Fun vs. More Money

[BoyInBlue]

Hey all. Just looking for some advise about a job opportunity that has come my way.

First a quick background about myself:
-3 years in the security field
-Firearm/Baton/Tear gas/Handcuff/EMT certs.
-Full time college student
-Recently turned 21; and applied for my local police dept. (this week)

OK, so I need advise about staying at my current job or leaving for a better paying job.

CURRENT JOB: (Theme Park Security; 1.5 years in)
-$12.60/hour - part-time/full-time in the summer
-In-house
-unarmed (no pay increase for armed, .38 revolvers only )
-Great work environment, very fun, good co-workers/supervisors, lots of calls to respond to in the spring/summer, hands on
-Overall; one of the best jobs I've ever had - and I do a good job

NEW JOB: (Gov. Contract Security for Navy Bases)
-$22.50/hour - full-time
-Contract (subject to renewal every two years)
-Armed
-The job is 90% access control to various Naval Bases in the San Diego area. (Read: 8 hours in a gate house)

[CAPTAIN KOOLAID]

Fun vs. More Money

As the saying goes mo money mo money, You can have fun on your off time plus with mo money you can have more fun.

[Black Caesar]

What Koolaid said.

Now, recently, I did relay the story of a friend of mine who had A short career as a Transit cop, but who ended up back at his lower paying city cop job where he was more comfortable and could do the kind of work he wanted to. Happieness is important, money isn't everything, not by a long shot.

But if the new job isn't horrible, more money is a very very good thing. You might not think so, but you need to start thinking of retirement RIGHT NOW, and it's easier to put money away in a private retirment account when you make $22 an hour than it is when you make what you do now.

Heck, if you could work it out, you could take the Fed contract job and keep the PT job at the park, right? Let the navy Base job be the "bread and butter" and the other Part time job the "fun". That's what I suggest to officers at my job who think being Campus police isn't "Policey" enough but don't want to give up the great pay lol, go be a reserve somewhere and get that street cop itch out of your system, I say to them.

One last thing, don't worry about the job security on the federal contract job. On federal contracts, the company and maybe the management change, but the "workers" just have to wear differant uniforms. While on federal contracts I wore 2 different uniforms over the course of about a year because the contract changed hands 2 times lol.

[Lawson]

If you're going to be testing with some Police Departments, stay put if you can. Work stability can carry some weight in the hiring process.

[Black Caesar]

If you're going to be testing with some Police Departments, stay put if you can. Work stability can carry some weight in the hiring process.

Stability is fine, but you have to (as I love to say around here) "know your audiance".

His "audience" is going to be various and sundry Police hiring authorities. And to put it mildly, they aren't going to care a flip about how well he kept is ordinary Security job. in fact, to be honest, being in "ordinary" security can be a hit against a perspective Law Enforcment applicant because of the prejudices held by some in police agencies.

What WILL make a dent in their perceptions will be his ability is the ability to get and keep some of the higher end security jobs.....

...like a contract Security job on a Federal Contract at a Naval base for instance.

A couple years ago, I was visiting my half-sister (the one I mentioned before, she's a Deputy Sheriff in Northern Cali). Her sister (not related to me) was thinking of getting into Law Enforcement, so we were telling her about that uber-sucky crap she'd go through just to get hired.

A common theme arose. The hiring boards and background investigators in both our cases "perked up" when the talk moved around to our experiances as Federal Contract Security Officers (she worked for a time at Travis Air Force Base before she went to the academy). My sister even laughed and said that they were more interested in that FCSO experiance than they were about her experiance IN the military or as a Campus Police Officer (which she was at the time she interviewed for the Deuputy job she has now).

Thinking back on the numerous interviews I had , which ended up with me in paid full time employment by 2 LE agencies (the Dallas Sheriff and Baylor Hospital Police) as a civilian employee and 2 LE agencies as a paid Peace Officer (my current job and the part time job in that small town) and a couple offers i didn't take (the Fed Reserve Police job and another small town for a full time posistion), I realized that it had happened to me too. They didn't give a flip about any of the private security jobs I'd held, save the federal contracts.

Anything "Federal" is sexy to non-federal Police Officers, especially interviewers.

As far a s stability goes, all Danny would have to do is say "the fed contract paid 10 bucks an hour more". ANY police hiring authority will understand the logic of jumping ship for that.

[Lawson]

Things must be different around here than there. Practically all my job changes have been because I was moving up and up, either more money, better benefits, a more respectable position, etc...

Unfortunately, that is only thing that ever jams me up when applying to law enforcement.

Most LEO positions here are entirely entry-level. No experience necessary. And it usually says that right there on the announcement. It doesnt matter if you were a security guard, a mcsandwich maker, a chimney sweep, or the guy who used to buff Mr. Roger's shoes. None of it is usually considered "experience" for Law Enforcement.

What the hiring boards DO look for, is hard work, stability, and good employer reviews. If you worked at McDonalds for 4 years and your employer said, "Yes, he always came to work on time, rarely called in sick, was the first to volunteer for any extra duty and was always able to stay late if we needed a closer" that could be looked more highly upon than someone who worked for 2-3 different security companies in 4 years, even if their job included running code, writing reports, and making arrests, etc... if their employer doesn't have great things to say about them.

Im not saying going to the Navy job would be a completely bad thing and it shouldnt be considered. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably do it. But if it's anything that I've learned, money cannot be a sole motivator. In my own personal opinion, I dont feel that you should move jobs for "perks," that's why I'm so miserable at BHR. There were a ton of "perks" but a lot of underlying bullcrap. That's why I said "stay put if you can," however; if the money is simply too important to pass up, I'd go for it.

If I were Danny, I'd thoroughly investigate the job, make sure it's worth the switch and whatnot. A me a year ago would disagree with me now, but money and perks dont make the job. The job makes the job.

[Black Caesar]

Things must be different around here than there. Practically all my job changes have been because I was moving up and up, either more money, better benefits, a more respectable position, etc...

Where any of those posistions federal or with a federal contractor in nature?

Unfortunately, that is only thing that ever jams me up when applying to law enforcement.

Did they tell you this? If so, do you believe it?

Im not saying going to the Navy job would be a completely bad thing and it shouldnt be considered. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably do it. But if it's anything that I've learned, money cannot be a sole motivator. In my own personal opinion, I dont feel that you should move jobs for "perks," that's why I'm so miserable at BHR. There were a ton of "perks" but a lot of underlying bullcrap. That's why I said "stay put if you can," however; if the money is simply too important to pass up, I'd go for it.

There is such a thing as "recent drama related tunnel vision" (I just made the term up, but its real lol). You're letting your bad experiance at BHR color your thinking about almost everything (to the point that you are or were considering a much lower paying security job just to get away from it). It's times like these where you need to sit back an evaluate rationally and unemotionally.

And im not trying to be mean or condescending , but you (and Danny) are still really young and have everything ahead of you. 11 years ago I was your age (damn, I just made 34 sound old lol) I was in the same boat and thought the same way, and in so much of a damn hurry, so SICK-to-DEATH of the Sheriff's Office I could spit, and I made mistakes because of it. I don't wish that on anyone, especially you guys 'cause you seem to have your heads on straight.

If I were Danny, I'd thoroughly investigate the job, make sure it's worth the switch and whatnot. A me a year ago would disagree with me now, but money and perks dont make the job. The job makes the job.

That's good advice. But like you said, a year ago you'd disagree. You don't know where you'll stand 10 years from now (10 years closer to retirement, with a family to take care of, ect ect). I'd bet good cash money you'll see job and money related things a lot different. Because then it won't be about just you anymore.

And I offer this same advice to Danny, because NOW is when you prepare for your future. If the police job doesn't happen, a federal contract security job and a well fed IRA means you don't lose any time.....

[Badge714]

As the saying goes mo money mo money, You can have fun on your off time plus with mo money you can have more fun.

I've been doing security work for 30+ years. Not because of the high wages and great benefits, but for the prestige and respect I get from people.

[Lawson]

Where any of those posistions federal or with a federal contractor in nature?

A few of them were government, not federal however.

Did they tell you this? If so, do you believe it?

Actually yeah. I took a polygraph and shortly there after one of the admin guys called me into an office and, to sum it up in a sentence, basically said, "You look like a good candidate, but unfortunately, you just have had too many jobs."

[CAP]

Can money really buy happiness?

No, but it can put a pretty good down payment on it!!!

It appears you only have part-time employement during the non-peak hours.

As for myself being a father of three, I would definately make the switch to the higher paying job.

Not to mention if you go in and make a good name for yourself, you can move up in the company.

Bottom line..the money is not in public safety. You realize your ideas of saving the world takes a backseat to paying the mortgage and supporting your family as you mature.


Best of Luck in whichever you choose.

Cap

[Black Caesar]

Can money really buy happiness?

No, but it can put a pretty good down payment on it!!!

LOL

My Grand Dad had a saying: "Having money can't make you happy, NOT having money CAN make you sad......"

Gospel truth is you ask me.

You realize your ideas of saving the world takes a backseat to paying the mortgage and supporting your family as you mature.

Gospel Truth part 2 lol. I say RIGHT NOW is the time to prepare for it, I wish I had done more.

I tell you this also, if I could go back in time about 10-12 years , I would snatch EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR I ever put into an "exotic dancer's" G-string, invest it, and make Oprah + Don Trump look like absolute paupers by now .

[darkenna]

I've been doing security work for 30+ years. Not because of the high wages and great benefits, but for the prestige and respect I get from people.

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!

Ok, this made my day. Thanks!

[BoyInBlue]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm going to go talk to some of the guards at the Navy bases and get some insider info (I hope they don't think I'm Al Qaeda ). I'll also call up the SDPD recruiter and see what she says.

Thanks again.

[CAP]

LOL

My Grand Dad had a saying: "Having money can't make you happy, NOT having money CAN make you sad......"

Very Smart Fella!! and how very true!

Gospel Truth part 2 lol. I say RIGHT NOW is the time to prepare for it, I wish I had done more.

I agree whole heartedly. I do not regret my time in Public Safety (a little over 10 years in EMS) because I made some really good friends and was able to help a few people when they needed it. BUT....During that time I was for the most part, broke off of my a$$! The only time I wasn't was while I was working awful amounts of O.T. or 1 of my other (2) jobs.

You show me a Front-Line Public Safety employee, and I'll show you someone who has to work on their day off.

All kidding aside, I appreciate all public safety dearly and what they are willing to sacrafice and put up with for the Public. It is ashamed all of us are not payed more for the jobs we do. But, that's life. My point is (amidst all of this rambling) is that it appears dannyr619 has a pretty good opportunity in front of him and I would hate for him to pass up a potentially good future for a summer of "fun" running drunks out of the parking lot.

Again, I wish him the best in whatever decsion he makes.


Oh, and um I can honestly say that I too may have contributed to a stripper's College Education, but I have always tried to support higher learning and continuing education.

[Maelstrom]

Opportunity for advancement is just that opportunity! I'd definitely recommend you take it with both hands (and hang on)... having said that you could retain your part-time employment (as suggested previously) this having a two-fold outcome, first it could/would be viewed as job history stability & secondly it would be an additional source of income & fun (as you refer to it)

Personally I'm not into socializing at work beyond cordial courtesy & politeness, after all I'm there to do a job not be voted most popular employee of the month