Career Change: Financial Analyst to Police Officer

[Triforceofcourage]

I have a BS in accounting. I worked as an accountant for two years. I have been
working as a financial analys lt for three years now. I don't
really want to do this work anymore and would like to become
a cop. I am currently 28 years old. Is it even possible to make
this change? How would I go about doing it?

 

[2Xtreme21]

Enroll in your local police academy? You can do it, but expect a huge pay cut.

 

[FoBoT]

you are young enough, go for it
cube farm life FTL

 

[Hacp]

If you still have your job, keep your job. Many Precincts aren't hiring.

 

[Triforceofcourage]

If you still have your job, keep your job. Many Precincts aren't hiring.

I do still have my job. It's just very unfulfilling.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Join the FBI and you can do both.

 

[Hacp]

I do still have my job. It's just very unfulfilling.

Live with it until the economy gets better. If you really can't wait, start by taking the police exam. The here is the website for the NYPD.

http://www.nypdrecruit.com/NYPD_TheHiringProcess.aspx

 

[PsiStar]

Pay for cops follows locale more closely than business. Although size of force is definitely a factor. With some experience you could be *the* cop in a rural area for less pay (& still do their taxes), or could be a state cop (more pay) & stationed in a heavily populated area (& still do their taxes). Either way you still get to legally carry a side arm & shoot people ... kidding .. just kidding! But you do.

I once paid for a guy's tuition for "cop training". Was cheap for me at the time, and in retrospect I think it was the best thing I ever did. He is like the "perfect" cop .. gives kids breaks occasionally, kicks ass when necessary, and any of his partners can absolutely depend on him to either lead properly or follow the lead.

 

[CRXican]

if you think you can pass backgrounds and a polygraph then go for it

also, you better be in good shape

 

[Hacp]

if you think you can pass backgrounds and a polygraph then go for it

also, you better be in good shape

Judging from the cops in NYC, you don't really need to be in good shape :awe:

 

[CRXican]

Judging from the cops in NYC, you don't really need to be in good shape :awe:

they also have terrible pay

forget NYPD

 

[Schadenfroh]

I have a BS in accounting. I worked as an accountant for two years. I have been
working as a financial analys lt for three years now. I don't
really want to do this work anymore and would like to become
a

This is common amongst accountants. So much so in fact, that Monty Python touched on it while making one of their documentaries. Please see the following short film for more details about what you should do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMOmB1q8W4Y

 

[CanOWorms]

I remember a few years ago there was some controversy because police departments don't hire intelligent people because they would get bored quickly. Perhaps you would find some resistance since you've already shown to be bored in a more intellectually demanding field.

 

[Vette73]

I remember a few years ago there was some controversy because police departments don't hire intelligent people because they would get bored quickly. Perhaps you would find some resistance since you've already shown to be bored in a more intellectually demanding field.

#1 reason cops quit is boredom.

99% of the time you are just driving around, doing paper work, picking some idiot off the ground who will throwup on you, etc...

It can take hundreds of hours of tape to get a 1/2 show of COPS. The rest you don;t see is why cops either quit or get really fat eating their boredom away.

 

[xeemzor]

I have a BS in accounting. I worked as an accountant for two years. I have been
working as a financial analyst for three years now. I don't
really want to do this work anymore and would like to become
a cop. I am currently 28 years old. Is it even possible to make
this change? How would I go about doing it?

If you don't care at all about how much you are paid then you could work anywhere. I don't get why you would switch at this point though. You are at the point in your career where most people get promoted to manager/director and start really raking in six figures. The kind of work you do in the firm will change as you get to that point, and you might find that you enjoy it as you move to a more analytical role vs the pure transactional one you have had up to this point.

Try talking with your management and explain to them that you are having work life balance issues and are feeling burned out. Spend the extra time volunteering or outside doing something and you'll feel a lot better.

Also, if you want to get a feel for what it's like to be a police officer watch the Wire.

 

[Mike Gayner]

OP - how did you get into Financial Analysis? I've been an accountant for around two years also, and I'm looking at moving more toward that sort of role, but I don't really know what to do/who to talk to. I work for a small public firm at the moment, with no such positions available.

 

[xeemzor]

OP - how did you get into Financial Analysis? I've been an accountant for around two years also, and I'm looking at moving more toward that sort of role, but I don't really know what to do/who to talk to. I work for a small public firm at the moment, with no such positions available.

I'm currently being recruited by a bunch of mid sized financial consulting firms in the Midwest. Generally, many of the really large firms directly hire college grads(though many like Deloitte are now looking for masters and specialized analyst training). It's generally pretty difficult to move into a larger or more prestigious consulting firm as an experienced hire, especially with this economy. Even many of the mid sized firms here tend to hire college grads. Most people just gradually move to smaller firms after they accumulate work experience, not the other way around.

It doesn't help that the market for accounting students is incredibly weak, and many candidates who would have otherwise gone for the big 4 route are trying to get consulting jobs lined up. In order to be reasonable competitive at a big consulting firm in this market, you need to have good contacts AND a 3.5-3.8 gpa with reasonable leadership/project experience. The financial market is just such a mess right now, and it'll take a few years before it's cleared up.

This info only applies to the US market. I have no idea how the New Zealand market operates.

 

[AlienCraft]

Crime rate is down, we don't need more "cops".
Your best bet would be to check out the FBI. Do some real good and bust some Madhoff a**hole.

 

[TipsyMcStagger]

A friend of mine did something similar. He also had an accounting degree, worked in a firm and corporate before going to become a cop. He seems a lot happier.

If you do this route, at least look into becoming a CFE. It could be helpful.

 

[Kroze]

Have you ever consider working in the jail? You'll never get bored and always on the alert

 

[Rumpltzer]

Why the police force? Why not a fireman or a sheep farmer?

I agree with what people are saying about boredom; if you find that being an accountant is unfulfilling, I'm not sure that the police force is the right direction to be going. Have you considered moving up the accounting ladder? Moving to a large city and finding a more challenging job?

If you're big on the law enforcement aspect, I'd look towards something bigger. FBI as others have suggested or see what the CIA or NSA can do with your background... but maybe that's worse too.


As far as prisons go, it's my understanding that everyone who goes through Los Angeles sheriff's has to spend 2 years as a guard in the county lock-up before being released to the street. The people who I met who have done this either (1) hate it and can't wait to get out on the street, or (2) were so terrible that they weren't allowed to move out of prison duty. My point is that you might end up in a prison/jail gig if you go the police route.

Also, I've listened to many boring, boring stories from friends who work for Los Angeles border security (LAX immigration and port authority)... it's agonizing to listen to the dumb, childish stuff that goes on with these people at work. I certainly wouldn't go that route.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I do still have my job. It's just very unfulfilling.

Such is the life of an accountant. We live for the weekends.

 

[Arkaign]

To do something more fulfilling, don't be a cop. You're just going to deal with assholes all day long (fellow cops and the douchbags you deal with on your beat), and there's STILL going to be a mountain of paperwork to deal with.

A better choice, given your experience, would be to look into intelligence agencies or perhaps FBI/DEA. Not necessarily to be James Bond or Elliot Ness, but rather to have a more rewarding career in support of broader operations. For every agent out there in the field, there are dozens in administrative and support positions making things happen. If you got into NSA or DIA possibly, I guarantee you wouldn't be dying of boredom, or from lack of pay.

 

[Hacp]

For a future career path, try aiming for middle management.

 

[Triforceofcourage]

OP - how did you get into Financial Analysis? I've been an accountant for around two years also, and I'm looking at moving more toward that sort of role, but I don't really know what to do/who to talk to. I work for a small public firm at the moment, with no such positions available.

I became bored with accounting and wanted to try something new. I saw the job posted and applied. The rest was history. Some finance managers have a biased against accountants though. They think accountants are nothing but bean counters who can't think critically. If you can get passed that you should be able to get into Financial Analysis.

However, it has been my experience that the Finance people with zero accounting background don't know their ass from a hole in the wall. Listening to them butcher debits & credits is one of my pet peeves.

/shitty rant