u/CuriouslyThoughtless

Hey all,

I’ve been hopping around government in various roles over the last few years and have left each place due to various reasons, but the one thing I keep struggling with is knowing what job/workplace/type of work is the right fit for me.

Previously I switched between operational and project/policy work for more variety, transferable skills and growth opportunities as I was getting bored and saw my job as a dead end. But then I found the fluctuating and chaotic nature of project/policy work quite unsettling to deal with which impacted my mental health (when on the surface I appeared to be thriving) and found myself seeking more structure and certainty in my day-to-day duties. But now I’ve recently started a new operational role - I’m feeling the same thing as I did before when I was in my last operational role - on top of that I’m bored and disengaged, it’s a struggle to get through the training, I’m not interested in the subject matter, and in hindsight I find what I was working on in my previous role more interesting (maybe because of familiarity and the high profile nature). The job was not what I expected in reality and I wonder if I made the right decision or just needed to have more boundaries in place and/or find another project/policy role in a different department. I’m debating going back to my old employer but part of me remembers why I left and knows I probably should give this role more time. Another part of me wants out sooner rather than later if these are my early thoughts and to explore other options (again).

But then again, perhaps I just won’t find a great fit at all because at the end of the day, it’s just work?

For all you APS s26 job hoppers:

1. What are your personal indicators for knowing you’re in the right role/type of work?
2. What are your non-negotiables in a job and what trade-offs are you willing to accept?
3. If you realised a job wasn’t a good fit for you - why, how long did it take you to realise and what did you do?

Thanks everyone!