Cummings' Jobs Advert
Discussion
Anyone else read the blog post and suddenly gain an interest in working in the public sector?
I did...
Not going to though, current job is too much fun. Definitely count as a weirdo and misfit without a "traditional" background that would typically be valued in the application stage.
Crikey it's appealling though.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.spectator.co.uk...
I did...
Not going to though, current job is too much fun. Definitely count as a weirdo and misfit without a "traditional" background that would typically be valued in the application stage.
Crikey it's appealling though.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.spectator.co.uk...
JPJPJP said:
I think his approach is fantastic
It is either doomed to fail if he doesn’t find and retain a sufficient number of those people quickly enough... or it will radically and positively transform the way government runs
I have my fingers crossed that he can make it work. I think he will.
fIt is either doomed to fail if he doesn’t find and retain a sufficient number of those people quickly enough... or it will radically and positively transform the way government runs
I have my fingers crossed that he can make it work. I think he will.
king hell that sounds like fun 
Oh wait, it's the running of a country at a crucial time in it's history, is this really the time for such thinking?
At certain levels this all does feel like a giant game that the majority of us are unwittingly taking part in.
Randy Winkman said:
It continues the current civil service obsession with qualifications which seems contradictory.
Not really as it asks for proper degrees and post grad qualifications, which is very unusual for the Civil Service. And it says if you're st you'll be fired in weeks, which is definitely not standard Civil Service fare!Randy Winkman said:
It continues the current civil service obsession with qualifications which seems contradictory.
In some areas - but in a way that seems logical. In others, he's specifically looking for people who don't fit a mould at all - and one category (the second I might fit in) he seems to be looking for companies, rather than individuals.
He’s not advertising for civil service roles though really is he, I’d wager someone will take a look at the applications and those they like the look of will get offered places at CCHQ or some niche outfit akin to Cambridge Analytica.... the advert describes a role and says “we’ve got one like this, we want another” so it’s not public sector civil service roles, it’s privately funded, pseudo civil service....
TheFungle said:
JPJPJP said:
I think his approach is fantastic
It is either doomed to fail if he doesn’t find and retain a sufficient number of those people quickly enough... or it will radically and positively transform the way government runs
I have my fingers crossed that he can make it work. I think he will.
fIt is either doomed to fail if he doesn’t find and retain a sufficient number of those people quickly enough... or it will radically and positively transform the way government runs
I have my fingers crossed that he can make it work. I think he will.
king hell that sounds like fun Oh wait, it's the running of a country at a crucial time in it's history, is this really the time for such thinking?
At certain levels this all does feel like a giant game that the majority of us are unwittingly taking part in.
Challenging times are exactly the best time to drive radical, constructive change.
When times are 'normal' it's impossible to get traction for organisational change - even if it's needed for the long term (and recognised as such).
An open mind during challenging times, and a willingness to consider ideas that would sound insane normally have lead to some of the greatest advances in human history.
The last major shift in 'government CS' approaches was I believe driven by Blair/Campbell - and not for the better, dispute how well those changes have stuck since.
This is a golden opportunity, as Cummings puts. Big mandate, no concerns really over short term policy, and a real identification of an urgent need to drive the foundation level changes that'll likely take this term to actually come to fruition.
In my living memory, the only PMs with that opportunity have been Thatcher and Blair.
KarlMac said:
Maybe they're finally having a clear out of all the Common Purpose drones (whatever happened to CP? Was all the rage before Brexit)
I've got a feeling that's what Cummins is referring to when he talks of seniors moving around a lot and not gaining any deep understanding of anything... Isn't that CP's schtick - 'leaders that can cross boundaries'?
I love it, appeals to the weirdo in me.
I’m a great fan of disruption. This kind of approach may be exactly what we need. We are now going up against an over-confident behemoth, the EU. I wonder if some uniquely British eccentricity might just wrong-foot them. I’d like nothing more than to see Barnier and Hogan completely trounced in their mission to beat us into submission.
I know DC is working more on the internal machine of government, not on the trade negotiations, but it really does throw up some interesting options about our approach wrt Brussels. We have some cards to play which could really help our cause. This year will be interesting, that’s guaranteed.
I’m a great fan of disruption. This kind of approach may be exactly what we need. We are now going up against an over-confident behemoth, the EU. I wonder if some uniquely British eccentricity might just wrong-foot them. I’d like nothing more than to see Barnier and Hogan completely trounced in their mission to beat us into submission.
I know DC is working more on the internal machine of government, not on the trade negotiations, but it really does throw up some interesting options about our approach wrt Brussels. We have some cards to play which could really help our cause. This year will be interesting, that’s guaranteed.
This sounds suspiciously like Cummings replacing a “people like us” recruitment culture with a “people like me” culture. Plus ça change...
Cummings may find his abrasive my-way or-the-highway/I’m-in-charge-do-as-I-say-or-get-out style works when there’s one of him, but works less well when there’s 10,000 of him.
Cummings may find his abrasive my-way or-the-highway/I’m-in-charge-do-as-I-say-or-get-out style works when there’s one of him, but works less well when there’s 10,000 of him.
Good luck with this. He wants to recruit talented people, at the top of their game.
The problem is money. A grade 7 or grade 6 (which are fairly senior roles) earn between 50-70 ish at the moment. A senior civil servant can get promoted and get a ten pc pay rise from the G6 salary.
So the sums involved, especially if you are in London, are pretty small. I know spad roles can pay more (up to about 100k or so) but I doubt they will be recruiting at that level, the roles will be at g7/G6 level.
Pay really is a problem in the civil service. A lot of people simply can't stomach the money.
The problem is money. A grade 7 or grade 6 (which are fairly senior roles) earn between 50-70 ish at the moment. A senior civil servant can get promoted and get a ten pc pay rise from the G6 salary.
So the sums involved, especially if you are in London, are pretty small. I know spad roles can pay more (up to about 100k or so) but I doubt they will be recruiting at that level, the roles will be at g7/G6 level.
Pay really is a problem in the civil service. A lot of people simply can't stomach the money.
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