Who are you and how long have you been a civil servant? 

I’m Anna, I live in East Yorkshire with my 4 daughters. I have been in the Civil Service for nearly 9 years now.

What were you doing before you became a civil servant?

Prior to joining the Civil Service, I had worked in local Government for around 15 years as a Benefits Officer.

How did you get into the civil service? 

Entirely by accident!! I heard there were Work Coach vacancies at my local job centre and decided to apply. I had never looked at Civil Service jobs before but was interested in the role and it was based in my town which was important to me as I had small children. I also felt I would have relevant experience for the role with my understanding of the benefits system, but as it turned out this wasn’t required, I submitted my application, interviewed, and have never looked back!

Where do you currently work and what does your day-to-day role involve? 

I currently work as a People Development Lead at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). I absolutely love my role. I lead on line management capability and leadership development in the Agency. My day to day is very fast paced and very variable. I can be attending internal/ external meetings, focus groups and workshops, looking at strategic planning, planning content, engaging in facilitation and  delivery or supporting our line management community. I lead a small team and really enjoy being a line manager myself.

What have been the key experiences, skills or lessons learnt that have shaped your career so far? 

I have worked in 3 different Civil Service professions (operational delivery, project delivery and now HR) and I think this variety of experience has served me well. I now feel I’ve found where I will definitely stay as I have a real passion for Learning and Development. Moving into this space has been a defining moment in my career for sure.

I also feel that my participation in networks (I am a massive advocate of social mobility so am involved in social mobility networks) has shaped my career by offering me opportunities outside of my day job and the chance to develop leadership skills before I was in a line management role. These opportunities have led to exponential personal and professional growth.

My commitment to continuous learning has also aided my development. There is vast opportunity to learn in the Civil Service, and the qualifications I have gained and the development programmes I have undertaken have helped me progress in my career.

In terms of skills, my communication and stakeholder management skills I feel are my biggest strengths. These are transferable into almost every role in the Civil Service and definitely worth investing in.

What advice would you give to someone who’s considering working in the civil service and/or in the early stages of their career? 

I would say the opportunities are out there- seize them!

Look at what development opportunities are available to you in your own departments. Look at apprenticeships, look at development programmes. Also consider undertaking stretch projects, volunteer to lead on workstreams- push and challenge yourself.

Seek out peer to peer support- join networks that interest you. Get a coach or a mentor. Reach out to people you admire in roles you are interested in. Seek out job shadowing opportunities.

Also think big- the Civil Service is vast- look at opportunities outside your own Department- think about what ignites your passion and purpose and where you want to go in your career.

And most importantly of all- be authentically you and own your unique talent that you bring into the Civil Service.