View Full Version : Contractor jobs and job stability
FROST18E
10-08-2005, 12:27
I was just wondering what you guys thought about the contractor jobs. I've been contacted by two firms who wanted me to drop some paper with them for possible iraq missions.
I have a buddy that works for blackwater and he loves it, but others have said that blackwater is letting the entrance quals slip.
I heard great things about triple canopy.
I have a stable job now and wouldn't want to toss it for something that wasn't going to last. Do you think these contractor positions will continue to have work available even when Iraq starts to wind down?
Anybody doing this work with some insight on it would be appreciated.
Which version of an answer you want?
Am I bias towards certain companies?...NO! Some take my straight forwardness when it comes to certain situations as...not doing my homework. :eek:
There are several members on several different boards, who have been doing IC work for some time. IC work is not guaranteed! Wars come and go, and IC work will dwindle.
Careers, are just that....long term!
Take care.
CoLawman
10-08-2005, 16:11
I was just wondering what you guys thought about the contractor jobs. I've been contacted by two firms who wanted me to drop some paper with them for possible iraq missions.
I have a buddy that works for blackwater and he loves it, but others have said that blackwater is letting the entrance quals slip.
I heard great things about triple canopy.
I have a stable job now and wouldn't want to toss it for something that wasn't going to last. Do you think these contractor positions will continue to have work available even when Iraq starts to wind down?
Anybody doing this work with some insight on it would be appreciated.
Know absolutely nothing about Contractor Jobs, but I do know LE. I can assure you there will be plenty of agencies (including your own) that would hire you once you were finished with your Contracting. As you may or may not know, there is an extreme shortage of qualified applicants for LE. You would fall under the Qualified :D
You are young enough to go chase your rainbow and then return to a career in LE if you choose. Hmmmmm........Deja Vu, seems like I had a similar conversation with my son when he left LE for 18X. That was over a year ago and I still feel the same way today.
IMHO.
NousDefionsDoc
10-08-2005, 17:15
If you are looking for stability - don't look at contracting. If you manage to go to sleep employed, you will probably have a job when you wake up.
longrange1947
10-09-2005, 10:23
If you are looking for stability - don't look at contracting. If you manage to go to sleep employed, you will probably have a job when you wake up.
Make up with whom? Inquiring minds want to know! :munchin
longrange1947
10-09-2005, 10:27
Did contracting in the early 90s, read Desert Shield/Storm until 94 when I took a semi permanant contract with the gov't. It is feast or famine. Problem is you may have a hint at a big contract in two months when a sure small contract hits in 3 weeks. Which do you take? The big one may NOT go but the little one is for sure. Dicisions, decisions that effect your income.
My bet is that the main forces will slowly be withdrawn and some of the work will fall to contractors. However the contracting companies will become more and more selective in their hiring as some have been burned by posers and wannabees.
My 2 cents.
NousDefionsDoc
10-09-2005, 12:02
Make up with whom? Inquiring minds want to know! :munchin
What?
NousDefionsDoc
10-09-2005, 12:03
Did contracting in the early 90s, read Desert Shield/Storm until 94 when I took a semi permanant contract with the gov't. It is feast or famine. Problem is you may have a hint at a big contract in two months when a sure small contract hits in 3 weeks. Which do you take? The big one may NOT go but the little one is for sure. Dicisions, decisions that effect your income.
My bet is that the main forces will slowly be withdrawn and some of the work will fall to contractors. However the contracting companies will become more and more selective in their hiring as some have been burned by posers and wannabees.
My 2 cents.
Exactly.
longrange1947
10-09-2005, 14:48
What?
Nice recovery on the edit there NDD. :D
NousDefionsDoc
10-09-2005, 17:04
Nice recovery on the edit there NDD. :D
One of dem marksmanship fun-da-mentals :lifter
Can you take a leave of absence from your PD? There's guys in my SF company who took leave from LAPD to go work with Triple Canopy. There's a couple of guys from my dept SFPD who took leave for a LE contracting job in Iraq. Our agency along with LAPD allows one to take up to one year of personal leave without losing any seniority.
I have been working with two security contractors since June and now that their gig is almost over they are scrambling for the next one. They have been paid handsomely and are prepared to be out of work for up to 3-4 months. What if they donīt get another gig for a longer time? Granted Iraq and AFG arenīt the only places for contract work, but it is not a sure deal.
In LE there will always be a need for us to take care of business at home. The money isnīt as good, the job isnīt as sexy as contracting, beauracracy sucks, and sometimes our citizens criticize everything we do. The benefits in LE, at least for my dept, are pretty good though. Medical, dental, optical, legal, retirement pension. Besides it is a damn fun job at times!
Can you take a temporary leave of absence? Make some money, connections and get back to LE. IMHO, in the long run youīll be better off keeping your current career track.
Just my .02