What kind of job should I look for during the summer, that would help my major; criminal justice?

Hi there!

I would look at your local police and sheriff departments and see if they have a police cadet or explorer program! When I was first interested in law enforcement, I applied to become a police cadet and I learned SO much about policing and general life skills. Some cadet programs offer more general work skills such as clerical and customer service within the department while others train cadets on actual police tactics and skills. You may also be able to do ride alongs and work alongside sworn officers. These programs are paid and volunteer. I'm assuming you are looking for a paid job, but I would take any opportunities regardless.

I'd try to find an opportunity to work in a law firm within your town. You'd gain great experience seeing the day to day operations of how a firm works, what the clientele looks like, and what the day in the life of an attorney is like. Many law firms seek out interns or legal assistants - I became a paralegal for a criminal law firm via craigslist! If this isn't possible, then definitely look for a job that works with the public - learning how to communicate with others is so critical in the criminal justice system.

What area of criminal justice are you interested in? If you were hiring someone, what would you look for as far as skills? How can you get those skills? Yes, questions, because in criminal justice, you need to be able to fend for yourself.

Answers: Don't overlook customer service types of jobs. You learn a lot about people in customer service. Some of the best profilers I have ever known are the skycaps at the airport. They could tell who the good tippers were before they even spoke to them! You will need to be good at talking to people and "reading" people - watching body language. Waiter? Delivery person for an auto parts store? Warehouse/landscaping business proves you can handles physical work. Life guard? ability to handle boring work (routine patrol can be boring at times), or, stay focused in the face of distractions (?)

You will need to learn to understand the concept of "transferable skills." Not everyone can see the relationship between the jobs you have had and the job you are applying for, so you may need to give a brief explanation on your resume. For example, I went from law enforcement to career counselor: I focused on my ability to talk to people, and get them to voluntarily talk to me, complete reports, and maintain confidential information.

I hope this helps - let me know if you have any questions!