Getting a job near Pittsburgh?

[Camaro 22]

Ok, after graduating the academy what is the trick to finding a job besides knowing someone and looking at the sunday paper each week? What's appropriate? Just send resumes to every local department? Also, how long usually does it take to hear from a department after turning an application/resume in?

[99TAC]

All I gotta say is good luck with that. After 2 years of applying and ranking in the top 5 for several depts. without luck, I've learned how political it is. I thought I'd always stay in Pgh, but I just landed a job outside the area and am much happier for it. Having academy is a must. I didn't, and could only apply to a few depts. and was still being passed over for people who had Act 120 even when I ranked higher. It became real frustrating seeing people hired who should probably be wearing a "special" helmet, but they had relatives who were councilmen. All you can do is keep checking the post-gazette and applying anywhere you can. As long as you don't mind working part time for $12/hr with no benefits, you can land a job fairly easily. Anyways, best of luck, it's real competitive around Western PA.

[PittsburghKid]

All I gotta say is good luck with that. After 2 years of applying and ranking in the top 5 for several depts. without luck, I've learned how political it is. I thought I'd always stay in Pgh, but I just landed a job outside the area and am much happier for it. Having academy is a must. I didn't, and could only apply to a few depts. and was still being passed over for people who had Act 120 even when I ranked higher. It became real frustrating seeing people hired who should probably be wearing a "special" helmet, but they had relatives who were councilmen. All you can do is keep checking the post-gazette and applying anywhere you can. As long as you don't mind working part time for $12/hr with no benefits, you can land a job fairly easily. Anyways, best of luck, it's real competitive around Western PA.

Exactly what TAC said. I took the City test and the County test. Realized that the county was a waste of my time. And its a shame Pittsburgh only tests every few years. That is why I looked beyond Pittsburgh for a job because it is way too political. I dont know that the Part time without benefits is a good idea, unless you just wanna use that for experience while looking for a full time job. You might be better off looking beyond like I did, maybe DC area, or somewhere close by. Maryland and Virginia and around that area is really hiring. I even seen that Suffolk County on Long Island is hiring and testing next June. They make dough. Best of luck with whatever you choose. Im waiting on the letter or call from PG County in MD.

PittsburghKid

[crowbar]

Pennsylvania is all around a bad state to find a job in LE. The citys that do pay well have crazy residency requirements. Ther are some townships out my way that dont have the requirements but are like the rest of the state, its in who you know. One good thing I can say, is that if you are willing to relocate, when the city of Harrisburg tests all of the local townships test with them and all of the people who pass are put into a pool and the departments pick and choose who they want from there test scores. They are not hiring now but they usually test about twice a year. Here is an old link that gives some more info http://www.officer.com/jobs/detail.jsp?id=2471 The pay is crazy good and the benefits are sweet. Even if you dont want to relocate for good, you would get a lot of experience fast!! Harrisburg is pretty bad. I have worked at Dauphin county Prison (should be called Harrisburg city prison) for 5 years and we house an average of 1300 inmates a day. In the time that I have been there 7k new ones came and i cant count how many reapet visitors we have had with a calculator. This area sucks, but it is close to all the major citys and you can slip away easy. I moved here from johnstown for the job. There a lot of jobs out here that pay good! We make 20 an hour at the prison.