continued operation of the Government Digital Service, and a commitment to more agile and user-centric platforms. As a result, there’s an abundance of opportunities for private sector professionals seeking fresh challenges. Here, we look at why now is the ideal time to make the move to the public sector.
Diverse environments
The scale of technology in the public sector is vast due to the communities they serve, both on a national and local level. For example, HMRC recorded a total of 32,200,000 income tax payers in 2021-2022, highlighting the scale of work required for their outputs.
Such an expansive user base means professionals work with a broad range of technology to facilitate diverse services in highly complex environments. You will be working to solve more complicated challenges and be involved in new technology trials and tests before they become available on the broader market. This is primarily due to the relationships built by public sector organisations with new cloud technology vendors, in a move away from larger, in-house data centres.
Project scope
Another misconception of the public sector is that progress can be slow. While it’s true you’ll encounter more scrutiny as a public servant compared to the private sector; you might be surprised at the depth and range of projects you’ll have the opportunity to get involved with, from smart city projects to ongoing digital transformation initiatives. In 2021, the Chancellor committed an extra £150bn a year for public services by 2024-25, with investments in technology advancements high on the agenda.
Benefits
Professionals are savvier than ever when considering a role and understand the overall package can often be more valuable than the salary. Traditionally, public sector salaries can be lower than the private sector (although the gap is rapidly closing due to widening tech skills shortages). However, public sector employees often benefit from job satisfaction involved with these roles, as this type of work positively impacts individuals and wider communities. You can also look forward to job security, more sociable working hours, better holiday allowances, generous pension schemes and even the option to work remotely for optimum flexibility and work-life balance.
Diversity and inclusion
Public organisations lead the way on diversity and inclusion due to the nature of their services which require a workforce representative of modern Britain. Recent government diversity and inclusion data revealed that 53.9% of civil servants identify as women (45.2% are in senior civil servant roles), 12.7% are ethnic minorities, and 11.7% are disabled. In addition, the Department of Work and Pensions has completely eliminated the gender pay gap.
Hiring and development processes are fairer too. So, while the application process for a public sector role might be more lengthy, you can be confident your skills are being assessed in the fairest way, with the right person appointed for the right reasons.
Securing your public sector role
With public sector organisations rapidly accelerating tech projects, leaders are on the lookout for commercially-minded individuals. It means your experience working in the private sector will give you a competitive advantage and help you secure your next challenging and rewarding role in this fast-moving and exciting sector.
At Global Resourcing, your success is our success. We recruit specialist data, digital and technology talent across the public and non-profit sectors. So, whether you seek a permanent, contract or fixed-term opportunity, our team of experts can assist you. Call us on +44 020 8253 1800 or send an email, and we’ll get in touch to discuss your next career move.