Unhappy in unit placement in Civil Service

defiantdancer

hello there, just looking for some advice. I am fairly new to the civil service so still figuring out the culture. I recently got promoted to EO & have moved to a different department & unit. I am there 3 months. I am happy with the Dept but really feel I have been placed in the wrong unit. It really doesn’t match my skill set. My team is very nice & my manager is a good guy. He is supportive & is aware I am unhappy as I got upset one day. He says, though as far is he aware, it is unheard of anybody to move units during probation. My question is I have a meeting with HR this week-they schedule it to check in how you are doing after three months-should I enquire if there was a possibility to move units or would that be a huge no no?I don’t want it to reflect badly on me or my manager as he has been very supportive. However,he will be moving soon on mobility. I would appreciate any advice from more seasoned civil servants.

Augme

It's rare to move on probation. No manager wants to take some on who's have way through probation. Too many alarm bells. If your manager is happy and the team is sound just see out your probation and move then.

defiantdancer

@Augme thank you-I hadn’t thought of it from the managers point of view 😔yes, he is happy with me-he gave me a good three month review. So, is the best thing to do to stick it out for the year on probation, take what positives I can from it, and then look for an internal transfer?

FunkyChicken24

I would stay where you are. If you like your manager, that is a huge plus as you don't always get that lucky. As someone who had to move unit during probation due to real problems with my manager I can tell you it was a huuuuuuge problem for HR. And no, they really don't like moving people on probation and will only do it in exceptional circumstances.

You have only been there 3 months, you need to give it time. The thing is that in my unde rstanding, in the CS you will nearly always be placed somewhere that doesn't feel like it matches your skills set. For some reason they like to place people that way, it is actually pretty effing hilarious.

If your problem is that you don't feel that you have the skill set for this particular role and it is too challenging for you currently, then you should ask for more training and do more courses to help. Your manager and HR will generally be inclined to support you if it takes you a bit longer to get up to speed.

If it is just that you don't feel like your skills are being used in the way you would prefer, I would just suck it up for now, get through probation and then once you are permanent, ask about moving unit.

Lastly, apply for eMobility now, it is based on how long you have been on the list for so you will have to wait it out anyway. Apply for a few places now that you think you might be interested in, so that you have those as fall backs in a couple of years if needs be.

In the meantime just think yourself lucky that you got that promotion to EO, it is a big difference in salary but you need to pass probation or you could get reverted back to CO, so concentrate on that and getting more familiar with the CS culture and pace. Good luck 😊

defiantdancer

@FunkyChicken24 thank you-that is all very good advice. That must have been very stressful for you in a new role & I hope you are happier in your new unit. I have to ask now, does that ever happen, where people have failed their promotion & revert back to their former role?

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122592566#Comment_122592566

Yes. Honestly, there's not many roles I'd ever walk away from if I had a good manager.

FunkyChicken24

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122592600#Comment_122592600

It was horribly stressful, I went from having a wonderful manager and really enjoyed my work and team to suddenly being in a bullying situation and having HR being wholly unsupportive and me fearing I would fail probation. Thankfully I am now in a new unit with wonderful managers again which is such a relief, it was 5 months of sheer hell.

I think it happens with promotions, in that some people are promoted but then don't appear to be able to have the capabilities for the role and so get reverted back down but I am not sure how common it is. If you think about it, when you are promoted you are permanent in the CS so it is not the same as being let go so HR are not going to feel so bad about reverting someone who just can't cut it at the higher grade as some people are just not cut out for management.

defiantdancer

@FunkyChicken24 thank you for the advice.i am glad to hear you are happier & in a better unit now.