For anyone working in the public sector, the latest employment figures from the Office of National Statistics make terrifying reading: public sector employment reduced by 67,000 in the third quarter of this year, with private sector employment increasing by only 5,000.
The government's early claims that the private sector would accommodate those forced out of roles in the public sector look increasingly hollow.
Not only are those making the leap to the private sector competing in an ever-shrinking job pool, but they are also finding themselves fighting a new and surprising battle; the misconceptions that many recruiters have of public sector workers.
A recent report by Hays highlighted that employers and recruitment agencies believe that public sector workers are "institutionalised" and used to an "easy life", unable to "hack it" in the private sector.
The reality is, of course, very different. Whilst it is true that the public and private sectors are different and want different things from their staff, public sector managers have an incredible base of transferrable skills, with many having overcome huge professional challenges.
But it is an unfortunate truth that these preconceptions are acting as barriers to many public sector workers trying to find employment in the private sector. I talk to many public sector employees who cannot even get past the first stage of screening that many private sector recruiters put in place. One public sector manager was even told by a recruitment consultant that one employer for which they were recruiting had specifically requested that no public sector CVs be put forward.
How can public sector workers overcome this new prejudice and stand a chance in such a competitive market?
The answer is to "think private". Public managers need to to identify their transferable skills, understand what benefits their experience would bring to a private sector employer and develop an image or personal brand that will get them noticed by the right people.
This is not, of course, easy, particularly if you have not worked in the private sector before and requires careful planning every step of the way, from preparing a CV and writing a cover letter right through to preparing for interviews.
Graham Jenner, a former recruiting manager, is founder of PublicIntoPrivate
Have you made the move from the public sector to a private sector leadership role? To share your lessons with other members of the Public Leaders Network, drop us an email - public.leaders@guardian.co.uk
This article is published by Guardian Professional. Join the Guardian Public Leaders Network free to receive regular emails on the issues at the top of the professional agenda.
