Just got back from Orientation... new questions...

[howey]

Well, I had my Orientation for the department last night, May 2nd. There were roughly 50 applicants that attended this meeting. The Orientation basically went over what we could expect during the hiring process. The Chief as well as the FTO and other board members spoke. The department is small in size but very advanced/well-funded and the community is growing very rapidly including new sub-divisions and industrial/commercial developements.

Everything sounded great up until one of the board members stated that there were currently no open positions. I was very disapointed to hear this since this department was one that I was really excited about.

After the Orientation was over, I approached one of the board members and asked him, “What were the chances of positions being open in the near future?” He assured me that every time that they established an eligibility list they went through the entire list within a 24month period. Here is how it works...

1) Take the written exam. Based on the score that you achieve is your rank on the list.
2) Apply for preference points (military, college, LEO 5points max)
3) The final list is sent out. Based on this list is the order you will be called for an open position. Every Position that opens, the top 5 applicants are called into test further.

Once you get the call:
4) IL POWER Test
5) Oral Interview with P&F commission
6) BI started
7) Polygraph
8) conditional offer of employment
9) physc eval
10) med/drug test
11) Sworn in LEO
12) Attend the Academy (12 weeks)
13) FTO (12 weeks)
14) 18 months probation.

Here are my questions regarding this outlined process.
1) Have any of you experienced a similar process were no open positions were available but still got a call within a reasonable amount of time (please specify rank on list)?
2) Is this a common tactic used to discourage those who don't want the job bad enough from moving any further in the process or is this a sign that I should look else were and put this department on the "back-burner"?

Thanks in advance for any input.

[valycop]

Here are my questions regarding this outlined process.
1) Have any of you experienced a similar process were no open positions were available but still got a call within a reasonable amount of time (please specify rank on list)?

Hi ya "Howey" (Paul)-

Yep after taking a job at one agency in Maryland I received a call from the first Maryland agency I really wanted to work for. I was number 12 on their list of applicants. The call came after I had completed the processing about six months before. I stayed with the agency who hired me out of a sense of appreciation since they did hire me.

2) Is this a common tactic used to discourage those who don't want the job bad enough from moving any further in the process or is this a sign that I should look else were and put this department on the "back-burner"?

I have never believed this was a tactic to discourage anyone because of the expense involved. An agency many times will establish an eligibility list for their future needs, which simply saves time in the hiring and screening process. Like I said in my thread "So you want to become a cop" if the first agency doesn't hire you apply at others. I know you're disappointed, but I want you to jump right back in and start looking at other agencies. Keeping trying and best of luck.

[Unit19]

^^^^ Can't explain it any better than that.

[howey]

Hi ya "Howey" (Paul)-

Yep after taking a job at one agency in Maryland I received a call from the first Maryland agency I really wanted to work for. I was number 12 on their list of applicants. The call came after I had completed the processing about six months before. I stayed with the agency who hired me out of a sense of appreciation since they did hire me.




I have never believed this was a tactic to discourage anyone because of the expense involved. An agency many times will establish an eligibility list for their needs, which simply saves time in the hiring and screening process. Like I said in my thread "So you want to become a cop" if the first agency doesn't hire you apply at others. I know you're disappointed, but I want you to jump right back in and start looking at other agencies. Keeping trying and best of luck.

hey Valycop,

As always you offer very sound advice. I have already started contacting more departments and will begin filling out their applications as soon as they are available. Though it was disapointing, by no means does this deter me in anyway. Being a LEO is my goal and I won't ever loose sight of it.

I was lucky enough to get one of the board members to go into a little more detail about the written exam they will be giving this Saturday, May 6th. 10 part test, 2hrs, and he gave me a discription of each part and what it will cover. I have been doing practice tests every night for the past two weeks. I know the test won't be exact but I have my mind thinking in the right direction which I believe will be very helpful. I know my only real chance of working with this department is to score as high as possible. Hopefully in the top 5 which out of 50 applicants is the top 10%. This should be obtainable.

I'll post back when I get my ranking in about 2 weeks.

-cheers

[DeltaV]

Like valycop said, it's pretty common for a department to develop an eligibility list in anticipation of future openings. Hiring a LEO isn't the same as hiring someone in the private sector. While with many corporate jobs all you have to do is go through an interview, there are many steps to the LE hiring process, as you know. When a position becomes available, the department wants to be able to fill it as quickly as possible. Waiting to take applications until a position becomes available would mean that the department would have to wait months to be able to fill that open position while people go through the testing process.

That said, I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket.