Beginning the Job Search

A job search is considered one of most stress-related activities that college graduates face each year. There are many externalities that exist that make this part of life difficult. For example, no one knows what the economy will be like at a certain point or if moving is really an appropriate form of action. I selected Criminal Justice because of my interest in people and making communities safer, better places to live. However, I also realize that this interest will someday undoubtedly take me outside the limits of this city and the state. There is also the idea of moving my children to an unfamiliar city and the challenges that go along with that action. With the aforementioned in mind, I selected the following four employment opportunities for which to discuss:

•Shelby County, TN (Program Coordinator—Division of Corrections)
http://www.jobs.shelbycountytn.gov
•Lincoln City, OR (Police Officer—Lincoln City Police Department)
http://www.jobs.copcareer.com
•Duluth, MN (Police Officer—Duluth Police Department)
http://www.jobscopcareer.com
•Forrest County, MS (Crime Scene Analyst—Bureau of Forensic Services)
http://www.forrestcountyms.us

All of the above mentioned sites are obviously in different parts of the country but also have many differences in regard to scope. For example, the Shelby County, TN position is a grant-funded position as opposed to the others listed. With all being in different parts of the United States and differences in scope; there were many similarities in regard to their qualifications. These similarities are as follows:

•Associates degree or bachelors degree as the minimum education
•Two years experience
•Good communication skills (oral and written)
•Analyzing facts as a qualification (Crime Scene analysis)
•People skills (general public or elected officials)
•Knowledge of applicable laws
•Computer skills (personal computer or police equipment)
•Passage of a background check
•Basic physical skills (i.e. ability to pick up 75 or 150 lbs.)

Prior to selecting the job four job openings, I assumed my qualifications would not be sufficient or match unevenly with others from those respective jurisdictions. However, I realize that when applying for a job, you must remain positive and better access your strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you are a year from graduating; effort should be made to look at various openings and see what potential employers are looking for in an applicant. If the trend is weighed more towards those with CPR certification, then contact local hospitals and the American Red Cross and inquire about upcoming courses. In analyzing the positions, I researched my previous employment history and coursework— and list the following as skills favorable to an employer:
•Good interpersonal skills—I managed up to 40 people in both of my previous jobs which included two check cashing businesses along with debris workers during a natural disaster clean-up.

•Excellent Communication skills—managing people in both the private and public sector requires good oral skills as well as written. This includes talking to the general public and writing reports for regional managers and elected officials.
•Knowledge of applicable laws—being manager of a check cashing establishment required me to learn local laws as it related to personal property laws and credit laws. Knowledge of local laws be obtained through research; both online and in the local law library.
•Computer skills—extensive knowledge in all of the Microsoft Office Suite along with municipal and county related accounting software.
•Skillful in analysis—working with FEMA after Hurricane Katrina allowed me to quickly analyze during hectic situations and apply knowledge learned through training to apply to situation(s).
All of the aforementioned skills would be addressed in both my cover letter and resume. In my cover letter, I would concentrate on the skill sets along with my working attributes (i.e. hardworking, attention to detail). The resume would simply outline the duties of those jobs in a way to address what the employer was seeking in an applicant. A heading titled skills would be added in bulleted form in an effort to highlight those skills; thereby, making it easier for an employer to find as opposed to reading through text and paragraphs.

I feel that with the requirements set forth in the announcements, the Lincoln City, Oregon job is more applicable at this time. This decision was based on the minimum requirement of having a high school diploma or GED. I would have preferred the Shelby County, Tennessee job due to its work with fathers and help the families function in more productive environments. Again, this is what motivated me to this major was the idea of making a difference in the community. However, that does not mean that the Lincoln City job would not allow me to make a difference. The difference is that Shelby County would allow more one on one counseling type situations. However, I would mention in an interview with Lincoln City, my desire to pursue community outreach in my position in order to make an immediate and lasting impact in the community. This would be mentioned in the cover letter along with concentrating on my analytical and other skills as outlined above.