Elementary school teacher or police officer?

What should I do?

  • Elementary Teacher

    Votes: 7 58.3%

  • Police Officer with intention of becoming a dectective

    Votes: 5 41.7%
  • Total voters
    12
Plainview

Plainview

I am a sinner.
Sep 11, 2013
48,171
25,404
4,279
I think I narrowed down my career choices to the above. It's a toss up between them. Both have pros and cons. I'll list what I think are the pros and cons of each and anybody in either profession feel free to add to it. I chose these two because I've had interest in the past for both of them. The biggest draw is that once you're in, you're in unless you screw up royally. These would probably be my last jobs and will retire doing so.

Elementary School Teacher
Pros
Summers off
Helping shape our youth
High demand for male elementary teachers
I enjoy passing on my knowledge
I like being around kids
Kids love me
City job
Pension
Lifetime health insurance after retirement
Retire in 20 years
Can earn extra as a tutor and/or teach at a college/University well
Summer job

Cons
Long hours
Average wages, very little overtime slow raises
Own money used for a lot of class room materials
Not sure if I would love it
Father figure
Parents who are withdrawn from helping kids with school work
Difficult parents and student
Stress
Have to work harder outside of profession to earn extra money (tutoring, teach at a college/University)
Availability of a summer job that pays decently
Two years to complete education and training
$40,000 minimum for school

Police Officer
Pros
Large salary and lucrative overtime
Pension
Lifetime health insurance after retirement
Retire in 20 years
Helping the public
Keeping my city secure
City job
I love investigation and my intention is to become a detective. If I can't, then, no go.
Chicks dig a man in a uniform
A brotherhood
Complete in six months once accepted
Full salary once accepted and in academy

Cons
Live is constantly in danger
Stress
I've shot a gun once but I do have a fear still
Perception of the job by some of the public
May turn away a potential wife due to the dangers of the job
Not sure how I will react being the low man on the totem pole
Born leader and want to lead but may take a decade to get there

Whew, that's a comprehensive list but I'm sure I missed a ton.
 
Chicks dig a man in a uniform
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This should be all the information you need to make a sound decision.

Seriously though, this does seem like a difficult decision. Both career paths are so different and would take your life in completely different directions.

Personally I think I'd go with teacher. Can't beat those vacations.
 
Z A C K said:
This should be all the information you need to make a sound decision.

Seriously though, this does seem like a difficult decision. Both career paths are so different and would take your life in completely different directions.

Personally I think I'd go with teacher. Can't beat those vacations.
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Ah, that's another thing. Whenever you go on vacation, the kids are on vacation. That means that vacation destinations will have more kids than say if you went a few weeks before spring or winter break. It's a plus and a minus. I don't think that would bother me though. But then again, being around kids all the time I may want a break from them when on vacation?
 
You should be warned that teaching jobs have a surplus of people, meaning tougher competition. My dad was able to get some teaching jobs together thanks to his long teaching history before landing something at Chase. My mom has been a teacher's aid forever too. My first thought is that you have a personality more in line with a teacher I'd think. Cops obviously have problems of their own, in addition to a lack of vacation days, you'd be dealing with internal politics along with external. Had a brother who wanted to become a cop, but I think being a guard at Cook County prison has made him not want to deal with such a job. That's another thing, you're gonna have to pay some dues before you become a cop. It's all about waiting for a spot to open up and who knows when that'll happen.

Great positives for each job though.
 
Tough decision. But it's good for a person to experience both worlds from time to time and see what they like.
 
I went back to school at 29 and got a 2 year college diploma in police foundations.
Its mostly a study of law, pychology and political science. Graduated and had the intention of helping my community and making it a safer place.
Now here's the reality... for the first five or six years you'll be babysitting crackheads and drunks. Youll be going to the same homes again and again for domestics. Most of your friends will abandon you. You can choose to become a colder more calius person, or you can take your job home with you, get divorced and have a mental breakdown. You'll see things you won't ever forget no matter how much you wish you could. Lastly I hope you enjoy playing office politics because if you don't buddy up to the right people your career isn't going anywhere and you'll be holding a radar gun for 20 years.
 
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DJ Deadscope said:
I went back to school at 29 and got a 2 year college diploma in police foundations.
Its mostly a study of law, pychology and political science. Graduated and had the intention of helping my community and making it a safer place.
Now here's the reality... for the first five or six years you'll be babysitting crackheads and drunks. Youll be going to the same homes again and again for domestics. Most of your friends will abandon you. You can choose to become a colder more calius person, or you can take your job home with you, get divorced and have a mental breakdown. You'll see things you won't ever forget no matter how much you wish you could. Lastly I hope you enjoy playing office politics because if you don't buddy up to the right people your career isn't going anywhere and you'll be holding a radar gun for 20 years.
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For some reason I thought your career was a DJ..
 
Wait, you have yet to start your career? Wow, & already have a famous gaming site.
 
kindergarten_Robocop.jpg
 
Well I'm sure policing is different over here but I quite enjoy my job. The main reason I went for it was to avoid being in an office all day every day. I actually considered teaching (well lecturing) but chose not to do it. In a way I wish I had as after 5 years as a police officer it's easy to become jaded and sick of the idiotic policies and the fact that you have to completely tow the line and kiss ass to get anywhere. If you actually disagree with something and are brave (or stupid) enough to say it, you're gonna get nowhere fast.

The whole system (again, over here) is set up in a manner whereby you have to tow the party line, even though you know it's stupid and you know that your bosses know it's stupid, and that their bosses know it's stupid, but that none have the balls to say it because it'll ruin their career. So the bullsh*t is perpetuated, even by decent people who eventually become so detached from front line policing that they actually start to believe the bullsh*t they're pedalling.

However, despite the above, the job can be great fun.
 
with all those hot MILFS walking about your "campus" I think the choice is clear.
 
BraddersTheDog said:
Well I'm sure policing is different over here but I quite enjoy my job. The main reason I went for it was to avoid being in an office all day every day. I actually considered teaching (well lecturing) but chose not to do it. In a way I wish I had as after 5 years as a police officer it's easy to become jaded and sick of the idiotic policies and the fact that you have to completely tow the line and kiss ass to get anywhere. If you actually disagree with something and are brave (or stupid) enough to say it, you're gonna get nowhere fast.

The whole system (again, over here) is set up in a manner whereby you have to tow the party line, even though you know it's stupid and you know that your bosses know it's stupid, and that their bosses know it's stupid, but that none have the balls to say it because it'll ruin their career. So the bullsh*t is perpetuated, even by decent people who eventually become so detached from front line policing that they actually start to believe the bullsh*t they're pedalling.

However, despite the above, the job can be great fun.
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Politics would be an issue in both careers. It's which one would be more beneficial when having to play the political game?
 
Plainview said:
Politics would be an issue in both careers. It's which one would be more beneficial when having to play the political game?
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I feel like people hate teachers less when it comes down to it. Maybe it's because I'm from Illinois where the teacher's union is strong, but it seems like people do support teachers more often than cops. Cops seem to take care of each other more though. More of a brotherhood if you will.
 
sharkboy1200 said:
I feel like people hate teachers less when it comes down to it. Maybe it's because I'm from Illinois where the teacher's union is strong, but it seems like people do support teachers more often than cops. Cops seem to take care of each other more though. More of a brotherhood if you will.
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If the brotherhood is anything like this, then I change my vote:

172965-brotherhoodheader.jpg
 
Being in a room full of screaming kids 8 hours a day 9 months a year for the next 20 years sounds like a freaking nightmare to me.

Depending on whats available, you could have to start your criminal justice carreer as a corrections officer before being promoted to patrol. Which is essentially babysitting inmates all day. But you will certainly see some crazy stuff, and have to be ready to get physical at the drop of a hat. I had a friend who was a State Trooper before he failed a drug test. He had to go to a lot of traffic accidents, and saw some horrible things. He specifically recalled a fatal accident he had gotten the call to, and one of the victims was an infant. Personally, I don't think I would have handled that well. But I agree with you regarding being a detective, that would be a job that I would actually look forward to work everyday.
 
Soda Jack said:
Being in a room full of screaming kids 8 hours a day 9 months a year for the next 20 years sounds like a freaking nightmare to me.

Depending on whats available, you could have to start your criminal justice carreer as a corrections officer before being promoted to patrol. Which is essentially babysitting inmates all day. But you will certainly see some crazy stuff, and have to be ready to get physical at the drop of a hat. I had a friend who was a State Trooper before he failed a drug test. He had to go to a lot of traffic accidents, and saw some horrible things. He specifically recalled a fatal accident he had gotten the call to, and one of the victims was an infant. Personally, I don't think I would have handled that well. But I agree with you regarding being a detective, that would be a job that I would actually look forward to work everyday.
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I always hear everyone in Criminal Justice has to start as a patrolman before you move into anything else. Yeah being a detective sounds cool, but holding a radar gun and wrestling with drug addicts not so cool.
 
I have been an engineer for a while. Almost a decade. Now I am giving a short at game developer/writer. I actually been twice to interview for high school teacher, but was twice rejected, but I am very glad for it now, as I ma in a good position now.

To become a writer/developer have been something I wanted to do (after realizing I do not cut as a professional footballer)at some point, even better I can do both at same time (aka native driven game).

I say, just go for it. Isn't there some relieve teacher/ volunteer cop thing, which you can do, & gauge to see if you really wanted it. I suppose being a cop in USA can be very dangerous, unlike cop here (they lead a very charm life, & I persume make reports of lost phones, vandalism, car accident, along these lines), but the uniform are bloody badass though.
 
Soda Jack said:
Being in a room full of screaming kids 8 hours a day 9 months a year for the next 20 years sounds like a freaking nightmare to me.

Depending on whats available, you could have to start your criminal justice carreer as a corrections officer before being promoted to patrol. Which is essentially babysitting inmates all day. But you will certainly see some crazy stuff, and have to be ready to get physical at the drop of a hat. I had a friend who was a State Trooper before he failed a drug test. He had to go to a lot of traffic accidents, and saw some horrible things. He specifically recalled a fatal accident he had gotten the call to, and one of the victims was an infant. Personally, I don't think I would have handled that well. But I agree with you regarding being a detective, that would be a job that I would actually look forward to work everyday.
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Not lying, that is the one single job on this planet I can say I would not do, ever. Too much Lockup Raw! I've say it all the time when I watch it. There's just no way on this planet that I would do that.
 
Neither! Go into business.

Pros
- Good pay. Assuming you work a good place and do well, you should make about $100,000 by your mid-30s assuming you got after a role that will reach mid level or higher. I'd say just about every mid level worker who works closely with me makes somewhere in the $80,000-120,000 range no problem. Directors I work with make around $150,000. VPs and up $175,000-200,000+. However, if you plan on or get pigeonholed being some kind of coordinator or clerk for your career, you'll probably never make more that $60,000-ish
- Annual bonus. Assuming your company is big enough to offer bonuses and does decently well, you should get about 10-30% depending on your role. For me, my bonuses for the past 3 years has been 15-19%
- Depending on the job, free cell phone and company car or car allowance. Sales always gets car perks. Marketing and Cat Man do some times. All high level jobs (regardless of dept typically get car perks).
- Free or discounted products
- Learn the ins and outs of how businesses work.... retail, supplier, distribution etc.... 1% of business stuff you read in textbooks applies to real life. I love it. It's amazing when you find out how thigs actually work and all the wheeling and dealing. And when you go to stores and see products out there you know exactly what it takes to get it from conception to negotiations to shelf
- Work with lots of great people who are typically smart and have good work ethic.... lazy asses or bad performers typically get canned
- Trust me. Nothing feels better than working with different depts, VPs and the Country Manager discussing business and strategies. It's fun. It's thought provoking. And when everyone is trying to do their best and we strike gold executing great plans it's feels great. The team did something that will really affect the business. The CEO is who gets face time on TV, but it's the people below who drive the business
- Unionized workers are typically harder working too. They aren't dumb and are on company bonus plans too. They'll negotiate off the clock to still ensure the company does well and not try to sink the ship (at least at the places I've worked at). It's sad when you hear about some industries where the union guys try to sabotage the company and drive it into the ground. I've been lucky and the union guys my companies have had (warehouse crews) have never done hardball tactics like that
- Meet lots of great people/celebrities from the industry due to personal contacts or meeting them at trade shows
- Assuming you're in sales, marketing or a related role.... that awesome Annual Sales Meeting!
- If want to be one, you can become a manager
- Everyone is an adult. No kids to babysit
- Many places have half day Fridays
- Industry employment. Once you get experience in a job and industry, you have a leg up on people who don't for future jobs. Many types of industries overlap, but it doesn't matter because some types of jobs can be applied to lots of industries so you won't get pigeon-holed
- Once you get a great resume and work experience, you'll have no problem getting jobs as recruiters will find you and be asking you on phone or email if you are looking for a new job because they have various clients looking for someone like you
- You have flexibility to take days off when you want. You can work from home sometimes if you want. As long as you give the team a heads-up that you can't make it to work that's fine. Do what you need to do and see you at work tomorrow

Cons
- I don't think pensions are as good as government ones
- Less holidays and no summers off
- Anything to do with carry over paid sick days, carry over sick days forever, banking this and that.... none of that. The best I got was 5 vacation day carryover you have to use up by the end of January of the next year. Absolutely zero sick day carryover perks
- If you don't like getting reviewed by peers and/or managers, you won't like working in business. Most companies have annual performance review processes
- If you want to be a clock watcher and do ho-hum work, you'll probably get lousy performance reviews and be canned if you don't improve
- Job security is pretty much zero. You can get canned at any time
- Most business jobs have a line of command, so unless you are the top cheese, you'll have a boss. And that person will have a boss. If the bosses suck, you'll hate it. Most government jobs have less supervision on a regular basis and depending on your job possibly no annual reviews. Therefore, a gov't job is pretty safe and there is little concern from a boss bossing you around
- Working in an office, you have to be good with systems. If someone is trying to get by nowadays (unless you a high level person) being an old school pen and paper guy, you're on your way out. They'd rather hire young people who can and will learn new things and processes
- Office politics. Some have them some don't. If it does, it stinks. I've seen people quit, I've seen assheads promoted due to sucking up, I've seen people get ratted on for leaving early you name it
- Everyone is an adult. If you like kids, an office is not for you!
 
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Videodrome said:
I always hear everyone in Criminal Justice has to start as a patrolman before you move into anything else. Yeah being a detective sounds cool, but holding a radar gun and wrestling with drug addicts not so cool.
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Its not like that around here. Its rare for a patrol job to come open. Have to wait until someone gets promoted, dies, or retires. Most cops around here come out of academy, either apply for a state job as highway patrol and move away, or get a job at the jail as a CO and move up from there. I suppose its possible to start as patrol if you are willing to move anywhere in the state.
 
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