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How Skills from Any Industry Are Transferable to Policing

 

Starting a new career in policing can be intimidating, especially when you have a footing in another profession.
 
Policing is one of Canada's top 25 jobs and is a profession that comes with great responsibility, confidence, and power. There are stringent guidelines in the recruiting and selection processes in an attempt to ensure that only ideal candidates make it through the hiring process.
 

When you apply to be a police officer, you will typically have to go through a series of tasks such as: Aside from these tasks, you will need to interview well and possibly do so multiple times. If you are coming to policing after spending some time in another job, you may be concerned that your skillset will not be transferable to policing.
 
The good news is that your career in policing is not over before it began; many jobs and life skills are easily transferable to policing!
 
If you are interested in a career in policing, read on to see how your other job skills are transferable to a policing career.

Minimum Requirements

To even start the application process to become a police officer, you will need to meet minimum requirements, and some of these are as follows: There may be additional requirements depending on the police force. Many have stipulations about driving records and a university degree, and some even have restrictions about certain tattoos.



 

 

Skills That Transfer to Policing

Working in law enforcement is a highly-favoured career in Canada, and for a good reason. A policing career consists of protecting the community and helping community members. With it comes a substantial pension, job security, and a competitive salary. With these benefits and the seriousness of the job, only a small number of adept and accomplished people will see their dream come to fruition.
 
Having worked in other careers does not automatically disqualify you from a career in law enforcement. Many skills are fine-tuned in other industries that will translate well into a policing career and may even help you get hired.

Conscientiousness
Someone who is exceptionally conscientious could do well as a police officer. A conscientious person has integrity, high ethical standards, sound moral principles, enjoys cleanliness, organization, completing projects ahead of schedule, and is attentive to details and specifics.

Adaptability
Adaptability is an essential skill as a police officer. This skill helps police because of the fast pace of the job, and someone adaptable can learn new skills and behaviours and adapt to continually changing circumstances.

Someone demonstrating adaptability is self-assured, flexible and can decide on the spot and respond effectively to less than optimal working conditions.

Perseverance
Perseverance is an essential skill in a police officer as the job sometimes requires working through issues that seem to have no end in sight. A police officer will also need to complete tasks even with distractions and detractors. 

Perseverance can also connect with initiative, and for instance, a drawn-out issue will lead a skilled police officer to initiate a new technique to deal with the problem. A person that will persevere will take action without instruction and can do so even when facing adversity.

Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are great to have as a police officer. While there are a lot of types of policing action, a lot of police work has to do with communicating with other police officers and citizens. A person with excellent interpersonal skills is willing to accept feedback, is socially aware, and builds trust. A police officer needs to be able to develop and maintain relationships with coworkers and citizens.

Verbal & Written Communication Skills
The ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing is essential to policing. You will need to receive information and then relay it for other people to read and understand.

Problem Solving
An individual who is a problem solver can work well as a police officer because they can identify the issue at hand and take each person's interests into account while offering amenable solutions or ones that are non-violent.

A problem solver will make decisions based on logic, facts, and the possible outcome.

Stress Management
Stress management is an excellent skill to have as a police officer. People who manage stress well develop healthy responses to stress and work well under pressure. They can also establish boundaries and know how to relax and recharge to return to an incredibly stressful job where there is ambiguity in the day and a greater risk to personal safety.

A Good Memory/Good Recall
A good memory and the ability to recall information are essential skills for a police officer. You will need to make observations, remember information that will help make your job easier, recognize important events, and record them for later use.
Get a Leg Up on Other Candidates
Police hiring standards are understandably high. As a result, people believe that it is not a viable career based on little more than their own misconceptions and lack of confidence. This is especially true if you have spent time in another profession. However, your skills that have been honed in another career can work toward your police career.
 
At Police Test Tutor, we understand what it takes to succeed in the police hiring process. We can help you understand precisely what you bring to the table so you can find a career with the police force or with the Canadian Forces, the Correctional Service of Canada, or Canadian Border Services.
 
Police Test Tutor provides a motivating and practical learning experience with specifically designed tutoring material and practice tests.
 
From test prep and interview coaching to professionally crafted resumes, Police Test Tutor provides an award-winning service that positions your success as the ultimate goal.
 
Do not let your law enforcement dreams pass you by. Contact Police Test Tutor today to get started!