I’ve been getting a lot of requests from law enforcement professionals who are contemplating retirement and going into the private sector. Many feel burnt out and are looking for a change. Some just feel it’s time to pull the plug. They put in 20+ years of service, and are looking forward to doing something outside of law enforcement but don’t know where to begin. The biggest mistake I see prospective retirees make is they start planning for life after law enforcement a few m

I’ve been blogging for a while on law enforcement transitions to the private sector (Cop to Corporate). A few years back only retired cops were looking for jobs in the private sector, mostly to augment their pensions.  Today, more and more rookie and mid-career cops are reaching out for advice on leaving a career they once loved but feel it’s not worth it anymore. Yesterday, an officer reached out to me. He just hit his 3 year anniversary in a PD near Ferguson, MO. He was in

A few people who read my last blog asked me what to do if their reputation was blemished.  Many were unable to find a job because something negative had come up about their past in a job interview.  Some had been fired from their previous jobs and were publicly shamed via press releases or off-the-record comments to the media.  I’m not going into the details of my discussions; however I’ve met many competent professionals that had either made a mistake through lapses in judge

In my last blog I wrote about resume recommendations and focused on the hard way to get a corporate job.  When you see a job posting online, in the paper, or through a job search service, you’re already at a disadvantage.  Why?  You and everyone else are looking at the same position.  The sheer number of qualified law enforcement professionals outnumber the jobs available.  When you apply “cold,” you’re just one of hundreds thinking they are the one.  You start visualizing yo

My friend Josh at Police Muscle asked if I would answer a few questions on transitioning to the corporate sector: Cop to Corporate Life Have you ever thought what it would look like to work in the corporate world? Have you ever wondered how your skills translate outside of law enforcement? I know I’ve asked myself these questions. I was lucky enough to interview Brian Tuskan, a man who is a great example of transitioning into the corporate world. Brian has not only transition

Most police departments do not require a resume for sworn officers when applying for another position or specialty unit.  If they do, the resume encompasses the officer’s entire body of work which usually requires multiple pages listing everything they did since the beginning of time. Many that I’ve coached will send me their resume that’s eight pages long and include a 20 page training record – single space of course :-).  I may be embellishing a bit but it’s not too far fro

Listening and looking for the signs when times get tough and challenging.

Police work is very demanding but can be very rewarding.  It’s not easy to get a job as a police officer especially in an accredited department.  It takes months or even over a year from the time you apply to when you start the academy.  I remember my police academy orientation in 1989 (Honolulu Police Department).  The lead instructor frankly told the class (which included spouses and significant others for the orientation) that half of the class would not make it to graduat

I recently wrote a blog on Pinkerton’s website on transitioning from law enforcement to the corporate / private security sector http://www.pinkerton.com/blog/corporate-security-investigator-career I received a few comments on the blog but a lot of people emailed me with questions directly.  After trying to answer all the inquiries I figured I should try my hand at blogging on the topic of “Life After Law Enforcement” and hopefully we’ll build enough content to give law enforc