Looking toward a career change.

[res308]

Hey folks, a little help/advice here. I'm 41 years old and looking toward a career change. I've been a police officer for close to 15 years now. I'll tell ya, the stress and low pay have taken their toll. I'd like to get into a different line of work, something more peaceful and more profitable for the family. I live in the MidTN area, about 40min southwest of Clarksville. I'm trying to decide which areas to concentrate on. Looking for daytime work so I can be home with family at night, like a Daddy's supposed to be, of course something less stressful than LE, and something that would pay enough to make it worth the entire uprooting. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks

Rick

[Guest jackdm3]

Do you get a pension for doing 5 more years?

[res308]

No. Only state retirement at 20 or 25 yrs. That period depends on your time of service at agencies actually on the state retirement system. Just seems like a waste of 15 years that I can't get back.

[LagerHead]

Look into IT.

Pros are guaranteed indoor work for the most part. Pay ranges from OK to quite good. Don't necessarily need a college degree, even to make pretty good money. And you can learn quite a bit on your own time, at home, using online resources, etc.

Cons are that there is usually an on-call rotation of some sort, depending on staffing, dealing with irate customers - though I seriously doubt they're as irate as what you have been putting up with for 15 years, so this is probably a non-issue - and you have to constantly keep upgrading your skills to keep pace with the market.

[MacGyver]

Do you have a degree?

[TGO David]

Getting into IT is cut-throat right now, especially if you have no prior experience. I'm not sure I would echo the sentiment that it's the way to a better life. Not until the economy stabilizes at least.

Have you considered trying to get on with a private sector security company of some sort? Seems that the skill-set would transfer pretty easily.

[Guest Arko]

Everything is tough right now, and I JUST found a job in my field locally. But if you're willing to wait for economic growth, or travel/relocate, safety management will use some of your existing skills. Entry level pay isn't great, but as you build a resume, add certs or degrees, the pay goes up considerably. If you want info PM me.

[Guest db99wj]

Getting into IT is cut-throat right now, especially if you have no prior experience. I'm not sure I would echo the sentiment that it's the way to a better life. Not until the economy stabilizes at least.

Have you considered trying to get on with a private sector security company of some sort? Seems that the skill-set would transfer pretty easily.

What Dave said. Not the best timing for career changes, especially if it is by choice. Don't burn any bridges until you are sure a new one is a done deal.

[LagerHead]

What Dave said. Not the best timing for career changes, especially if it is by choice. Don't burn any bridges until you are sure a new one is a done deal.

I actually thought about this. But if you start now you might be in a decent position when the economy recovers. Of course that won't be until after the 2010 elections at the soonest.

[Guest FortyFive2Life]

No. Only state retirement at 20 or 25 yrs. That period depends on your time of service at agencies actually on the state retirement system. Just seems like a waste of 15 years that I can't get back.

Sorry I can't offer any advice on your career change, but I just wanted to say something about what you said in your post. You said it "just seems like a waste of 15 years..."

We need LEO's just like we need our military personnel. If you've spent 15 years patrolling the highways and areas we live in, that's not a waste and it's certainly appreciated. You already know this, but you guys work a very dangerous job for pathetically little pay. I just wanted you to know that spending 15 years in service to your community is not a waste.

But I do hope that if you're looking for another line of work that you find all that you're looking for, best of luck to you!

[Guest db99wj]

Sorry I can't offer any advice on your career change, but I just wanted to say something about what you said in your post. You said it "just seems like a waste of 15 years..."

We need LEO's just like we need our military personnel. If you've spent 15 years patrolling the highways and areas we live in, that's not a waste and it's certainly appreciated. You already know this, but you guys work a very dangerous job for pathetically little pay. I just wanted you to know that spending 15 years in service to your community is not a waste.

But I do hope that if you're looking for another line of work that you find all that you're looking for, best of luck to you!

Excellent point.

[Hotshot]

Sorry I can't offer any advice on your career change, but I just wanted to say something about what you said in your post. You said it "just seems like a waste of 15 years..."

We need LEO's just like we need our military personnel. If you've spent 15 years patrolling the highways and areas we live in, that's not a waste and it's certainly appreciated. You already know this, but you guys work a very dangerous job for pathetically little pay. I just wanted you to know that spending 15 years in service to your community is not a waste.

But I do hope that if you're looking for another line of work that you find all that you're looking for, best of luck to you!

ditto

Thank YOU for your service.

:usa:Happy Veteran's Day:usa:

[res308]

Thanks for all the encouragement. It helps a lot. Sorry bout the delayed response. Home phone service in my neighborhood went out not long after I posted.

To answer some questions:

No, unfortunately, through every fault of my own:rolleyes: I don't have a degree. Wish I did.

I would be interested in some types of the security work, but I can't travel or relocate. I have my two young children at home and it kills me to go places away from them for training for a few days at a time as it is. I've really thought about companies like Blackwater/SPGlobal/DynCorp, but I don't know if I could land anything close to home. I know DynCorp does something at Ft. Campbell, but that company seems really advanced and I just don't know if I have the right skill set for them.

Granted, if I were single with no family, it would be no brainer. Most of my training has been in this business - investigations, firearms:koolaid:, SWAT training, some sniper training when I filled that position for a while. BUT, I wouldn't trade my family for anything in the world, so, I need to stay close to home.

Other than police training, I just have a class A CDL. That, and I have really good people skills:bat:.

[MacGyver]

If I were in your shoes, I might use the five years you have left before the option of retirement to boost your skill set and education, all the while still collecting a paycheck. That way when you get out, you have the option and skill set to do what you really want to do. I'm in the forensics business, and we love to bring on former LEOs, but not having a degree will almost always be an issue because it's a lot harder for us to put you on the stand as an 'expert'.

I might take a step back, and ask "if you could do whatever you want for a job, what would it be?" It's easy to dismiss that question because it sounds kind of "self-helpy?", but I think it's an important question for all of us. If you don't like what you do, it's up to you to make the change. I think you've got that part down, I would just want to make sure that you don't make a change to feel equally unfulfilled.

As the others above said, thank you for your service. You are in an overworked, underpaid field, and we all benefit from your sacrifice. Thanks for that.

[Guest Swamprunner]

Have you considered starting your own business? If so, stick with stuff you know. For instance, you could start small selling police and firefighting equipment. You know, guns, gunleather, asps, and stuff the FFs need, that is not furnished by their departments.

Or mebbe accident investigation/reconstruction for lawyers.

I'm on my own now, and it's the best thing I did for my family.

Good luck, brother.

[cflatt]

In the short term you could use your class A and see who is looking for day drivers or yard drivers for some of the transfer places. Another thing if you like people is getting the P endorsement on your CDL and driving folks back and forth from Nashville to the casinos that are north of you. Not sure what they make but if you feel you really have to make a change they are the fast options. Personally I hope to have my own business one day, but until then I'll keep doing what I need to.

[Angus]

Check the TSA website. They seem to hire alot of folks. I see new folks often. It is a rotating schedule...some nights may be required, but who knows. The work does not get much easier to be honest with you.

John

[Guest Muttling]

No. Only state retirement at 20 or 25 yrs. That period depends on your time of service at agencies actually on the state retirement system. Just seems like a waste of 15 years that I can't get back.

Wait a second.....

I thought the question asked was can you get a pension for serving for 5 more years. If you grind it out for 5 more years, wouldn't you have some retirement to show for it?

Also, what about stepping up in law enforcement. Could you jump to the TBI and get a better situation? (I don't know, just throwing out ideas here.)

Could you find a direction you want to go and hang in for 5 more years while working on some form of a degree?

Are there any schools in need of an SRO? I teach and while our SRO has to deal with a lot of immature BS from our kids, he does have good work hours and doesn't have to answer domestic disputes or make traffic stops. He's also studying to be a lawyer in his off time.

[res308]

It's actually 25. I am thinking of stepping up to a different area in this business. Right now I work in a very small department and there's nowhere to step up to.

[Guest canynracer]

I work in IT...I have been thinking about a career change into Law Enforcement....so...

I will trade you!!

[Guest adamoxtwo]

If you are interested in work relating to LEA/Military/DHS I have an office in Clarksville that you may be interested in. I would need a Resume. I'll send you a PM with my email address. You can visit my companies website at Ascendance International Home