Take the job or not

[Romano]

I have a small dilemma. I am close to being hired by an Armored car company and should begin training in a couple of weeks. The job is part time and to me only a temporary thing until I am hired by a police dept. I got a call from my police recruiter yesterday and she told me basically to expect my interview late August early September. My question is, will the police dept look at me negatively for having recently taken another job while in the middle of their recruiting process? Will quitting the Armored company so soon after being hired (assuming I am hired by the police in the next few months) be viewed as a negative on my employment history? Although I think working for the Armored company would be fun, I am not willing to risk my application with the police over it. Any thoughts would be really appreciated. Thanks.

[Glenn]

Hi Ramano,
Well I know how you feel. I was going to apply at an armored car company. But I am holding off. My dream is to become a police officer. But if everything fails and I don't, the armored car thing is what I would try and do, or customs agent. I am getting close, with the interviews and such, that I felt that it may hurt my application if I just recently was hired by an armored car company. I have come this far I don't want any doubts in the minds of the police departments. You know, well he was just hired by this armored car company, maybe thats really what he wants to do.......who knows, thats just my head talking back to me...don't ya hate that sometimes...there it goes again....
Anyhow, just my thought on the matter. Give it some thought Romano. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you hire someone who just recently started with a armored car company?.......
Hey, hope to have coffee with ya when I am in Calgary on Monday..
Chat later
Glenn

[DDR]

Romano, I faced a similar dilemma last September, just as I was beginning the background investigation with the RCMP. I decided to accept a Security position with a large hotel while I waited for my RCMP app to come through.

Has your recruiting officer given you a timeline assuming that your police application is successful? Consider the amount of time that you would realistically spend with the armoured car company. Does the company have an expected minimum commitment?

If you decide to accept the armoured car job I would recommend being very upfront with them during all stages of your process. Your current employer will be contacted during a background investigation and things will likely go better if they are aware of your police application.

What is your current occupation? Why do you want to change jobs? What are you going to get out of working for the armoured car company?

Good Luck

DDR

[Hopeful]

Am I to take it that you don't currently work? If not you can hardly be expected to do nothing while you wait. If it's the RCMP you are at least a year from getting to depot. And, best of luck of course, but their interview fail rate is 66%. Don't know about the municipal forces.

I would be surprised if half the employees of any armoured car company were not trying to get into a police force, so I'm sure you wouldn't be unique.

[Romano]

DDR, my recruiter hasn't really given me a timeline but if I am successful at all stages I would probably begin training in the spring sometime. I am about half way through their process but my interview should be coming up soon. Currently I am a waiter at a convention center, I have been working this job for several years. The thing is that I don't want recruiting to contact the Armored company and hear about how I quit after only a few months. I think that I will call the Armored guy and just let him know my situation and that I may or may not be with them for an extended period of time. He will probably not hire me then but becoming a cop is a hell of a lot more important to me than Armored is. Thanks for all advice.

[Drakor]

I would recommend you not take another job while in the process. It shows the police department that your not set on any one job.....carreer....They will look at the posibility that your not serious and if thats the case then why should they spend the money to train you if you going to be gone in six months. I realize that this isn't the case but thats how its going to look to your recruiter.
I recommend that you stay with your current job until you get an appointment date from you PD.

[Sporto]

Romano,

You are almost answering your own question! LOL If you get hired by a police force it won't really matter about your past employment history, you will be a cop! I know what you are asking, if I take the security job will it be a mark against my employment history. I would ask some LE officers and maybe the CPS and RCMP recruiter the same question. Hopefully they will give you a straight answer. Personally I would stay with your current job. It shows stability in a service based/people based industry. Policing is also a service based/people industry. I think the waitering job will look better on your resume than a security job (rent a cop/cowboy). Sorry if I offend anyone here but security to me is entirely different than policing. I don't really know how the police would view a security job but I view it as a job for wannbes not cops2be. In your current job you interact with the public, take orders, take customer complaints, etc. I am assuming that since you have been there for serveral years you are good at it and have developed great people and diplomatic skills. As an armored car driver you will be able to say none of that. Just because you get to carry a gun as a security gaurd doesn't mean you will make a better cop or get in any easier. I would stick with the serving job myself. That is my opinion!

[Romano]

Sporto, thanks for the advice. I am not willing to risk anything when it comes to my police app so I have decided to put off the Armored company. I phoned the guy today and left him a message explaining everything. I think that its probably better this way for them anyway, why would they want to hire someone who might quit in a few months? I guess its just time to wait for the interview to come. Oh fun!

[sporto]

Hey there Romano,

You are welcome but I hope you didn't take just my advise!! LOL I am sure you already knew what was best and just needed some confirmation from a few people here. I think you made the right choice. If all goes according to plan you should only have to stick it out at your current job for another 6-9 months at most. Good luck on the interview!

Sporto

[Glenn]

Hey Romano, well do have that number of the armored car company? ;)LOL It looks like my dream of becoming a police officer is fading fast. It looks like the soup kitchen line for me.. :-[LOL Do they take a mid thirties male from the west coast?
Good luck on your interview. Hope you do well.
Glenn

[Glenn]

I was offered a position with a armoured car company. I haven't decided if to take it or not.
The starting wage is only 12/hour. To carry a firearm and all the responsiblity with all that money. Being a target for criminals who will be heavily armed. I think the wage sucks. I make that on the golf course doing landscaping. Plus i don't want it to get in my way of my police reserve class that starts this week.
Plus there is a two week training class on the mainland that you don't get paid for.

What do you all think....
Glenn

[Cpl Mike]

Eating,driving your car(or riding your motorcycle or the public transportation),having hot water,electricity,etc ,is habit forming! I say this because -guess what- your perspective agency(ies) don't care what type of job you have, as long as its legal,you've worked in a fashion in which your current jobs' supervisors look upon you favorably, and you can show a work history! Trust me ,quite a few officers were once security guards/agents/loss pervention officers(heck,it paid my way through community college and my first two yrs at Cal State Univ. L.A.!!!) I say this not to discourage any of you,but needs and expenses are what they are, and until you find that police agency you want to work for, you need the cash to keep going.Here in Calif. armored car guards are DEFINITELY walking bullseyes with $$$ payoff to the heavily armed, and morally/mentally impaired, but if it doesn't impede your life style(say like an am shift when all your interviews are in the early morning),and doesn't side track your goal(I've met the rent-a-cop types, and they're pitiful),take the money if you need it. Some security companies even provide some training that you can talk about in your interviews,but remember that it is the fact that you have work experience that counts most.Police officers come from the general public;they were once college students,military ,dish washers,wives,guards,etc.I have a friend that was terminated from probation at LAPD (a real "run-n-gun" Division-she was dumped due to "weak" tactics). That same friend is applying to my Dept. and alot of local Depts.Her head is screwed on right and shes ready to start over again, but currently while she's processing she doesn't have a JOB! it has made her look "bad" in front of several interview boards.but hopefully she'll get picked up by my people!bottom line-Work for your dream, 'cause I hope you all will make it, but take care of the NOW... Good luck.

[Glenn]

Cpl Mike
Thanks for your input. I do have a couple of jobs right now. One is regular, the other one is temporary. So I am working. The one thing that does bother me is that the police reserve class is starting this week. It is very important not to miss any classes. I am looking forward to this. I think it will help my chances at becoming a regular member. A good stepping stone, great experience and training. It is all volunteer work which doesn't bother me a bit. I am looking forward to this training and the experience that it will bring.
As for the job offer with the armoured car company, it will take two weeks away from the reserves, pay is kind of low, and no pay for the two weeks of training. And the bullseye that comes with the job. I get the same rate of pay at the golf course and the store where I work at. I have been steady for the last year and a half at the store. The golf course is seasonal. The third job is on call doing fire alarms and smoke detector testing.
Anyways I guess I will stay put. I am too focused in becoming a police officer, I don't want anything to get in the way. My finances are all in order so I am fine in that department.
I have resigned from the rcmp volunteer program to become a police reserve with the city police. We will have full police uniform, gear, and arresting powers. Should be fun.

Chat later
Glenn

[Cpl Mike]

Hussah,Glen! Take that reserve position!I know everyone wants RCMP, but I'm sure that alot of local muni agencies(like Calgary,Edmonton,even the Ontario Regional /provincial Police) will give you what you've worked hard for-a position as an officer!Glad to here that you're stable enough to go through the process, but I know what its like to wait back in the day , and everything else just seems to suck!my main reason for commenting was to remind everyone to save and square away the cash while they can,'cause those first few paychecks in the academy will definitely seem skimpy(unless you're still in your early 20s',live at home and don't mind riding a bike everywhere=LOLOLOL!!!)Whatever any of you guys do, stay encouraged ,kyour heads up! Glen ,that reserve badge may be the ticket- it got midcoaster on her way....Good luck to you too Romano.....(aren't you in the process for another agency other than RCMP?) ;D

[Romano]

Thanks for the vote of good luck Cpl Mike! I am in the process for the Calgary police. I have passed my panel intreview and I am now waiting for my poly and psych test which is scheduled for November but might be earlier if something opens up.