Get those applications going!!!

[bcjack]

http://www.kcoy.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=D6894C07-4AAE-4413-BD98-E2025CEFED34

[Ramo]

That news story just brought a HUGE smile to my face :biggrin: Can't wait to be hired!

[Welpe]

That's interesting. I know once I saw the types of salaries and benefits available in the private sector in my course of study, it definitely gave me pause to think. Especially the part about several companies shutting down for two weeks over Christmas! Law Enforcement is what I want to do thoguh, and I think in the long run I will be happier. I don't want to take a job in the private sector and 20 years down the road have that question nagging in my mind "What if...".

[junebughunter]

I'd rather that article not have been printed or put on a web page...the more people that sign up the more competition I've got :razz:

[Mac]

...I know once I saw the types of salaries and benefits available in the private sector in my course of study, it definitely gave me pause to think. Especially the part about several companies shutting down for two weeks over Christmas! Law Enforcement is what I want to do thoguh, and I think in the long run I will be happier...".
The factors that people don't even consider are job security and health/retirement benefits. A lot of dot-com high tech folks were making the big bucks when that industry was flourishing, but many suddenly found themselves without jobs overnight when the bottom fell out - not the type of situation I'd like to be in when your whole industry goes bust and those are the only skills you have! I've seen too many friends in too many different jobs go through lay-offs and subsequent frantic job searches, sometimes settling for a lot less than they're worth just to get back to getting a regular paycheck. Like I always say - you'll never get rich being a Highwayman, but you'll never wonder where the next meal is coming from either!

As far as health/retirement benefits, we had an interesting conversation around the campfire a couple weekends ago - myself and a couple buddies are CHP, one of their brothers-in-law is a general contractor, and one guy is a relatively young man considering applying for the CHP. He was asking us about pay, retirement benefits, medical benefits, etc. and we were telling him how it worked. The brother-in-law spoke up and said he wished he would've applied to the CHP when he had the chance (he's too old now). Although he sometimes earns more than us on a monthly basis, construction work is feast or famine and a long rainy season can really put the hurt to him. He has to pay for all his medical benefits (for him, his wife and 2 kids), and has no retirement other than what he can stuff into a 401(k) when times are good. Times have been tough the last year or so, and he's actually had to borrow against the equity in his home just to pay his bills (talk about a vicious circle!) He commented to the potential applicant, "I'll still be swinging a hammer long after these guys are all retired and enjoying themselves".

I'm so used to what we have that I'm guilty of sometimes taking it for granted. It's a real eye-opener to talk to some people in the private sector and be reminded that the dollar figure on the monthly paycheck isn't everything!

[Welpe]

You make a great point Mac and one I failed to mention but definitely haven't forgotten!


June, I know you're kidding but I prefer to take the attitude that competition be darned, I'm going to prove that I'm the right person for the job. That doesn't mean the CHP will see it that way but that's the type of attitude I'm taking into my application process. :lol:

[not5150]

I'll chime in as someone who has seen both ends of the workplace (both law enforcement and corporate dot-com). During the dot-com era I was easily making 110,000+ combined from my regular job and teaching computer certification classes. As you can imagine certain technical certifications like MCSE, Cisco, Oracle, etc were in high demand back then. I had so much money in my bank account that I usually had three or four uncashed paychecks just sitting in my wallet.

However, I was working like a dog and became attached to the paycheck. The pay for law enforcement is really not that bad, hell CHP officers who work a little bit of OT pull in more money that a majority of corporate workers. But, it's there is something more than a paycheck, there is job satisfaction. Would you rather be out on the road living on the edge, or stuck in a cubicle pushing paper? I know what I would pick.

In addition, the camraderie was severely lacking in the corporate sector. When you look at any decent law enforcement department, you KNOW that your fellow officers will have your back. If you get into trouble, help will come. If you have an emergency and need your shift covered, it will be covered. If you have family problems, your beat partner will listen (usually). I really can't say the same about corporate "suits".

[pupdog]

I'm loving this thread. One of the many little mental goodies I used to feed my gymnastics team was "don't worry about the competition. Let the competition worry about you." (another favorite was 'self confidence does not come im bottles. Self confidence comes in cans.' They occupied their little heads for HOURS trying to figure out what that meant!)

The corporate world can do all the 'team building' seminars in the world, but the camraderie will never touch that of LE. I'm very very camraderie driven. When you do ride-alongs with different departments, you see that others don't even begin to have it like CHP does. I've also learned by comparing CHP ride-along experiences that with camraderie comes upper-crust professionalism. I've concluded that it's because nobody feels the need to one-up the next guy.