Well, here's the deal. I started my current job on Jan 2 of this year, so it's been a bit over a month. It's my first job in the field I'm interested in, but it's defnitely not where I want to be. I'm a dispatcher at a private college and I'd eventually like to break out into law enforcement and become an officer. In this state, getting into the police academy is a bear to say the least. You either need to know someone or have some serious resume boosters (ie, tours in Iraq).
So! I started dispatching a month ago, and I really like the environment, the people etc, but the pay is not competitive at all. To be frank I'm making 2/3 of what any other dispatchers in the area is making, regardless of whether or not it is a municipal, state or college department. Now before I go any further, I'd like to point out that I'm a firm believer in paying your dues and working your way up the chain, but when I could walk down the street and do the same thing somewhere else, for 1/3 MORE pay, it kind of makes me wonder. Where I'm working now is a fantastic department, and I am still in my 'probationary period' there. Am I justified in discussing the possibility of more money? With my hourly pay, it is impossible for me to live on my own. Is it generally considered taboo to bail during a probationary period... kind of a 'sorry this isnt' for me' reason?
EDIT: Just looked into it, the probationary period is 3 months.

Here's the twist. Seeing that I am unable to live completely independently of my parents or multiple roomates, I went looking for a part-time job. I found one, doing armed security for a civilian company contracted by the Department of Defense. They said I had the option of full or part time, 12.5 hour shifts. Full time is 3 days a week. The pay, regardless of part or full time is nearly double what I'm making as a dispatcher. The security company is extremely flexible with scheduling and said they would work with me to fit in a shift or two whenever I could fit it into my schedule. Great.

Thank you to anyone still reading!

Now for my questions.
How much obligation is there to my current job? Why would I not just say "Hey thanks for the dispatching job, I need more money and am going here"? Granted, I wouldn't burn any bridges at the college, as I am adimately against that. Both jobs offer great opportunities for furthering my career. Eventually, the Chief at the college would be willing to put me into the academy, but the training and experience I will get at the security company will boost my resume greatly. Also, I don't know how far down the road the Chief is thinking for the full time academy. I recently took a shot in the dark and asked the Chief for sponsorship to the upcoming part-time 120 hour academy, which I would have attended on my days off, un-paid. She politely denied, stating my probaionary period as the primary reason. The security job training is a more or less equivilant 120 hour paid academy.

Sorry that was so long winded, I think I've covered my predicament. Forgive me if it is jumbled, my mind is going 50 different directions at the moment. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!
Tom

 

Well, I think the possibility of asking for a raise after your probationary period is over is a definite, and most companies make that available. The first step in their mind is to see if a potential employee is worth it, so they make you sweat it out for a bit and see how you do. If you don't mind working 2 jobs for a bit, ride it out and see what happens with the dispatching position. If nothing else, at least give it a chance and maybe pick the brains of a few people you work with and see if they went through the same thing. Good luck with your aspirations of getting into the Academy, the extra effort will be worth it in the long run.

 

Ok, just typing all that out helped a lot. Indy, thanks for your input... Considering that the probation period is only 3 months, I'm half way there, I'm gunna stick it out until at least the end of the probation period as well as take the part time gig to keep my foot in the door. If after 3 months the pay doesn't become competitive, I'll have a talk with the chief about what can be done. By the time my training for the security is done, my probationary period will be about over and I can re-evaluate my situation.

If anyone reading this has any advice, I'm all ears. This is by no means set in my mind. I'm open to anything.

Thanks all.

 

Great replies already...

First be thankful someone gave you a job in the field that you are interested in. Not all employers want to risk hiring someone with no experience at all. Second, take this opportunity to get some experience under your belt. ...

Every day you work you get to meet more and more people in the same field of work, make more contacts, gain more on the job experience, all good stuff for the next resume you type up. Increased wages will come with more time and experience. Enjoying the present job you have is a big plus. good luck all jmo

 

Speaking from one already in law enforcement I would be a little leary of what training and experience you will get from the security company. It may or may not enhance your resume, it just depends on how well they are respected amongst the law enforcement community. I would stay where you are at or apply as a dispatcher ith some of the higher paying agencies. The reason I would stay is the chief and management will already know your work ethic and such, giving them more reasons to sponsor you. Plus, you will have already learned a lot of the procedure, signals and code, and the employees. All of which will help during your weeks in Field Training.

 

Cuda, you didn't say how old you are .

IMO, it makes a difference to how I would advise you.

 

I'd stay with the dispatcher job, Even at less pay, you're getting real LE experiance. the security job, might be you and another guy playing poker a couple nights a week

 

Wow thanks for all the replies. I'm 23 for the record... just a baby I know.

Nick, thanks for the advice. I, too was leary of the training. However, a friend of mine is currently employed there and has been for quite some time. He has seen more guys than he can count go through the training and head on to careers as POs. The security firm is Federally contracted and as such, it is Fed training standards through the Army. The full title of the training is something to the effect of Army Civilian Defense Academy or something of the sort. It is an armed security force which allows/denies access to a Dept of Defense Research Base.

I do plan to stick with the dispatch and see how my options pan out. Like I said, while dispatching isn't even close to what I'm aspiring to get in to, the dept I'm with now is probably the only place I'd be happy doing what I'm doing. The people are officers and other dispatchers are great, the Chief is approachable and is gung-ho for training (after the probation period passes) I'm trying real hard to do things to stand out amongst the other new hires. We're in the middle of a headquarters move and I've taken on the task of sifting through, cleaning up all the paper work by consolidating and updating names and numbers. There's a lot going for me there. I just don't want to miss this opportunity with the Army security, either. As it stands now, I'm going to stick with dispatch, go through my 120 hour training and take a shift with the Army whenever I can fit it in.

Right now I'm trying to maximize my potential for receiving training and soaking up as much information as I can. Both jobs provide LE experience. One is desk experience, getting a feel for how a dept operates. The other is face to face with people, searches, pat downs, vehicle searches, and firearms training.

Thanks everyone. I love this place.

 

Learn to speak spanish if you want a job in law enforsement

 

Hablo espanol, senor.

 

Do what you think you need to do to get into Law Enforcement. I work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., and they are always looking for people to hire as Deputies. All you need is a clean record. They have a very careful background check.

 

Does this college you dsipatch at offer a Police Sciences type course ?

 

I have a BS in Criminal Justice. The college will actually foot the bill for any undergrad and grad classes I take at the school and up to 75% at approved other schools. I have to be here for 1 year to be able to take advantage of this, but if I'm here after 1 year, I will be abusing that benefit and will get my masters in CJ also as Massachusetts has the Quinn Bill... I would be getting a large %-age over base salary because of the masters.

edgl, I almost uprooted and went to Vegas. They were hiring something like 1,000 officers. However, it was a big risk to move out there for 6 months just to find out whether or not I'd be hired. I'm kind of partial to this part of the country at the moment anyway.

 

Good luck with your pendind career in law enforcement.

 

Good luck with your pending career in law enforcement.