Jobs with MOD/GCHQ etc.

Author
Discussion

Efbe

Original Poster:

9,251 posts

166 months

Friday 18th March 2016
quotequote all
Hi All.
Am looking for a career change. Currently work in finance as an insight manager, so working with massive databases, on SQL, SAS, VB etc to get data out, and providing reporting, insight and analysis to the top of the company and external organisations etc.

It pays well, but being finance can never be all that interesting, or meaningful.

Have always liked the idea of doing a similar thing for the MOD, or GCHQ or someone like this. Something meaningful that actually benefits society.
However, haven't been able to find a decent jobs portal for this type of job, other than the generic graduate schemes etc, and given that I am a very experienced senior manager, was not really wanting to start off again at the bottom!

Does anyone work in this sector, or know of the approach to it?


0000

13,812 posts

191 months

Efbe

Original Poster:

9,251 posts

166 months

Friday 18th March 2016
quotequote all
0000 said:
Thanks 0s

I had looked on this, and took these to be the entry/low level vacancies.

ewenm

28,506 posts

245 months

Friday 18th March 2016
quotequote all
The MOD recruitment process is massively biased to internal advancement. Every vacancy needs huge justification to go out to the open market and most don't get there.

In my experience the MOD desperately need some decent technical IT managers but the impetus to recruit from other industries is low. If you want to work in analytics with the MOD (or the NHS as another large organisation awash with data but struggling for meaningful information) I'd suggest doing it via a consultancy organisation rather than as an employee.

Edit: The CS Jobs portal is where all the jobs are advertised but as I say, many never make it to the open market: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/in...

Efbe

Original Poster:

9,251 posts

166 months

Friday 18th March 2016
quotequote all
ewenm said:
The MOD recruitment process is massively biased to internal advancement. Every vacancy needs huge justification to go out to the open market and most don't get there.

In my experience the MOD desperately need some decent technical IT managers but the impetus to recruit from other industries is low. If you want to work in analytics with the MOD (or the NHS as another large organisation awash with data but struggling for meaningful information) I'd suggest doing it via a consultancy organisation rather than as an employee.

Edit: The CS Jobs portal is where all the jobs are advertised but as I say, many never make it to the open market: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/in...
thanks for that. will have a look to see if I can work out which consultancies those are then. I assume there are a handful of preferred ones. I work with quite a few contractors, so will ask if they have any visibility of other opportunities like this. They prob look a this sort of work as not being well paid enough smile

0000

13,812 posts

191 months

Friday 18th March 2016
quotequote all
Not sure about MOD, but I'd suggest picking a location with a relevant site and then searching for jobs on any job site local to it as a useful way of finding contracting companies. Usually easy to read between the lines.

eliot

11,423 posts

254 months

Friday 18th March 2016
quotequote all
Posting this thread will probably exclude you from anything interesting so to speak.

98elise

26,547 posts

161 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
eliot said:
Posting this thread will probably exclude you from anything interesting so to speak.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. The last thing GCHQ would be looking for is someone advertising that want to work at GCHQ with access to data.

Good morning GCHQ wavey

marshalla

15,902 posts

201 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
Efbe said:
Thanks 0s

I had looked on this, and took these to be the entry/low level vacancies.
It's not just about how good you are, it's also about how much they can trust you. One of those can be demonstrated with qualifications etc., the other needs to be tested and earned.

Efbe

Original Poster:

9,251 posts

166 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
98elise said:
eliot said:
Posting this thread will probably exclude you from anything interesting so to speak.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. The last thing GCHQ would be looking for is someone advertising that want to work at GCHQ with access to data.

Good morning GCHQ wavey
well guys I am absolutely going to blow your minds now...

https://www.linkedin.com/vsearch/f?type=all&ke...

98elise

26,547 posts

161 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
Efbe said:
98elise said:
eliot said:
Posting this thread will probably exclude you from anything interesting so to speak.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. The last thing GCHQ would be looking for is someone advertising that want to work at GCHQ with access to data.

Good morning GCHQ wavey
well guys I am absolutely going to blow your minds now...

https://www.linkedin.com/vsearch/f?type=all&ke...
I don't have a facebook account so you will have to enlighten me smile

The Moose

22,846 posts

209 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
98elise said:
I don't have a facebook account so you will have to enlighten me smile
Presume it's his LinkedIn page trying to get them to recruit through the thread?!

98elise

26,547 posts

161 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
The Moose said:
98elise said:
I don't have a facebook account so you will have to enlighten me smile
Presume it's his LinkedIn page trying to get them to recruit through the thread?!
It might be THEM advertising, which I can understand but in any inteligence related work they don't like YOU advertising who you work for. Not even if you just clean the bogs for a living.




GT03ROB

13,262 posts

221 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
98elise said:
The Moose said:
98elise said:
I don't have a facebook account so you will have to enlighten me smile
Presume it's his LinkedIn page trying to get them to recruit through the thread?!
It might be THEM advertising, which I can understand but in any inteligence related work they don't like YOU advertising who you work for. Not even if you just clean the bogs for a living.
Its individuals advertising they work at GCHQ

0000

13,812 posts

191 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
Its individuals advertising they worked at GCHQ
EFA.

eliot

11,423 posts

254 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
0000 said:
GT03ROB said:
Its individuals advertising they worked at GCHQ
EFA.
You are wrong, they work right in the middle of GCHQ, you know the bit right in the middle....

dudleybloke

19,815 posts

186 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
quotequote all
eliot said:
0000 said:
GT03ROB said:
Its individuals advertising they worked at GCHQ
EFA.
You are wrong, they work right in the middle of GCHQ, you know the bit right in the middle....
The canteen?

Ynox

1,704 posts

179 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
Does applying to GCHQ say you can't tell people? If not, no worries about this thread.

Edit - I'd double check before listing it on Linked In, but the same applies (although discretion is probably advised!).

Jakg

3,463 posts

168 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
If your looking at the analysis side, even at a management level, bear in mind the police also do something similar (civilian staff, not officers).

Efbe

Original Poster:

9,251 posts

166 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
Jakg said:
If your looking at the analysis side, even at a management level, bear in mind the police also do something similar (civilian staff, not officers).
interesting, I hadn't thought of that.

I would also be interested in something more along the lines of scientific research, though have no idea how well my skills would fit in there!