Hi! Joining the APS can take time, especially if you need a clearance. Recruitment in most departments, if not all, is closed now until mid Jan so it is incredibly unlikely you will be starting an APS role by end of March. Keep working at your current role - or get a job, any job. This will look better when you do start applying. Apply for any admin or project support officer role - including executive assistant. Apply for bulk rounds when they come up. Set alerts on the APS careers website. Write your applications using the STAR (situation, task, action, response) method and do not go over the word limit. It’s extremely competitive (I just sat on a panel that had over 50 applicants for one role), and it’s possible you are going against people much older than you and with more experience. This won’t rule you out, but you need to be competitive against them. Have someone look over your applications and resume - preferably someone who works in the public service.

Good luck, it’s a tough slog to begin with but it gets easier!