Fighting discouragement

[softscrubb]

One thing I might suggest is to go over some of the reasons you may have been rejected and tailor your application and applying around those responses.

For example, if credit was an issue..take 6 months and proactively payoff or close problem accounts. However, if it is an issue like psych or poly that is holding you up, you may need to approach a career in LE differently than as a patrol officer.

In and around LA and San Diego they are looking to hire 10,000+ over the next 5 years. San Jose and San Fran are both hiring as well. Gotta go to the jobs.

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[SeanCasey]

As someone going through the hiring process after completing the academy: The only way to stay encouraged is to focus on the end goal and work to be an even better candidate each time you apply somewhere. FWIW I have noticed a lot less people showing up a test days lately.

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[Notorious]

As someone going through the hiring process after completing the academy: The only way to stay encouraged is to focus on the end goal and work to be an even better candidate each time you apply somewhere. FWIW I have noticed a lot less people showing up a test days lately.

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I'll let you know after our next recruitment goes through how the numbers are. We've actually gone up but the difference is the total numbers go up, the actual qualified guys go down.

[SeanCasey]

I'll let you know after our next recruitment goes through how the numbers are. We've actually gone up but the difference is the total numbers go up, the actual qualified guys go down.

Interesting. I know when I first started applying places there would be 50-100 guys per scheduled test and agencies would have multiple testing days to get everyone through. The last test I went to had a total of 12 people and that was the only test day. I was the only pre-service applicant. I'm in backgrounds with that agency now.

[veeklog]

I self sponsored right after the first Gulf War, and the LE job market was terrible then as it was now. A recruiter gave me the best advice ever: he sat me down, and he told me that he had my application package as 21 year old kid without life experience and he has an application package of a guy that served combat time in the Gulf. If I was in his shoes,who would I pick? He told m to go back to school and get a degree or join the military. I finished my BS, and a year later, got picked up by the Feds. My career has been awesome, and if I could remember his name and face, would shake his hand in a heartbeat!

My best advice is to not become discouraged; if this is hat you want, continue pushing. Also be flexible that you might have to leave Califonia because the job market there sucks.

[1-M-42]

It's just a bad climate right now, economics are in the toilet and, truth be told, the public is not supporting public employees right now. In light of egregious stuff like Bell, Stockton etc. it's no wonder times are tough on the LEO job front. You also have to realize, you are competing against hundreds of laid off guys, some agencies cut all the way down to ten years of experience. IMHO, your best bet is to put yourself through the academy, there ARE departments hiring, they just have the luxury of being very, very, selective on who they pick up. Also, keep this thought in the back of your noggin, pension reform is most likely to lead to a mass exodus of Admin and street level folks bailing before they get boned on their retirement. Stay ready and do what you can to promote yourself. Best of luck, who knows, you may get my slot in a few months

[Armed24-7]

Putting yourself through an academy at a college may not be the best choice, but it can't hurt. Getting your POST certificate does not make you a peace officer and you would still have to go through the testing process and interviews to get hired by most departments. Some departments out there would probably also make you go through their academy anyways.

One thing that could damage your chances of getting in, is a large amount of disqualifications. The best way to start looking is to apply with a few agencies at the same time and see who bites. If you do not get in, wait a year or two then try again with different agencies.

If you apply for one, get DQ'd, then apply for another and get DQ'd, then apply for a 3rd, it will hurt your chances of getting hired. The more DQ's you have back to back, the harder it gets.

That all said, the economy sucks right now and departments are hiring less people right now, so they can afford to be as picky as they want. It should start picking up again soon.