Table 1Transition record

secretary of statetogovernment minister

A secretary of state already meets 58% of what the government minister role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From secretary of state

58%

Overlap1

To government minister

15 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

43 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 43

This move: 43 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the government minister role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the secretary of state profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A government minister role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a secretary of state background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held prepare legislation proposition management skills
already held present legislation proposition communication, collaboration and creativity
already held analyse legislation information skills
already held constitutional law business, administration and law
already held legislation procedure business, administration and law
already held perform political negotiation communication, collaboration and creativity

All 15 carried skills, including the 10 the government minister role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 17 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 management skills 2 required

required, not held apply crisis management required
required, not held make legislative decisions required

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held brainstorm ideas required

optional, not held engage in debates optional
optional, not held promote political campaign optional
optional, not held represent national interests optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held conduct public presentations optional
optional, not held establish collaborative relations optional
optional, not held perform public relations optional

03 social sciences, journalism and information 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held rhetoric required

optional, not held political campaigning optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional

04 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held perform government ceremonies optional

05 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held public law optional

06 information skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held monitor political conflicts optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a government minister role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 15 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held analyse legislation skill
already held constitutional law knowledge
already held good governance knowledge
already held government policy implementation knowledge
already held government representation knowledge
already held legislation procedure knowledge
already held manage government policy implementation skill
already held perform political negotiation skill
already held prepare legislation proposition skill
already held present legislation proposition skill
already held apply conflict management skill
already held budgetary principles knowledge
already held liaise with local authorities skill
already held present reports skill
already held public finance knowledge

13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held engage in debates optional
optional, not held perform government ceremonies optional
optional, not held promote political campaign optional
optional, not held represent national interests optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held conduct public presentations optional
optional, not held establish collaborative relations optional
optional, not held monitor political conflicts optional
optional, not held perform public relations optional
optional, not held political campaigning optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held public law optional

14 held skills the government minister role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise legislators skill
not needed by the target role advise on legislative acts skill
not needed by the target role advise on public finance skill
not needed by the target role audit techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct financial audits skill
not needed by the target role ensure cross-department cooperation skill
not needed by the target role implement strategic management skill
not needed by the target role manage administrative systems skill
not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
not needed by the target role perform project management skill
not needed by the target role project management principles knowledge
not needed by the target role public administration knowledge
not needed by the target role represent the organisation skill
not needed by the target role write meeting reports skill

5 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held rhetoric required
optional, not held political campaigning optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held political science optional
optional, not held public law optional

Index

Other moves recorded from secretary of state

Full index of moves from secretary of state

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.