Gary recently applied to a bunch of different stuff...some police departments, the Connecticut Department of Corrections and the Federal Department of Corrections. I'm hoping one of the police departments works out, but if he has to become a corrections officer I think I'm okay with that, too. The jobs are both "criminal" in nature, but he'd make more money as a police officer. I'm not sure which he'd enjoy more because they both have their positives and negatives. I guess we'll see! The hiring process for the department of corrections is a lot less involved so that's a definite plus. No psych exam and no polygraph! I'm not sure how long the hiring process lasts for the DOC, but I know for police departments in the area, from start to finish, it's about a year. That's a long stinkin' time.
Gary has a written test on Saturday morning for FIVE different police departments (it's a consortium), another written the weekend after for another police department, and the following week for the state's DOC. Hopefully since he's going to be involved in many different avenues, it won't be so...disappointing if one doesn't work out. He'll just move along to the next. Hopefully this year will bring good news to us (though his contacts back in VA said there's a job there for him...and no training necessary...should he choose to go back to the post and work for the department of the army). So, we shall see.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
And the search goes on...
Posted by Kim at 4:59 PM
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6 comments:
The Federal DOC hiring from start to finish is 3-6 months. Just depending. If he does go that route he can easily go up the ladder once he receives his GS-8, which takes about 4-5 years. That's where all the big $ is. I hope something works out for him and he enjoys doing it.
I don't *think it'd take him 4-5 years to get to a GS-8 because he worked for the federal government for 6 years already. I think his rank in the military translates to a GS-5 (soon to be 6). He did apply for the federal so he's just waiting to see if he gets a call back. Cool that it only takes 3-6 months. And I wouldn't mind him getting that job because the only fed prison around here is a minimum to low security female. We shall see! Plus, it'd be nice if he stayed with the fed government because he could buy back his time and keep adding to his federal retirement.
Under normal hirings you hire in as a GS-5.
If he has had any law enforcement while in the military (like MP) he could hire on as a GS-6 and Kent said depending on how much law enforcement experience he could even hire on as a GS-7 then he would have to wait a year to apply for his GS-8. You aren't guaranteed a GS-8 but most people do get them if they are good workers (Kent said some people will never be a GS-8 because they are lazy and don't put forth any effort). After that he could put in for Lt. If he wants to get out of the corrections aspect of it, he could go up the business side of corrections. That's what Kent is trying to do. He wants to get into the computer side of it. There is a lot of choices.
I attempted to leave a message back last night but for whatever reason it didn't work!
Gary was active duty military police (he was also part of SRT...which is the military's version of swat...for a year I think) for a little over 6 years (was a patrol supervisor down in VA) and is now currently still military police but in the Nat'l Guard. He also has veterans' preference so I'm hoping all of this combined together will help him find a job.
Thanks for the info.
Good Luck to Gary. I hope he gets a good job asap. Jason has done both he was first a city police officer and then went into BOP Corrections. He has been doing it for 5 years now and has worked his way up to an Lt. He loves his job. This is definately what he was born to do. I know how you feel being worried about the safety of your husband because I felt the same way until I worked at the prison. I was there for a year in the medical department and I had some interaction with the inmates. Honestly it isn't as bad as you think.
I'm not really ALL that worried...after all, he spent a year in Iraq where he had to watch his back even while sleeping. LOL. But, as far as state goes, there is a level 4 a few towns over (the closest to us) and we know a few corrections officers who've had a hard time there (injuries, scars). There are also a few level 2's around the area that I haven't heard anything negative about. I think it just depends on the prison.
I know whatever's meant to be will be...I just think he'd probably enjoy being a police officer more because it's almost like second nature to him (and he's a damn good cop) and there are a few other avenues he'd like to pursue with that. BUT, if corrections is faster and that's one comes along first he may just go with that (and if he doesn't like it he can always keep up with the police process).
Guess we'll see! Thanks for the well wishes!
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