Alan Gilligan, Executive Officer, Department of Public Expenditure & Reform

What was your career path?

I saw an advertisement for the post, applied and did the interviews and entrance exam. After that I was assigned to the department.

Why did you choose the civil service?

I saw it as a place where I could contribute to solving social and economic problems.

What’s your typical day?

We could be meeting stakeholders form the outside or spending a few hours writing a paper or doing a presentation.

What’s the best part of the job?

A lot of the time I work in a team so it’s great to be able to learn from their experience. There’s also a lot of exposure to senior management so it’s great to be able to interact with them. Every day I feel I’ve made a difference and what we’re doing actually helps people around the country.

Is training supported?

We run a lot of in-house training, particularly for members of the Irish Government Economic Evaluation Service.

Any advice for students?

Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can to give presentations and work on group projects. That’s what gives you the exposure to senior management.

Is it a good working environment?

There is a strong social element, which is great. We have a social club, hosting table quizzes and bowling. There is also an 11 a side and a five a side football team.

Find out more about working in the Public Service by visiting their careers website here