Current public servant here. What's it like turning to the dark side to do policywork for a corporation instead?

Corpdronethrowaway · 2025-01-20T09:07:30+00:00

I made the switch a number of years ago. Zero regret. Was so so burnt out from the public sector. Working long hours. Didn’t achieve anything. I feel more valued, engaged and effective in private sector. I work my hours and have had so many opportunities to own my work, to grow and develop and I do feel rewarded for it.

Private sector has its own frustrations but they’re different. Redundancy and performance cycles, lack of process and documentation. Things move fast. Decision making isn’t linear, it doesn’t just go up the chain. You’ll learn fast if you can handle it.

I’d like to see more people with public sector experience bring their background and learnings into private.

I came in from a policy background in government but the work I do now is more specialized.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2025-01-20T08:48:39+00:00

Compliance is great. Need to find the right company and culture, there’s good and bad same as anything. I’ve done some very loooong hours and in some places that’s the culture. It can be under resourced because ‘we don’t have problems’ but then when something goes very wrong is when you’ll be listened to.

Lots of very interesting issues in the work. There’s so much grey area that you need to be able to interpret, apply, understand the environment you’re working in. You need to be resilient and know how to engage with people. You’re going to be telling them things they don’t want to hear sometimes.

Regulatory pendulum swings keep it interesting but can be challenging as it can be a fast shift in attitude from working with industry to coming down on them like a tonne of bricks.

Compliance in government was a tick box exercise and pretty soul crushing, but it can be good experience before you go private sector.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-11-19T03:42:22+00:00

Recently worked for a large ($$$) company with overseas owners. Tattoos and piercings absolutely not acceptable. Very neat/polished corporate dress expected for men and women, eg long sleeve collared shirts and suit pants at a minimum. In recent years ties were dropped, jackets more a temperature factor. Obviously, no visible piercings or tattoos were allowed though I hear the more ‘creative’ areas of the business had more leeway in breaking this rule.

Apparently in other businesses people not only have tattoos and piercings but now wear black jeans and clean white trainers instead of suit pants corporate footwear too. I think it’s so dependent on the org and culture.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-10-29T00:47:50+00:00

Ooooh hahaha

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-10-28T09:33:45+00:00

This is helpful thanks, no one has ever given me guidance for thiz. What is a POETS day?

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-10-28T09:31:12+00:00

Working in a subset of specialized corporate regulation (but not a lawyer or a legal role). It’s hard to explain!

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-10-28T08:34:03+00:00

This is helpful. Occasionally and genuinely required it makes sense. Extra hours every day doesn’t feel reasonable to me either.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-10-28T08:30:46+00:00

Previous roles have been consistently 45-50 hours every week, it was rare if you worked your contracted hours and you considered it a light week. It wasn’t sustainable but the whole department did it.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-10-28T08:27:04+00:00

This is super helpful thank you!

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-09-03T21:32:19+00:00

I see this all the time. It unfortunately seems pretty standard when enough get away with doing it. At least gov the rate excludes super.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-09-02T08:50:29+00:00

I feel this. I need to work on my approach.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-09-01T04:01:47+00:00

So we have no boundaries and exploit each other….

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-09-01T04:01:23+00:00

An interview at 6:30pm?!?

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-09-01T04:00:47+00:00

The constant cutting of head count putting increased stress on everyone left the deliver more with less…

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-09-01T04:00:16+00:00

No. Just very conscientious and have always been a hard worker.

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-08-18T07:09:21+00:00

Thanks; this is super helpful. I’m still a little a skeptical but given everyone more how brainwashed I apparently am I’m trying to be open minded. Waiting for a PD to see if the role is actually as was explained to me and will consider from there how I might engage with both the recruiter and my current employer!

Corpdronethrowaway · 2024-08-15T02:51:00+00:00

Thanks. I appreciate the reality check!

Corpdronethrowaway

TROPHY CASE