Here’s a question I’ve been asked recently:
Hi Jock,
I’d appreciate your advice on working for the GDS and different ministries. I have recently applied for senior positions (Deputy Director and Head of Product) at GDS and another UK government department.
On both occasions I was told that while I had the skills, my previous products had not been used by the millions of users, rather the hundreds of thousands, and therefore I was not considered the right person for the role.
This seems unusual given that building for 6 figure as oppose to 7 figure usage would not make that much difference in my opinion.
Could you recommend anything I could do to improve my suitability for next time a role like that comes available?
Many thanks,
D
Read on for my reply.