career advice

I've been thinking long and hard about what to do after college, and now I'd like some outside opinions. I have a bachelor degree in environmental science and all during my last semester, this past summer, and now moving into October I have been applying for various jobs. I am concerned that I will not be able to start my career in this economy.

So my options are: To follow my mother's advice and get a basic law enforcement training certification to become a police officer/park ranger. According to her experience from either job could lead to a good paying position with various state agencies like the Department of Natural Resources or the State Bureau of Investigation. or Join the US airforce, commit to a 4 year enlistment, get housed, fed, paid, and trained. the experience and training would be useful and look good on my resume. if I go back to school the GI Bill would pay the full cost of my tuition for 36 months + $1,000 per year for books + about $1,400 per month for housing.

My main career goal is to get a job that pays enough to allow me to live comfortably while paying off my student loans, eventually afford my own home, and have the option for advancement. I want to make the choice that will eventually lead to a good paying job the quickest. I could join the police force and maybe I'll move up to a nice paying position eventually or never go anywhere. I could enlist in the military and since they provide housing and food and I won't have to commute to work I'll essentially be able to pocket my paychecks and after four years I can go back to school and get nearly a full ride on my master's degree. Depending on what degree I choose I think I will be much more employable with a military service record and a master degree. I'll have more choices than now at least, but what training I get in military and what university the GI benefits will apply to won't be up to me. And I will essentially spend another 8 years before i can start my real career. Does anybody have any opinions or experiences that they would like to share about what career choices pay off the most in the long term?

As a veteran, I can tell you that joining the military solely for the benefits is a mug's game. You have to sincerely want to serve your country, even to the point of being willing to die defending it. That said, yes, being a veteran is a huge plus in the current job market, and the GI Bill is an excellent thing.Y Ou might also want to participate in the job ssearch strategy thread.

^ However, he won't be a vet for four years or longer, and there's no telling how much benefit it will be by then...

That's one of the big reasons for not just doing it for the career boost. Being a veteran is an advantage now because there's a general goodwill towards people who've been in, and tax breaks for employers. If the national mood sours ala Vietnam, veteran status will become an albatross.

Also, unless a new major conflict breaks out, force reduction is coming up soon, making veterans a drug on the market and tightening up recruitment standards.

With regard to the military, I'd also caution you to ensure that you're doing something that actually interests you. One of the primary reasons I chose the Army over the other services was that I could get a guarantee of my preferred MOS in writing. I don't know whether or not you are afforded that opportunity in the other services. It is 4 years in a job that you can't quit if you don't like it.

In terms of career, the ideal situation is where your work matches up with your interests, so while it's good that you're planning ahead, I caution you against choosing any one option "just because".

Check out what the education market is like too; if you're planning on going somewhere prestigious, the MGIB might not be enough money on its own.

So I guess the main question I would have for you now, since law enforcement is outside my area of experience, is why the Air Force?

edited 21st Oct '12 4:39:15 PM by HouraiRabbit

The airforce, as far as I know, is an option open to me. The benifits seem nice, I'll get away from the stupid hick town I grew up in with no career prospects, I assume it would help me get a future career, I assume I will have very little living costs and can put most of my pay towards paying off my student loans quicker, the rest I can save for when I get out, if I still need education credentials to get a job I want I'll have the 21st Century GI Bill availible for up to ten years after active duty. The airfore track mosty appeals to my desires to get out of NC, get away from my family, see some new places, get PAID, get fit, and again it just seems like my life in general and future prospects will improve if I get away from home (grass is always greener on the other side). But I have found alot of good practical reasons to join namely the benifits, training, and future career prospects.

I've been job hunting for nearly a year now, I have no money, and my student loans are coming due. I submit applications ever day and I'm pursuing all the other options availible to me. I can't just sit around appling for jobs and hope something comes up, I need to go ahead and make some decisions. That being said, what is the right one? I don't know what the outcome of either path would be until I get there. But I think asking which one is the best career move is a legitimate question. I'd just like to be better informed about the job prospects of either. I know the pay scales and I have ideas about the career options of each, but hearing the personal experience of others would be helpful. Also how do you join as a officer, the recruiters I've talked to have been giving me some bs about my gpa not being high enough and that its much easier to become an officer once you enlist.

edited 22nd Oct '12 3:55:50 PM by nitelyechos

Yeah, I checked in with my veteran support group this morning, and from our experience agreed that the upcoming force reduction is going to tighten the admissions on Officer Candidate School (regardless of branch) considerably. That's also why your GPA is not good enough right now—they can afford to be picky.

Mind you, if you're making the military your career then angling for OCS is definitely the way to go. Officers who've had experience in the ranks are a godsend.

The Air Force is more "particular" about GPA than the other services, in the sense that they have actual defined standards — 2.5 for science degrees and 3.0 for non-science degrees last time I checked. Also, I think the standards are different for rated positions (Pilot, Combat Systems Officer), which incur a much longer service obligation, vs. non-rated positions (everything else).

The other services don't have published standards but if your GPA isn't insanely high you can basically kiss your chances goodbye unless your physical fitness scores are maxed out or near enough to it. In this economy, you've got a lot of people trying to get in from high end colleges with all sorts of degrees in everything from Business Management to Forestry.

If you actually have your bachelor's degree, why are you enlisting instead of trying to get an officer's commission? The actual major you received your degree has little to no effect on your commissioned rank. Also, I'm a little puzzled why you want/need the GI Bill if you've already finished your BA/BS.

Any service can guarantee your MOS/NEC/"job" but most of them will try to get you to sign the dotted line without it being specified, because it gives them more leeway on what they can actually do with you.

As a new enlistee, you can expect to spend a great deal of your time doing stuff like sweeping floors, taking out trash, and maintaining an almost ridiculous standard of cleanliness in your barracks room. Officers do get a better deal as far as that goes.

Because you don't have the temperament to be a leader/manager, because you would prefer to do field work, because your GPA is not high enough, because you want to do cool guy stuff like sniper and long range surveillance courses, which aren't open to officers, or one of several other reasons. The GI Bill can be used for postgraduate education and vocational courses if you so desire, which is why I paid into it despite already having my BS.

I would love to join as an officer. nothing says leadership/managerial experience like being an officer. my ASVAB score is 84, the recruiter says that qualifies me for anything. if they have it in print that you have to have certain scores i guess i'll have to kiss the officer idea goodbye.

edited 25th Oct '12 2:07:26 PM by nitelyechos