Becoming LEO, Need HELP ASAP
Hello,
I'd like to start by saying that I never give up but I am starting to get discouraged here... Please help me figure out what it is that I am missing or doing wrong at the oral boards because after 6 or 7 I was never able to move further in the hiring process. These are the points I speak to and emphasize: I started by loosing 30 lb down to 185-190. I am 5'11". I went back to being able to run 5+ miles, etc. I do Muay Thai, boxing, and had been doing martial arts for a few years now too. I quit smoking 2 years ago for good. I do not do any drugs. I have no arrests. I have good credit. I am diligent and decisive. I am turning 30 next month so I have good amount of life experience. I have strong morals and values, and I know why I want to be LEO. By the way, what I really want to do is graduate to Detective after I've proven myself as officer. I see it as a career. I went on ride-alongs. I received a certificate for CPR/AED/First aid. I got into and learned about weapons, bought, and learnt how to shoot well. [I am considering taking defensive courses but haven't yet]. In addition to speaking excellent English, I am fluent in Russian and Ukrainian. I came to the US at the age of 16 from Ukraine, so I am very much bi-cultural and don't fail to emphasize it during oral boards. On the flip side, I have had many traffic violations when I was younger but that stopped at least 4 years ago (this never really came up as I never even proceeded to background). Also, while I am only 42 or so units away from BS in Business Administration, I haven't finished my degree. My work experience may be working against me: For the past 2 years I had been a Relationship Banker, although licensed by SEC, which has nothing to do with what's preferred. For like 6 years prior to that I did wireless sales, which, again, doesn't bring much to the table. Personally, at 28 I've realized that I no longer want to have a corporate job and want to do something that's rewarding and not monotonous day-to-day, and where I can grow. I have an investigative mind and a passion for protecting those who can't, so LEO was an easy choice for me. By the way, this is the truth, not an answer I think they want to hear. There is obviously something that I am doing wrong because the last 3 boards I've been to I feel that I've answered all the questions well. The first 2 or 3 were more like nervous practice but the latest ones were well-tuned IMHO. Any help is appreciated. |
You might not be doing anything wrong but consider your competition. If you have any issues at all you are up against people that have none.
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You will be second choice to anyone with the same credentials but has military background. Know this going in.
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See if you can enroll in a Police Academy as pre-service. Get your Level 1 POST certificate and then hire on as a reserve at a department. Be patient and learn the job, hopefully you can complete field training and get on as a regular PO or lateral to another agency.
ETA: This is a long process...definitely no ASAPs in it...make your decision to go into this profession and persevere. Good Luck! |
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However, this is how I see things: while I am not in control of what the other guy has got, I am in control of IMPROVING my responses and tailoring it to advance to the next step. Come backgrounds, my clean BG may beat out a stained one of the next guy, and my determination to succeed may be far greater making me a better candidate still..... Theoretically speaking, of course. Thank all of you for quick responses btw! |
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This ^^^^^ it worked for me... it's a long journey and I wish you luck. i |
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Maybe you just suck at oral boards? Oral board testing is, interesting... Many people are not good at this form of testing.
Buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Oral-Interview.../dp/1930466242 |
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CHP academy? I've seen some go through it and at the end, with high marks, go off to another agency, even to another state PD / SO job.
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But as a level 1 grad, only 4 out of 22 of us were hired as reserves or full time. Also, I was put on waiting lists as agencies ran academies ahead of academy grads to maintain their post cert as an academy. A post cert puts you a little ahead of non-grads but is not a guaranteed job. |
Competition for LEO jobs these days is scary. I see people with military experience, Master's degrees and very squared away vying for positions and getting DQ'd. You've got to get an edge or at least EXCEED minimally qualifying standards. Finish that degree and if you really want it, consider a leave of absence from work and if you have to, BORROW the 6K for the Academy.
Don't look around 10 years from now in a dead end job and regret you never took the chance. If it's really what you want then make it yours. |
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That's what I've been hearing. Appreciate the input! |
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Try answering "I believe law enforcement is an admirable profession which offers numerous benefits and personal growth to those who wish to succeed as an officer as I do, while working with the community as a whole to maintain a safe, enjoyable place to reside, work, or visit." Sounds a bit different right? Try to go back and think of the most common questions you were asked and come up with some creative answers so you can stand out from the other applicants. I remember one question in the scenario portion: you are off duty, in plainclothes, concealed weapon on you, inside a bank, in line, when a guy goes up to the counter and announces a holdup, what do you do? Most answers would be to draw your weapon and badge announce yourself as a police officer. Wrong....Correct answer is do nothing until the guy leaves the bank then with caution follow to observe a getaway vehicle and direction of escape, engaging is the last action you should take. This happened in Michigan where the officer drew his gun to thwart the robbery, unknown to him there was another bad guy covering the door and he walked up and shot the officer in the head, then once again in the head while he was on the floor. His eight year old son got to watch the entire thing. This scenario was the downfall to a lot of applicants who appeared to be to gung ho during the oral boards. Good luck, and as it was written earlier, if you can afford it, enter an academy on your dime, get certified and be one step up on a lot others. Or look into other localities or states. |
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GREAT INPUT! I'll start using this on the upcoming board! |
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To the OP, I think you are on the right track by buying resources to help you improve your skills. You may be pretty good at interviewing, but I'm sure you can improve (we all can) and maybe this time you'll have the slight edge you need to land a job. If this is the career you really want, keep at it and soon enough you will have the job. |
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Had the officer who was killed, waited until the bad guys left the bank to take action, or at the point he or others were in danger of their lives, he might still be alive and still be a father to his son. Monday morning quarterbacking perhaps but a reality. |
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Now I am contemplating paying my way through the academy... Looked it up, $5K + no job for 6 months. |
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Getting in this profession isn't easy, but it is well worth the effort, blood, sweat, and tears; then you have FTO; and then you have probation to pass.....well, you get the picture. :) Good luck to you! |
Finish your degree
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Failing oral boards or not being selected is part of the process for some. When applying research the department and get a good idea of it as well as how many guys they are looking to pick up.
You have to realize that most departments in California have not been hiring in big quanities for at least 5 years. I know of some departments who are hiring 1 guy and have 80+ applications. They may interview you but they also got 20 other guys interviewing for the position that have 10 years experience. You are not getting selected no matter how good your answers are. There are also a ton of academy graduates out there ready for FTO. That means the dept has a shorter time to get an officer on the street as opposed to a trainee who spends 12 months in the hiring process, 6 months academy and then FTO. 2 years vs 6 months. My advice is to keep up the good work. Best bet is to go for big metro PDs or larger Sheriff's depts if you are looking to get sponsored through. Look on the POST website for openings. |
FIrst,, Regarding oral boards,, remember to tell them what they want to hear. If you catch the neighboring Chief drunk driving you will arrest him.. etc..
Second,, The fact you speak Russian is huge. If you can read or write it, all the better. If you make it to an oral board make sure you sell yourself. Third, take practice tests, and do research on what type of questions are asked at oral boards, many Departments ask similiar questions, many are scenario based, others want to know what you know about their Dept, City and or County. I heard a Stat years ago that said out of all the people who take LE tests, 1 out of 70 will make it thru and pass FTO. Good luck. |
Oral Boards Can Be Tricky
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I stumbled for a while on oral boards. For a correctional officer position I was asked if I would turn a fellow officer in for taking an apple or a roll of TP home. I said no to these but would turn in for something bigger....WRONG ANSWER...Turn the guy in for anything and everything was the answer they wanted. (I found out from a deputy who personally knew one of the interviewers and was told that's why I failed) If you pick and choose what is important and what is not it can be used against you. Start turning your back to small stuff and them slowly turning your back to bigger stuff. The bank robber scenario is another reason people fail, the answer they give put the public in danger makes the recruit look like he wants to be Rambo. Dept don't want that. One officer can put more people at risk doing the "FREEZE POLICE" Many banks don't allow employees to hit the alarm until the robbers have left the building for the safety reasons. The money is insured. If you know any LEO's personally they may be able to help you with questions from the oral boards. Take the questions that have been asked and try to find out what that dept policy is for that scenario might be and learn from it. Don't give up, it takes time... |
Another thing I was told by a sgt who conducted interviews was he didn't look at the suit worn, he looked at the shoes. Many people will buy a new suit and not shoes. He also said to get a manicure even for men. It told him how your personal hygiene was and what to expect as an officer.
I don't agree with everything he said but buffed and polished shoes aren't hard to do. A manicure for $15, hey if that's what it takes then its worth it to score extra points with people like him and move on to the next phase then its worth it. |
Which part of California are you in and how big are the agencies you interviewed with?
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Your still young enough for the army...even the cutoff for seals is 27 or 28, with waivers beyond.
My cousin became a seal at 27, still on the teams and he's over 40! border patrol hiring will be huge if republicans take the wh ('16). I passed oral boards for bp...same stuff, theyre lookin to weed out the gun ho but at same time u gta show that you'd have your mates back BEFORE any regulations. |
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Btw, just reading and answering these clears up the picture for me. Thanks |
So it seems that since joining the military its not an option for me, the only REAL advantage I can get is to put myself through the academy. I'm leaning that way now. Any other suggestions?
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While I got nothing but respect for our soldiers, that's one thing I don't want to do.
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All the agencies you've interviewed with are being VERY selective right now with their hiring. those cities are affluent and they attract highly qualified applicants and most of them are probably already cops looking to lateral to greener pastures. Honestly your chance of getting hired and sponsored through an academy by agencies that size is almost zero when there is such a large pool of laterals and academy grads.
SFPD hiring will be just as competitive but at least you won't be competing against laterals. If you reconsider OPD and SJPD those two agencies will probably be your easiest way to get your foot in the door. Good luck. |
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If I counted the oral boards "I was not selected to continue" with I would go insane. But what I did was refine my oral board skills with each one. As another poster said, the answers are cliché and scripted, but its how you deliver them and your own personal touches that set you apart from you peers. Try volunteering in the county. I known that most major counties have a volunteer search and rescue program. Put in for it. Hell, even the SPCA has a volunteer animal rescue program. Pad you community resume. What they don't show on TV and they don't teach you in the academy, a police officer's primary job is to be an agent of the community. That is my opinion at least. Don't look at those oral boards you weren't selected to continue with as failures. You didn't learn how to ride your bike the first try. |
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Both dept's are going through a huge hiring spree.
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Law enforcement jobs (and promotions) are all about being in the right place at the right time. If you really want it, keep trying and it will work out eventually.
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If you want to get sponsored through an academy an agency like OPD or SJPD is the way to go. The other agencies you are talking about don't run their own academies and are probably only sponsoring 1 or 2 guys each academy. OPD or SJPD run academies every 6 months and send 50 ppl thru at at time. I went through the process with OPD and it was smooth. Budget issues came up in 08 so I never started (look up OPD 166th basic academy) but it is a good dept to start at and you learn a lot quick.
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Like others have stated, I suggest that you go to the academy and try to get hired on as a reserve someone to get your foot in the door.
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