New career... perhaps the police?

[dudi]

I wasn't sure whether to post this here as it is work related - my commute will change i suppose...

Well, it's happened. It's finally happened.

I've been made redundant, after a prolonged consultation period of about 18 months, they're finally decided to give us the shove. I will be out on my ear by April.

I work(ed) for a bank - say no more. I am now in the market for a new job, and have decided to take the opportunity to explore different opportunities, and perhaps indulge in a change of career. Since leaving university I have always worked in finance, in one way or another.

Anyway, I spent the weekend on and off making up a short list of things I want in a job, and the one thing that kept jumping out at me when I read it back, and the only one that really got me enthusiastic was a career in the Police force.

Are there any PCs on here? I wondered if you could give me an insight into what I might be leting myself in for if I were to join the force.
I am pretty sure I would enjoy it, and the chance to actually make some kind of contribution to society is not one to be sniffed at.
Also, if you could give me some hints on the kind of thing I should be mentioning when breaking the news to the wife that I might like to become a copper, I think that would be very handy!

I'm a little more emotional about being laid off than I thought I would have been. It feels better to write it down. It's not a bad thing at all, if anything it's a good opportunity to move on to something more challenging.
Roll on the new year.

 

[longers]

Sorry about the job news but as you say it could be a good thing in the end.

There's a few policers on here I think, there's at least a couple on yacf who would give you advice quite happily I'm sure. Good luck.

 

[ianrauk]

There's at least 3 Coppers on here that I know and will probably come forward with some advice for you.

 

[PBancroft]

I've been made redundant before - and might be again soon. The one thing to remember is life goes on, and nobody dies. It is emotional, but as long as you keep it in perspective, everything turns out OK in the end.

 

[Keith Oates]

Sorry to here the news about the redundancy dudi, but as others have said it's not the end of the world, although it is upsetting at the time it happens.
It happened to an American friend of mine some time ago and he said 'Not to worry I was looking for a job when I got this one'. There are some police on here so I hope that one or all of them can give you some advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mr_cellophane]

Good Luck. I got made redundant from a "nationalised" bank last month. Sent off my 100th job application over the weekend and have my 3rd interview from that lot tomorrow.
April should be better for finding a job than it is now. Plan ahead and if you want to join the police look into other options for now - Essex Police are recruiting Specials at present so that will give you a while to see if you like it.
The bank should have a outplacement consultant. Get the most from them. Mine was Penna and he was crap. He helped rewrite my CV, then one day a recruitment consultant said it was rubbish and sent me an anonymous one and I have done better since then.

 

[WeeE]

Sorry to hear it about the redundancy.
One thing - don't underestimate how different life is when you work shifts / odd hours. It also inevitably means easting and sleeping odd hours - and not even the same odd hours each week. You can end up taking your main meal of the day at 10am one day and 8pm the next. Likewise sleep patterns.

Shiftwork isn't just working when everyone else is off (especially when they're off) it's knocking about on wet Wednesday afternoons by yourself when you really want to socialise: other people often feel almost as if you're pulling a sickie, and if you don't spend that time doing the housework / DIY / shopping, people can get very grumpy.

Apart from all that - sounds to me like you'd enjoy it!

 

[upsidedown]

Sorry to hear about the job loss.
I'd love to be young enough to join the police. Every time i watch Road Wars i envy them locking up car-thieving scumbags.
Good luck whatever happens.

 

[Armegatron]

Sorry to hear that.

Im interested in joining as a Special Constable at my local force, but worried that my current fitness / health will hold me back so Im going to work on that and fingers crossed will get a taste of what its like to be "on the beat".

Might be worth persueing (sp) that option first?

 

[thomas]

Sorry to hear about the job loss.
I'd love to be young enough to join the police. Every time i watch Road Wars i envy them locking up car-thieving scumbags.
Good luck whatever happens.

3 years and my bike still hasn't been returned

Sorry to hear that.

Im interested in joining as a Special Constable at my local force, but worried that my current fitness / health will hold me back so Im going to work on that and fingers crossed will get a taste of what its like to be "on the beat".

Might be worth persueing (sp) that option first?

An old friend of mine applied for some type of volunteer police and weighs about 15-20 stone....he passed the physical

 

[karlos_the_jackal]

Sorry to hear about job loss. I applied for police back in my younger days, sussex police force. Didn't get it, one of 3,000 applications for 30 positions. One of my mates is in police force at gatwick, and i wont go into things but god knows how he managed to get in and i didnt get anywhere.

I'd say go for it because i reckon there is a lot of people making the same decision because all your reasons are good logical reasons, so i would have a solid second choice.

Although my job is safe, fairly, i'm looking at career changes, might even do another application for police, city of london or even military police. Any which way going to do some evening classes, best to get prepared before the event.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Sorry to hear about the redundancy but TBH the police are being squeezed incredibly hard right now too. My force has frozen recruitment completely, even recruitments that are already underway are having to be vetted at the end of the process to see if there is still a job to offer the successful applicant.

We're being asked to find millions in cuts and the financial prognosis for the next year(s) is dire. Also as the average civvy (me) costs a lot less that the equivalent police officer, many forces are only recruiting 'cheap' office staff and turfing the desk riding cops back out onto the street to up the numbers rather than recruiting new ones.

If I were you I'd be scouring the police websites first off to see if there are recruitments available or likely to come up, if so you might find yourself moving areas to live the dream. Good Luck tho.

 

[jonny jeez]

Dudi.

Congratulations on the redundancy, and well done for choosing to "verbalise" it here first...we are honoured. Without trying to sound to chipper..I mean this totally sincerely, this is a fantastic thing.

I was made redundant last October and felt like I was "released". I was doing a job that earnt me a very good wage, but I really didn't enjoy it or feel fulfilled. I thought about doing something else for years but hung on for no other reason than it earnt me good money ( and I didn't want to risk giving that up) and I was therefore trapped.

When I was made redundant (along with a bunch of others) it was a really good opportunity to say.."well ....I've got nothing to loose now...I can do anything with no risk of stuffing up a lucrative (if stressful) career...because that career doesn't exist any longer"

Good luck with your choices, I cant tell you about the forces now as my father is 10 years retired form the met, but It's not all fast cars and rescuing people, most of the time you are exposed to the "dregs" of society....so get used to being "lied to" at every turn..by everyone. (there are no "Nice" criminals I'm afraid..... and none of them will make it easy for you).

all the best and many congrats!!

 

[Paulus]

Here is a site that may be of some interest.

http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/

Not to put a dampener on your ambition, but all Police forces across the country have been told to trim their budgets, so recruitment may be a slow process, or non existent for a while. My son who is in the Hertfordshire police as a PC is not sure if he has a job after next summer.

 

[dudi]

Cheers chaps,
I've alrerady trawled through all the police related site that I can find, and poured over the local forces website too. I think it's something I'd like to do. for sure.

Unfortunately the Suffolk force are not recruiting - the last time they held a recruitment drive was April I think. I think this is something that will have to wait, but deffo something to do.

Better get another pencil pushing job in the mean time I suppose, and keep my ear to the ground with regards Suffolk's next recruitment drive!