How to Choose a Law Enforcement Career

How to Choose a Law Enforcement CareerHow to Choose a Law Enforcement CareerEven after you decide to go for a criminal justice career, the choices dont end. Youll still need to determine what field of criminology youd like to work in. With so much room for specialization, you need to knowhow to make the right choice if you want to go for a law enforcement job. One size does not fit all when it comes to working as a police officer, but fortunately, there are enough special areas within the industry that you can find a career that works for you in just about any specialization. When determining what type of law enforcement career to pursue, you have a lot of decisions to make to pursue the right direction. Level of Government and Jurisdiction Perhaps one of the first things youll want to determine is the level of government you want to work for. Each law enforcement level- local, state, and federal- offers plenty of opportunities in both uniformed and criminal investigative agencie s, each with its own pros and cons. Local Law Enforcement Jobs At the local level, typically all law enforcement careers will begin with a patrol. Basically, everyone at the local level must abflug out as a police officer before they are able to move into areas such as criminal investigations, SWAT, explosive ordnance disposal, or other specialty units. After youve done some time in patrol, you will be able to move up and into more specialized fields. One of the biggest benefits of working for a local agency is that you wont have to worry about moving to start your career, transfer into a new field, or move through the ranks. State Law Enforcement Careers State agencies also have uniformed patrol units usually called state troopers. Troopers are typically responsible for traffic enforcement throughout the state but can have many other duties, depending on the state or agency. In some cases, state agencies may hire investigators who have not had any prior law enforcement expe rience, which means you may be able to bypass the requirement to start out as a patrol officer. Working for a state agency can have a number of benefits over a local department, especially if you want to move up through the ranks. Due to the typically larger sizes of state versus local agencies, there are many more opportunities for advancement at the state level than there are at the local level. You will, however, need to consider the possibility that youll have to move around the state for transfers or promotions, something you would not have to do at the local level. Federal Agentand Officer Jobs Like the state level, the federal government has opportunities for individuals to move right into an investigative role without the need to have been a patrol or uniformed officer. However, the various federal investigative agencies typically require college educations and, in many cases, relevant work experience is also necessary. Also like a state law enforcement career, in the fe deral government, you will very likely be required to relocate. Field offices are operated throughout the country and the U.S. territories. You can also expect to have to move around the country to advance. Job Specializations in Law Enforcement Careers In addition to drehort and jurisdiction, youll want to determine what exactly you would like to do in law enforcement. Different agencies have different missions. Some are tasked with traffic enforcement, while others focus on the environment and conservation. Ultimately, a law enforcement career truly can offer something for everyone. While you probably wont get rich working in law enforcement, there are still plenty of financial incentives plus the chance to make a difference in the lives of everyday people.

3 Attributes You Need to Succeed in a Leadership Role

3 Attributes You Need to Succeed in a Leadership Role3 Attributes You Need to Succeed in a Leadership RoleLets face itbeing a manager or having direct reports in your workplace isnt exactly an intuitive practice. Sure, people may bandy the whole natural born leader phrase about but in reality, leading a team to success takes time, practice, and training. Whether youve recently been promoted or have an eye to a senior level position on your career trajectory, being a successful person in charge is mission critical to growth. While strong skills in this arena cant be granted overnight by Santa Clause or the workplace version of the Tooth Fairy, you can abflug preparing and studying now to sharpen up your skillset. With that in mind, weve compiled three key attributes you need to succeed in a leadership role.Lead by ExampleRemember when your mom used to mutter something about do what I say, not what I do? Well, that works out about as well in the workplace as it did when it came to eati ng your vegetables. Perhaps the most fundamental quality all great leaders possess is an ability to set an example for those in your group and the rest of your company. Perhaps the greatest motivator for those in the workplace is seeing their manager work hard, if not harder than they do. Get into the fray and dont be afraid to get your hands dirty while learning everyday tasks and understanding the functions of those working for you. In the end, youll earn respect, admiration, and a reputation that your workforce will strive to live up to.Know Your LimitationsThis particular leadership quality could have been alternatively named know when to delegate. While you may want to set an example for the rest of your team, this doesnt mean you are capable of doing every job yourself. A successful leader knows that it takes multiple roles and employees to get some of the toughest projects accomplished. Share work with other groups in your company, including reaching out for resources when ne eded. Also dont be afraid to delegate tasks to those you manage, specifically if its within their skillset. Keeping yourself from being overburdened will help you get more done in the end and will also help you develop a reputation for strong teamwork.CommunicationThe last skill that rounds out the management toolbox for successful leaders is a strong communication ability. Whether in writing or verbally, effectively communicating tasks, expectations and your short and long-term vision helps prevent confusion and sets the tone for success versus failure. This is especially important when first beginning a new position or when tasked with implementing a specific project. Psychic mindreading ability is a skill even the most talented among your team wont possess. Communicate key issues and goals, including timelines for completion, and your team will thank you for the clarity.Becoming a strong leader doesnt come naturally to even the most accomplished executives and managers. Practicin g the skills above will set you on the right path to success. Remember to not beat yourself up for the occasional failure or frustration and before you know it people will be admiring your natural leadership skills and ability to manage your team.

How to Stay Motivated at Work

How to Stay Motivated at WorkHow to Stay Motivated at WorkHow to Stay Motivated at WorkHow to keep goin when the goin aint so great.In todays modern job market, candidates are in a position to be sold to. HR and Marketing are partnering together like never before and theyre creating branding initiatives and recruitment campaigns that are geared toward making you want to work there.As candidates, we vokalist a job opportunity leid necessarily by what the employer does or says but in the way that we wish to interpret it. We apply our owncontext filters and might not really hear whats being said (or whats not being said). We may overlook clues in the interview stage that signal a rotten culture or flags that tell us leadership is a mess. Or, we might catch those clues and ignore them anyway.The truth is we want to buy into it. Whether you believe people like being sold to or they like buying, Id split the difference. We like the experience of shopping, and shopping for jobs isnt that di fferent. We will hear what we want to hear from the recruiter or hiring manager and still make our own decisions about the place.This can and will result in disappointment, but dont worry. We all find ourselves in jobs that arent quite what we imagined. Because its work, its not always as simple as just finding a new job. We have bills to pay, mouths to feed, and really - its has to be pretty bad to quit after a month. My advice is always to tough it out for a year at least.When you find yourself in this situation, its really important that you know how to stay motivated at work.Sure, the job might be the pits. Bad culture. Poor leaders. A smorgasbord of un-dream-job-like qualities, but if youre going to be miserable on top of all that, youve got another thing coming.If youre feeling in the pits at work, you need to pull yourself out of it and get motivated. Heres how to stay motivated at work and what you do when the going got tough and youre feeling down and out each day. Here are four self-motivation tips to live by1. Weigh the good.It might be cliche to say, but you need to start off by looking at the bright side. Optimism is going to be the coal in your fire itll keep your engine going and keep you warm. Sometimes you have to stretch yourself to find the good in a situation, but think of whats at stake - your livelihood. Work is where we spend the majority of our time and if we start having feelings of hopelessness there, it could be a slippery slope into depression. Thefacts are there and optimism is good for heart health, life expectancy and success.So how do you conjure up some optimism and self-motivation when the going gets tough? Make a list of everything that is alright with your job. Just write. It doesnt have to be a laundry list of amazing perks, but think about the stuff that is pretty good and start there. You can even start with number one Im employed. Being thankful for the everyday stuff like having a job, is a great way to shift your persp ective. Just google your local unemployment rate and maybe youll feel a bit better.2. Spread the love.When the going gets tough and youre struggling to make yourself happy, try and make someone else happy. In astudy,researchers found that the more people participated in meaningful activities, the happier they were and the more purposeful their lives felt. This is all fine and dandy but how can you apply it at work? Find out what the pain points are and strive to abolish them. Help others out wherever you can. Be a source of positive energy for others. In everything you do, strive to be helpful. It could mean small acts of kindness around the office like refilling the kettle for the next guy or starting a social committee and planning some well-earned fun for your team. Whatever you do, ask yourself if its helpful to someone else and their joy will soon translate to your own.3. Set some goals.Id take an aggressive growth plan and being overworked any day before a job with no purpose or goals. Goals give us meaning and in work, they give us direction. We need a geistesbild to be inspired and without that itll all start to feel pointless. If you find yourself in a situation like this youve got to take the bull by its horns Dont wait for someone to motivate you - try some self-motivation If the vision isnt set, set one. It doesnt have to be an impressive vision, linked to the corporate strategy and all of that. It can be a vision for you and your work. You can frame success within the context of your environment and what is within the scope of your control. Create your own goals, even if theyre small. Having goals and making progress on those goals makes ushappier so go out there and start setting some goals.4. Bask in the sun (when its out).Perspective is everything and gratitude is a big chunk of that. Its so important to realize, acknowledge and be thankful when things are good. Its a great way to know how to stay motivated at work. Being present makes us happi er and critical to that is recognizing the positive. As much as recruiters are trying to tell us dream jobs exist, no job is perfect and there will be highs and lows. Using this information we must trigger ourselves (or better yet, pinch ourselves) when things are going good and relish in it a bit, soak it up. Why? Its going to pass. Hard times will come. Realize that and when the going is good, ride the wave happily.Because we spend 40 hours plus per week at work, its critical that you feel good when youre there. Feeling good starts with you, your perspectives, and attitude. Approach work with optimism, gratitude, and a desire to be helpful and youll have a foundation for a happier workplace.Need help with your resume? 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