Criminal Justice and Criminology Career Experience

Criminal Justice and Criminology Career ExperienceCriminal Justice and Criminology Career ExperienceFor both new graduates getting ready to enter the workforce and for seasoned folks looking to make a career change, one huge obstacle often stands in the way experience. Its the age-old job search paradox. You cant get a job without having experience, but you cant get any experience if you dont have a job. In criminology and criminal justice careers, the problem remains how can you land a job if you dont have any experience in the field, and if you cant land a job, how do you gain experience? Are You Experienced? As frustrating as it can seem, there are solutions. It is possible to get the experience you need to land the job you want. In fact, you may already have it. To put yourself in the best position to get the career of your dreams, youll need to articulate the experience you have, and then augment it with experience youll need. First Things First Before you worry about jo b experience, make aya you know what job you want. All too often, people decide to make a career change or earn a degree in a field without doing the research necessary to learn whether or not theyll be able to get a job. By determining what sorts of careers youd be interested in well before you start hitting the ground on your job search, you can start working on getting real-world experience in your chosen field. What Experience Do You Need? Assuming youve done your research, then youll know what type of experience and education youre going to need and what kind of skills your industry requires. For an idea of what sort of experience youll need when it comes to jobs in criminal justice and criminology, heres a quick rundown of some of the basic skills and experience employers will want to see Written communicationOral communicationInterpersonal skillsAnalyticalResearchCustomer service and public contactResponsibilityGood judgmentDecision makingHonestyIntegrityPublic service So me jobs, such as becoming a police officer, will require minimal real-world experience in the actual field. Instead, relevant work experience can be found in a variety of occupations and environments including past employment, college education, and prior military service. Articulating Past Experience The polygraph exam or background investigations will go a long way toward demonstrating your level of honesty and integrity. The rest youll have to explain in your resume or job application. Heres the good news Chances are, if you dig into your past work experience, you will likely find that youve already got what you need. At least in the abstract. The key to is to be able to articulate how the experience youve already got can translate into the career you want. For example, written communications skills can be demonstrated through college coursework and your correspondence with your potential employers. Customer service and public contact can be shown through a variety of part-ti me jobs, including waiting tables and working as a cashier. Essentially, any job youve ever had in which you were required to interact with the public can demonstrate interpersonal skills, customer service, public contact work experience and even oral communication. Getting the Experience You Need What happens, though, when you find your experience doesnt quite stack up to employers expectations? Heres the part you dont want to hear. The truth is that if youre serious about getting the job you want, you may have to work for free for a little while, anyway. Many professional careers in criminology and criminal justice will require you to have prior experience in your chosen field. That experience, though, doesnt necessarily have to be paid experience. If youre still in school, look for internships, whether paid or unpaid. You can find them through your universitys career development office or by contacting the types of agencies you want to work for and asking to speak with someo ne in their hiring or recruitment office. If youve already finished school, consider volunteer work, informational interviews, and job shadowing. Because so many criminal justice and criminology jobs are public service positions, its quite likely that you will be able to go on ride alongs, tour facilities and even volunteer your time to assist in some areas. Internships and volunteer work can help get you the experience you need. They can also demonstrate your commitment to your chosen profession and, even more importantly, provide you with vital contacts to assist you in your job hunt. Finding Internships and Opportunities When looking for opportunities to volunteer or intern, be sure that your volunteer work is relevant to the job youre trying to get. For example, if your dream is to work in forensic science, you will want to demonstrate experience working in a laboratory doing field research. It can be accomplished by contacting your local university for information about hel ping out in the physical sciences departments. Some places to look for opportunities for internships and volunteer work include Colleges and universitiesLocal police, sheriffs and state patrol stationsMental health facilitiesCommunications centersJuvenile justice centersHomeless sheltersDrug and alcohol counseling centersDomestic violence refuge centers Just because you think you lack experience doesnt mean you need to give up on your dream job. It is possible to find success in your job search by looking at the experience youve already got and articulating how that experience can translate to your chosen career. Work Toward the Job You Want Even if you dont have that experience, with a little self-determination and personal sacrifice, you can gain the skills you need through internships and volunteer work. Through research, work and dedication, youll have no trouble finding a great job in criminal justice or criminology.