Experience Required?

ItalianFX · #1 11-09-2007, 12:28 AM

I'm not too concerned with the job market since I have a job lined up after I graduate from college, but I have been looking around at some ideas I've had and everywhere I look they always say that you need experience, 1 to 2 years, 3-5 years, blah blah blah. It seems even entry positions are like this. I have no internship experience in any field, I don't have any experience in any financial/economics field, and so I'm basically useless.

What's the deal and how can I do anything?

For anyone who doesn't know me, I am 24, police officer, military veteran, and will have an Economics degree in mid-December. I'm #1 on the list for the next full-time position in my department and will make around the $32k range. The problem is that I could get a job in the Economics field somewhere and make around $50k.

A guy in my Human Resources class did a presentation on the value of a bachelor's degree and the figures actually come out to be that a bachelor's degree is about $27k of more value to a high school diploma. My problem is that police work rarely requires a college education and so I am basically working below my potential. I am starting to feel like I am leaving a lot on the table if I don't use my economics degree in some way.

So how do I get around the "Experience Required" to be competitive?

I hope I made that clear.

Thanks.

RAHZero · #2 11-09-2007, 04:38 AM

Why can't you find an internship somewhere? With your life experiences and your degree you could probably find one pretty easily, and there's a decent chance it would lead to a future job.

ItalianFX · #3 11-09-2007, 09:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Why can't you find an internship somewhere? With your life experiences and your degree you could probably find one pretty easily, and there's a decent chance it would lead to a future job.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I'll be done with college in a few weeks. Can I still do an internship? I always assumed internships were college-based.

XXXNoahXXX · #4 11-09-2007, 10:40 AM

Don't you get paid more as a police officer if you have your college degree though? Won't it still be a good thing when it comes to things like promotions, etc.?

So you graduate at the end of this semester? Do you have to? Could you stay through the spring and get involved in some college-based internship?

The job that you have lined up, when does it start?

I know at my college there was someone whose position was like Internship Coordinator or something similar. I think talking to this person, and maybe a professor in your department for some leads would be a good thing. I know there are some programs that last for a summer or a year and are open even to graduates, but I think a lot of them wouldn't start til May/June.

Sorry for not having any specific advice.

dj_mercury · #5 11-09-2007, 11:00 AM

What about a graduate programm recruitment? Surely there are firms recruiting in your campus.

ItalianFX · #6 11-09-2007, 11:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you get paid more as a police officer if you have your college degree though? Won't it still be a good thing when it comes to things like promotions, etc.?

So you graduate at the end of this semester? Do you have to? Could you stay through the spring and get involved in some college-based internship?

The job that you have lined up, when does it start?

I know at my college there was someone whose position was like Internship Coordinator or something similar. I think talking to this person, and maybe a professor in your department for some leads would be a good thing. I know there are some programs that last for a summer or a year and are open even to graduates, but I think a lot of them wouldn't start til May/June.

Sorry for not having any specific advice.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I don't get paid more based on my college degree. It's like a base salary, and new Full-Timers get like 75% of that, and work up over 3-6 years. Right now it's 6 years, but the Borough Council is going to change it to 3 years. So in 3 years I'd top out at like $38k or so. In essence, anyone out of high school (which we have 2 full-timers who didn't go to college) could make just as much as I would. 1 of those FTers has been working for the dept. for almost 13 years now and he was just promoted to Senior Patrolman, and I think his pay goes up to around $42k.

There aren't any promotions in my department because it is so small. We don't have any extra divisions or specialties. There is really no opportunity for training either because it's not built into the budget. The Sheriff's office in my hometown, which covers the entire county, is better off than we are in some ways.

Yes, I graduate at the end of the semester, so like the 2nd week of December. I don't "have" to, but I want to because I've been in school since Jan. 2002 and want to move along for the time being and make some income. Yes, I was deployed twice, but it's just the fact that I know I have that college obligation that I really don't have anything to go on. If I stopped going to college today, I'd only have my military/police background and my high school diploma to show for it. So I'd like to at least graduate and do something else before I make any other commitments to my education. If I graduate first, at least I'll have a Bachelor's degree to work on. I don't see why I couldn't stay, but then again, I'd still have to pay. I'm already registered for graduation so there really is no backing out from here, but I don't want to back out as it is. I'm looking for a way to work with what I currently have.

The job I have lined up is basically just switching from part-time to full-time. I'm #1 on the hiring list so the next time that the Council decides to grant another full-time position to the department, it is all mine. Right now I'm on pace to make about $12k this year in police work, so if I get the FT at the beginning of 2008, I can expect my earnings to go up $20k, which is a lot, but I could also have more. There is no guarantee if and when the council will open another spot, but my Chief has been talking to the Mayor to try and get that in as soon as possible.

I'll have to talk to my Microeconomics professor. She is well informed with the labor market after college and could probably give me some good advice.

What I am thinking about doing is trying to get some kind of position with a sports team. I'd really like to get in with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but I'd also go for the Pirates or Steelers. I just don't know what I could do, how to do it, or if I can.

ItalianFX · #7 11-09-2007, 11:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
What about a graduate programm recruitment? Surely there are firms recruiting in your campus.

[/ QUOTE ]

There was a job fair about 45 minutes away yesterday, which I didn't go to because I didn't know anything about it until like 3 days ago, and I'm still unsure what I want to do. I don't know if I want to work for any firm, but would rather do something that is worth while and exciting.

dj_mercury · #8 11-09-2007, 11:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
What I am thinking about doing is trying to get some kind of position with a sports team. I'd really like to get in with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but I'd also go for the Pirates or Steelers. I just don't know what I could do, how to do it, or if I can.

[/ QUOTE ]
Looking for a job in a stadium security firm maybe since you have experience as a police officer?

Anyway here is a firm that is training graduates and recruiting for sports firm: www.workpittsburgh.com

ItalianFX · #9 11-09-2007, 12:15 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What I am thinking about doing is trying to get some kind of position with a sports team. I'd really like to get in with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but I'd also go for the Pirates or Steelers. I just don't know what I could do, how to do it, or if I can.

[/ QUOTE ]
Looking for a job in a stadium security firm maybe since you have experience as a police officer?

Anyway here is a firm that is training graduates and recruiting for sports firm: www.workpittsburgh.com

[/ QUOTE ]

The Pittsburgh Police do alot of the security as far as what I saw.

I checked out that link and it appears that all of those jobs have a projected pay of 600/week which is less than what I would make if I stay with the police. Maybe it could get me in the door, but I don't know if I'm willing to take that pay cut.

dj_mercury · #10 11-09-2007, 12:35 PM

yeah, that is the main problem, learning graduating programs are not usually paid really good, since you get also trained so you are not productive as a full time worker, however it's a way to get the experience that a lot of firms are looking before considering your job application.