Work History

[jdmHboy]

I'm interested in a career with the CHP, and currently go to school and work. I'm almost 20 and have been working for a construction company for nearly 4 years, and plan working there for another 2 at least. I started out the first two years working on the grading crew (manual labor) and have been moved up to accounts recievable (work with mucho money). The thing is, the company is owned by my father, and I was wondering if my work history won't be taken into consideration beings that it is a family owned business, and they may think I have it easy, which is definitely not true. Should I consider looking for a job somewhere else to prove I can get a job at a place where nobody knows me, or should I continue working where I am right now?

[dw]

I'm interested in a career with the CHP, and currently go to school and work. I'm almost 20 and have been working for a construction company for nearly 4 years, and plan working there for another 2 at least. I started out the first two years working on the grading crew (manual labor) and have been moved up to accounts recievable (work with mucho money). The thing is, the company is owned by my father, and I was wondering if my work history won't be taken into consideration beings that it is a family owned business, and they may think I have it easy, which is definitely not true. Should I consider looking for a job somewhere else to prove I can get a job at a place where nobody knows me, or should I continue working where I am right now?

Stay where you are. (Unless you want to leave.) A stable history of six years while moving through the company is outstanding experience. Hell, many kids parents would be more likely to give them the boot than an average employer. Don't sweat it.

[JSmallwood]

So having a 2 jobs for 6 months and 1 job for one month, wouldn't be good. I can't find a job though. I am looking for a job, but no one wants to hire me. What would be something that I could do, so that when I apply for the CHP, my work history don't screw me up. I am planning on going to the POST academy in January of 2007, since I trun 21 in May of that year. Can you please help me in what I need to do, I have wanted to be an officer since I was 6, and I don't want anything to get in the way.

Thanks for your time.

[x MAIT]

There has to be some place in Downey where you can get a job. What about the new mall? The post office on Firestone is hiring part time people. Are you going to school? Have you gone over to the Santa Fe Springs CHP office and looked into the Explorer program? What about the Military? What POST Academy are you talking about going to in 2007? You are too young to sound so down.

[JSmallwood]

There has to be some place in Downey where you can get a job. What about the new mall? The post office on Firestone is hiring part time people. Are you going to school? Have you gone over to the Santa Fe Springs CHP office and looked into the Explorer program? What about the Military? What POST Academy are you talking about going to in 2007? You are too young to sound so down.

I wanted to join the military(NAVY), but my weight got in the way. I thought that the explorer program you had to be under 18 to join. I had thought about it before. No I am not going to school right now. The POST academy at rio hond college in whittier. My weight is still in the way. I want to get fit, but with no money I don't know any place to go and excersie. I know that I am too young to be so down, but I can't help it.

[uoplax13]

At one point I was planning on putting myself through a POST academy and going from there to find a just with an SO......then my lacrosse coach (a CHP Officer) convinced me that I'd be much better off finding a department that was willing to train me......drumroll.....the CHP. Like many of us non-officers on here, you are way too young to stress about this stuff. You're already on the right track by having a solid work history. 4 years at any company, even a family owned one, is solid for someone your age. Keep that up! Maybe consider taking a class or two at whichever community college is closest to you- doesn't even have to be CJ stuff....try an english class (might help with the written) or maybe a spanish one (it will always come in handy....working with the CHP or just living in CA).

I can't give too much advice on being in shape (mostly because I have a ways to go myself). After moving up where I am a month ago I've lost 10-15 lbs. of muscle because I'm not hitting the gym nearly as often .....there isn't one close enough to me, and I can't justify commuting to the not-so-great one that's down the road about a half hour or so (uphill boths ways...in the snow, etc...). What will really help you prepare for the PAT and for the Academy is doing exercises that don't cost any money at all. Pushups, Situps, and Running. If the running thing isn't happening right away....start by walking or riding a bike - I hate running.....I finally recovered from the stress fractures I had in my shins from playing lacrosse in college, and I still hate running, but it's just something we need to do. I live along a sparsely populated 10-20 mile stretch of Old Highway 40 that runs through the Sierras.....so far I haven't had to pay for running on that.....if you don't count freezing my ass off and catching a cold.....

I tend to ramble when I post on here because I am usually trying to kill time at work, but if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer if someone on here more knowledgeable doesn't beat me to it. Keep your head up and good luck!

[x MAIT]

Jamie, you have given up before even starting. I can tell you right now that you will never get past the QAP with that defeatist attitude regardless of your weight. You don't need to be a member of a gym to exercise. You can start walking, then jogging, etc. Do pushups, situps, etc. Start out with whatever you can do and add a little more each week. If you really want to be a police officer, then use that as your motivation. Nobody is keeping you from walking around the block everyday. Walk around and apply for jobs. Unlike Rio Hondo College, you don't have to pay the CHP to train you. You are on salary the day you start the Academy. It's up to you. Stop whining and start walking. The key to this and everything in life is to not give up, but you need to start first.

ps. Yes, you can help it. You are the one who decides if you are going to be an unhappy person who is always down (someone others really don't want to be around) or somebody with a happy, positive outlook and a goal of someday being a police officer.

[ruda001]

I have been a student assistant employee for three years at a state university. I then was promoted to a part-time permanent position while still in school. This will classify me as a civil servant for the state of california atleast for the last two years with this job.

My question is regarding the importance of relevancy that a job pertain to law enforcement. Is it extremely important? or is a steady job good as well?

I am asking this because I am considering applying to a Local Police Department as a Cadet with lower pay than my current part time position. I know money should not matter, but I am a full time student and parents have no finacial resources to help out. thus, carrying a 18 unit load while working 20 hrs a week takes almost all my time off. this restricts me from volunteering also.

What do you guys think?

I will graduate within a year and a half, tops. Should I stay with my current job thats not relevant to LE or get another PT job that is relevant?

Does being a State employee have any additional merit? officially or unofficially?


thanks

[pupdog]

On the CHP website in the recruiting area, there's a section on women in the CHP. They have a gallery of some female officers, and what they did before joining...telephone operator, accountant, bike messenger, softball coach, Air Force Sergeant. To me, this emphasizes that it's not the job you did, it's how you did it.
At a QAP seminar a couple years ago, there was a handout that addressed this, and asked the applicant to examine what they've done at their job that could be related to patrol work. If anyone should be stressed about work history, it's me, but I'm not. I work in a winery!! People come here and I pour them samples. How's that for hypocritical? BUT, I scored a 95 on my QAP.

So smile! (Group hug...)

[dw]

I have been a student assistant employee for three years at a state university. I then was promoted to a part-time permanent position while still in school. This will classify me as a civil servant for the state of california atleast for the last two years with this job.

My question is regarding the importance of relevancy that a job pertain to law enforcement. Is it extremely important? or is a steady job good as well?

I am asking this because I am considering applying to a Local Police Department as a Cadet with lower pay than my current part time position. I know money should not matter, but I am a full time student and parents have no finacial resources to help out. thus, carrying a 18 unit load while working 20 hrs a week takes almost all my time off. this restricts me from volunteering also.

What do you guys think?

I will graduate within a year and a half, tops. Should I stay with my current job thats not relevant to LE or get another PT job that is relevant?

Does being a State employee have any additional merit? officially or unofficially?


thanks

State employment will not make a difference. Working in a law enforcement type job certainly isn't a necessity but may have minor benefits... I wouldn't sweat either. We're looking for responsibility, judgement, life experience, etc... Do what you need to do to get by comfortably and don't kill yourself.

[dw]

I'm interested in a career with the CHP, and currently go to school and work. I'm almost 20 and have been working for a construction company for nearly 4 years, and plan working there for another 2 at least. I started out the first two years working on the grading crew (manual labor) and have been moved up to accounts recievable (work with mucho money). The thing is, the company is owned by my father, and I was wondering if my work history won't be taken into consideration beings that it is a family owned business, and they may think I have it easy, which is definitely not true. Should I consider looking for a job somewhere else to prove I can get a job at a place where nobody knows me, or should I continue working where I am right now?

In all seriousness, and with no offense intended, I'd suggest you take a writing course in your spare time. Writing is a enormous part of our job and the written test is very competitive.

xMAIT beat me to the punch... Why do you need a gym to get into shape? My recommendation to those preparing for the Academy is to workout at home -- there's nothing you can not do at home that you will be doing at the Academy. Yeah, you'll need dinero for running shoes, but that's about it. What you need is motivation!

[Mac]

...My recommendation to those preparing for the Academy is to workout at home -- there's nothing you can not do at home that you will be doing at the Academy. Yeah, you'll need dinero for running shoes, but that's about it. What you need is motivation!
My thoughts exactly. You don't need a gym to run, do pushups, situps, pull-ups, etc.....and that's the majority of what you'll be doing at the Academy. Get a pair of running shoes and start running....if you can't run, then start walking. Do some pushups and situps, and start working your way into shape. As DW said, the only thing you really need is some motivation and self-discipline.

[undertow999]

JSmallwood, one thing I have gathered while being a member in this forum, is that to prepare for the academy, you shouldn't focus so much on lifting weights at a gym. A friend of mine was an instructor at the academy a while back, and when i started this process, he told me to run ruin run. He would tell me stories of how huge guys that could probablly bench press twice their weight would be dead during PT. PLus, if your weight is an issue, running is the best thing for you.

I see you are in DOwney, there are a couple of us around the fullerton area that may start running together, you are more than welcome to join us. Like dw and Mac both said, motivation is what you need, so if you are interested let me know. Good luck with the job hunt.

[redhead]

{stolen from a motivational poster}

"Keep your head and your heart in the right direction and you'll never have to worry about your feet"

When I was doing my PAT, there were a few people that kept saying: "Remember what this is all for"

These were people that needed their own bit of self help to keep themselves motivated, and it helped us ALL! It pushed us all to remember the reason why were were there on that cold "________" morning.

Good luck to you and keep your head up and your feet will move for you.

source (http://www.ideas-for-home-businesses.com/images/goals.jpg)