Lucy tells us about her role as a Recruitment Executive with publicjobs and how the supports available within the public sector have helped her make the most out of life, inside and outside of the office.
Please tell us a little bit about your role.
My day-to-day ranges from issuing results to candidates, ensuring interview boards are gender neutral, to contacting candidates about when their interview is. At times it can be high intensity in the fact that there is a lot happening at once with different recruitment campaigns. But it is my job to ensure they are all running smoothly at their different stages.
What were your reasons for applying for your role?
I came into the civil service on a one-year internship for members of the Traveller and Roma community. I applied because I had just finished my master’s and wanted something full time. I also applied because I got the impression that it would offer me different opportunities if I was successful. It was a real shot in the dark- I didn’t know where I would be working or what skills would be relevant to the role I would be put in. After completing my one-year internship, I re-applied for a permanent position. The internship gave me a real taster of the type of work I would be doing, and frankly I didn’t want to go. I re-applied for the EO Open Competition and was successful.
What do you value most about your job?
I value the hard work done by myself and my colleagues. I value the impact of our work; getting a job has the potential to change someone’s life - it has changed mine. Outside of my role, I value the culture I work in; my colleagues are supportive of my background, and it is an environment where there are always workshops and information sessions on different topics. It is important to work in an organisation where my own values, and the values of the organisation align.
What are some of the benefits and supports available to you?
There are many benefits to my role; firstly, is the opportunity to work hybrid. I’m two days in the office and three days at home. Then there’s flexi time which is a huge benefit. Another one is that there are lots of opportunities to progress, I like working for an organisation which champions progression. Another one which I have recently made use of is the shorter working year. I am going interrailing next summer for 5 weeks and this support allows me to take that time off and get paid.
What opportunities has this role provided for you?
This role has offered me opportunities to upskill and progress. It has also offered me the opportunity to attend events around the country, speak publicly and really step out of my comfort zone. The confidence I have gotten within this role has propelled me to get more involved and put effort into advocating for myself and others as Irish Traveller and Roma Civil servants.
WWhat has surprised you since starting this role?
When starting this role, it surprised me the vast amount of work which goes into making an interview happen. Most people just go to their interview and that’s that- but working in this role has made me appreciate the behind the scenes work which goes into everything from applying for the job to getting it.
What aspect of the role do you particularly enjoy?
I am very much a people person, so I enjoy communicating with candidates. Especially when they are worried about documents or nervous about their interview. I like being able to be that person on the other end of the line providing information and reassurance- we’ve all been there at one time or another, so it feels good to know that a candidate feels better about their interview.
Would you recommend a career in the public sector and why?
I would, I think working here has been impactful and has helped shaped the person I am and the person I want to be. I think the vast amount and variety of roles within the civil service opens a lot of doors that people often don’t even know are there! I think also before I joined, I thought the civil service was full of the same people working in the same job their whole life but in truth it’s a diverse and changing work force. There are people from all walks of life, all backgrounds and all different experiences within the civil service. Whenever I recommend it, I always mention the countless supports that are available, and which make life (and working) really handy sometimes.