"The flexibility of being able to develop my career outside the civil service and then return to it is one of the things I particularly appreciate about working here." Ciara Executive Officer - Public Appointments Service.

After graduating from college with a BA in Philosophy and Political Science I looked for a first job so that I could get sufficient experience to apply for my ideal job.

I always thought of my ideal job as one which provided stability, flexibility, career progression and used my skills and knowledge to contribute to society. What I didn’t realise, in accepting my ‘starter job’ with the civil service in the Equality Authority, was that it would provide all of these as well.

Taking a career break 

My first job has turned into an ideal job. Since then I have worked in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), the Visa Office of the Irish Embassy in Moscow and now in the Public Appointments Service. In between I took a career break to pursue a role with the Red Cross and build on my language skills.

The flexibility of being able to develop my career outside the civil service and then return to it is one of the things I particularly appreciate about working here. The other is the commitment to continuous learning; while I was working for INIS I completed an MA in International Relations.

As an EO I have had the chance to manage a team processing applications for naturalisation, answer Parliamentary Questions, train new staff, implement policies, change work practices and represent my employer at conferences and on recruitment boards.

The civil service may have a reputation for being grey and uniform but this is far from the truth, the work and culture as seen from within is varied and diverse. The most important thing to me, in any workplace, are my colleagues and I am pleased to say that the civil service has afforded me the opportunity to work with and learn from some inspirational people.

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Ciara