Any ex-police? Thoughts on career changes?
Discussion
Am interested to hear from any PH BiB past or present who left the job before retirement to start second careers, in particular I'd be interested to know which careers you chose and why.
I'm not 100% committed to leaving the cops but the prospects for career advancement in the post-Winsor 2 world are limited and it seems fairly clear (though not yet to the public) that policing as we know it is going to be obliterated. Frankly, all the sh*te we put up with on a daily basis is no longer worth it.
I'm going to knock up a CV when I get back from holiday and am just dipping my toe in the water really but would be interested to hear the experiences of others who have left the police to pursue other careers.
Not sure what sort of career change I'd want to make but prior to joining the cops I worked in retail after joining a graduate management programme from Uni. Money was good but job was sh*t and despite many rumours to the contrary, being in the CID was (is) ten times the stress and workload for about half the money.
Interested to hear from any ex/serving cops with experience of similar situations.
I'm not 100% committed to leaving the cops but the prospects for career advancement in the post-Winsor 2 world are limited and it seems fairly clear (though not yet to the public) that policing as we know it is going to be obliterated. Frankly, all the sh*te we put up with on a daily basis is no longer worth it.
I'm going to knock up a CV when I get back from holiday and am just dipping my toe in the water really but would be interested to hear the experiences of others who have left the police to pursue other careers.
Not sure what sort of career change I'd want to make but prior to joining the cops I worked in retail after joining a graduate management programme from Uni. Money was good but job was sh*t and despite many rumours to the contrary, being in the CID was (is) ten times the stress and workload for about half the money.
Interested to hear from any ex/serving cops with experience of similar situations.
There are plenty of jobs for people with ex Police experience.
Do you want to work as 'ex Police' or do somehting different?
There are lots of other law enforcement agencies out there, usually in Councils where you can take part in prosecutions - but obviously you wont have anywhere near as many pwoers as the Police.
Do you want to work as 'ex Police' or do somehting different?
There are lots of other law enforcement agencies out there, usually in Councils where you can take part in prosecutions - but obviously you wont have anywhere near as many pwoers as the Police.
Sparta, in the same boat as you. I no longer see the Police as a long term career prospect. Too much politics involved which is affecting the effectiveness of the police. I'm feeling pretty fed up by it all, but live in an area of England where Unemployment is running at 140k. I also have my CV together ready to tailor to individual positions but short of knowing what I want, I'm not really qualified for much save for perhaps another public sector post. My degree is now 8 years down the line, and with an internal sales job (at which I did very well and was tempted to stay) my only other full time employment position, I'm not that well travelled in the world of work.
DCS01 said:
I took redundancy from the UKBA - anti smuggling as against imigration side of things (thank God I got out before the rot took place) thinking it would be reasonably easy to get in to the private sector. Two years later I am still looking for a full time position.
I was considering the possibility of a secondment to UKBA but with that comment, seems like its not much better?Chicken Chaser said:
.......I'm not really qualified for much save for perhaps another public sector post. My degree is now 8 years down the line, and with an internal sales job (at which I did very well and was tempted to stay) my only other full time employment position, I'm not that well travelled in the world of work.
Years ago I worked as an investigator for a Govt body which was subsumed into a larger Dept. Worried about the future, many colleagues said very similar to the above. However, they were looking at things in a 'flat' kind of way and didn't realise their strengths as they took them for granted.I realise your role could be very different but I explained to colleagues that they had skills many would envy which included digging into backgrounds, analysis to criminal standard, developing intel/target packages to court standards, understanding the law, dealing with the dim/criminal/unlucky/professional/powerful (in other words anyone and everyone) - all to a good standard, interviewing to PACE, facing aggresive people often outnumbered, conflict resolution. There would be far more too.
In a job role my team was all ex-police/military/govt and although this was a public service role (with power of arrest) they were excellent at what they did. The mix meant we had a vast skill and experience set.
There are jobs out there, sometimes they may have unfamiliar titles such as compliance etc.
I suggest it's worth writing down everything that may go on a cv, talk to people not in the job and ask what they think you do and whether they can do it. Anything people can't do well (e.g. attend a major incident, be first on scene and take control, protecting people or preserving evidence) must have a value or at the very least be of interest to recruiters reading cv's.
Also, a degree's age is not normally too important (maybe different in some roles) and having a mix of experience such as your role in sales shows a depth which is good.
Interesting timing, I was speaking to a colleague earlier and we could both see ourselves jumping ship if something interesting came up.
Really couldn't have imagined myself saying this even a year ago but I've realised that the job does not want my type in charge and with Winsor 2 the Job as we know it is going down the pan.
I'm in a difficult place though- 8 years in and very good at what I do, but struggling to find transferable skills to market myself...
Really couldn't have imagined myself saying this even a year ago but I've realised that the job does not want my type in charge and with Winsor 2 the Job as we know it is going down the pan.
I'm in a difficult place though- 8 years in and very good at what I do, but struggling to find transferable skills to market myself...
carreauchompeur said:
.......... but struggling to find transferable skills to market myself...
I totally understand that. After more than 25 years working in various official roles, for various Govt and NDPB bodies, some time based in police stations or other policing units I wondered that too - even given I had said to others how they had great skills.You will have a host of skills. Step back, think about 'how' you do the job, what happens when it goes wrong, how do you cope? To some extent consider 5W+H questions. Get someone from a normal business to comment on it. I suspect you'll be surprised.
After a national incident, I had a number of fire fighters at my house after duty as they needed to let off steam. We fed and watered them but left them to very black humour. From the snippets I heard, I was amazed at what they could do which I (and most) never could. However, putting it in writing when 'it's just what I do' is easier said than done
Again, good luck in what you choose and for what it's worth I am enjoying the private sector and have found my skills most suitable and the fact I took statements, did surveillance etc for some very serious matters stands me in goos stead, and it will you too
Dave_M said:
Years ago I worked as an investigator for a Govt body which was subsumed into a larger Dept. Worried about the future, many colleagues said very similar to the above. However, they were looking at things in a 'flat' kind of way and didn't realise their strengths as they took them for granted.
I realise your role could be very different but I explained to colleagues that they had skills many would envy which included digging into backgrounds, analysis to criminal standard, developing intel/target packages to court standards, understanding the law, dealing with the dim/criminal/unlucky/professional/powerful (in other words anyone and everyone) - all to a good standard, interviewing to PACE, facing aggresive people often outnumbered, conflict resolution. There would be far more too.
In a job role my team was all ex-police/military/govt and although this was a public service role (with power of arrest) they were excellent at what they did. The mix meant we had a vast skill and experience set.
There are jobs out there, sometimes they may have unfamiliar titles such as compliance etc.
I suggest it's worth writing down everything that may go on a cv, talk to people not in the job and ask what they think you do and whether they can do it. Anything people can't do well (e.g. attend a major incident, be first on scene and take control, protecting people or preserving evidence) must have a value or at the very least be of interest to recruiters reading cv's.
Also, a degree's age is not normally too important (maybe different in some roles) and having a mix of experience such as your role in sales shows a depth which is good.
Interesting slant on things, I'll try and take some of that positivity to my potential career change. I do actually think that I want a break away from enforcement though but I guess I do have some of those much vaunted 'transferable skills'. I realise your role could be very different but I explained to colleagues that they had skills many would envy which included digging into backgrounds, analysis to criminal standard, developing intel/target packages to court standards, understanding the law, dealing with the dim/criminal/unlucky/professional/powerful (in other words anyone and everyone) - all to a good standard, interviewing to PACE, facing aggresive people often outnumbered, conflict resolution. There would be far more too.
In a job role my team was all ex-police/military/govt and although this was a public service role (with power of arrest) they were excellent at what they did. The mix meant we had a vast skill and experience set.
There are jobs out there, sometimes they may have unfamiliar titles such as compliance etc.
I suggest it's worth writing down everything that may go on a cv, talk to people not in the job and ask what they think you do and whether they can do it. Anything people can't do well (e.g. attend a major incident, be first on scene and take control, protecting people or preserving evidence) must have a value or at the very least be of interest to recruiters reading cv's.
Also, a degree's age is not normally too important (maybe different in some roles) and having a mix of experience such as your role in sales shows a depth which is good.
carreauchompeur said:
Interesting timing, I was speaking to a colleague earlier and we could both see ourselves jumping ship if something interesting came up.
Really couldn't have imagined myself saying this even a year ago but I've realised that the job does not want my type in charge and with Winsor 2 the Job as we know it is going down the pan.
I'm in a difficult place though- 8 years in and very good at what I do, but struggling to find transferable skills to market myself...
Sounds like you've had the same chat with your colleagues as I have mine. Once upon a time, I'd have never mentioned it at work about the possibility of leaving, now we regularly talk about the "what ifs". I'm at the same point in my career as you too, and I'd say its probably the tipping point at which a decision needs to be made one way or another.Really couldn't have imagined myself saying this even a year ago but I've realised that the job does not want my type in charge and with Winsor 2 the Job as we know it is going down the pan.
I'm in a difficult place though- 8 years in and very good at what I do, but struggling to find transferable skills to market myself...
If I were you I would think about staying in. It tough out here in the real world. My private pension is set to yield 3k per year if I ever get to draw it. As much as the job may seem politics mad (my OH works for the feds) even in these straighted times the pay and pension are very very good and not easily available on civvy street.
fridaypassion said:
If I were you I would think about staying in. It tough out here in the real world. My private pension is set to yield 3k per year if I ever get to draw it. As much as the job may seem politics mad (my OH works for the feds) even in these straighted times the pay and pension are very very good and not easily available on civvy street.
I do appreciate what you're saying, however I'm not sure if you're being condescending by suggesting we are not in the real world. We are very much in the real world every day, seeing a lot of society that the majority of the public doesn't. I'm not just chasing money as I wouldnt have joined the Police if thats what I was after, however I think the public have some misguided view that this pension is free and that we should do something for 30 years whether we like it or not just to get this pension. If that's the case, fast forward me 24 years til I can draw it. Maybe it'll be 30 years if the government get their way.I pay over £300 a month into it, so its a good chunk of my wage.
Despite job losses running high, there are still many people making their living and enjoying it and I'm not ashamed to say that Im seeking a role which will give me greater satisfaction, to enjoy now and to not wish my life away just for the sake of a pension. If I have to retrain to achieve that, then so be it.
I think its easy to become a bit complacent about pensions I want insinuating your job is not in the real world of course.
The pension is gold plated. Yes you pay into it but any kind of contributory pension scheme on the outside its hard to come by. Most employers like my own have no interest at all in even providing any scheme above the statutory requirement to give you a stakeholder pension leaflet. At least you are guaranteed to get something out of it. I could pay all that money in, not get it matched and it could be gone before I even draw it.
I know moaning about the job is all part of the fun but really its not easy to get terms anything like as good as you currently enjoy.
The pension is gold plated. Yes you pay into it but any kind of contributory pension scheme on the outside its hard to come by. Most employers like my own have no interest at all in even providing any scheme above the statutory requirement to give you a stakeholder pension leaflet. At least you are guaranteed to get something out of it. I could pay all that money in, not get it matched and it could be gone before I even draw it.
I know moaning about the job is all part of the fun but really its not easy to get terms anything like as good as you currently enjoy.
Defcon5 said:
You genuinley make a difference to peoples lives on a daily basis, what could give you more satisfaction than that?
(Assuming you arent PSD, or a diversity trainer or something?)
Unfortunately I don't feel I do. Very rare to get a thank you and when you're trying to get a result in court, the justice system undermines us. (Assuming you arent PSD, or a diversity trainer or something?)
fridaypassion said:
I know moaning about the job is all part of the fun but really its not easy to get terms anything like as good as you currently enjoy.
Disagree. I left a decent job in the private sector to join the police but the conditions in the police are not all that great, pension aside. There is a wide disparity in workload and stress between different departments in the cops, but being a detective in my current role is ten times the stress and responsibility I ever had in the private sector as a middle manager for a FTSE 100 company. The salary is lower and there's no scope to increase it or to progress upwards.By the time the pension reforms are complete the contributory rate will be about 14.5% of gross income for a pension based on average salary. Still better than most places (apart from MPs of course!) but not worth remaining in a job you don't enjoy that offers little progression.
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