How do I reply when asked, "Why have you applied to so many agencies (12) in the last year?"
I recently received the above question from a nervous student who was entering the final stages of the hiring process. He was nervous because he had successfully gotten into the police academy earlier in the year but failed due to problems he had with the shotgun training. Would the fact that he had applied to so many agencies create the impression that he was a loser?
To add to his nervousness, he felt that he made additional mistakes along the way. This realization caused his self-confidence to go down and his self-doubt to go up. How can he get past the next interview?
There are several valuable lessons in this story for all law enforcement applicants.
Applicant’s Original Strategy
I initially applied to 6 departments to increase my chances of getting hired.
Applicant Regret #1 – Over Confidence?
When I was invited to 3 interviews, I dropped out of the other 3 departments, because they were not my favorite agencies. That turned out to be a big mistake, as I failed the 3 interviews I chose to pursue! Now, I was out of options.
Applicant Regret #2 – Why I Failed the Interviews
I failed the interview because they said I didn’t sound like I wanted the job. Which makes sense to me now. I wasn’t very enthusiastic during the interview. I was questioning the whole process.
Applicant Regret #3 – Dismissed from Academy
Cross Eye Dominant can be corrected
“I started the academy and failed the firearms portion of the academy. I found out I was Cross-Eye Dominant. There wasn’t enough time for me to get adjusted and pass the shot gun test. If I had known this was an problem for me, I could have corrected it earlier”
Depression and Doubt
“It’s been over 6 months now. I am restarting the process. I got my act together and decided to try again after failing academy and not getting hired. I applied to 7 agencies. On one hand, am more committed than ever to becoming a police officer, but on the other hand, I am afraid that all these applications will hurt my image.”
Sgt. Godoy’s Advice
Take pride in making smart moves when looking for a job
The fact that you applied to multiple agencies should be worn as a badge of pride. It is a smart move given the competitive nature of hiring. I recommend to all of my students, “Do not to put all your eggs into one basket.” Applying to multiple agencies DOES NOT mean that you are less excited about one over the other.
Acknowledging that the field is competitive is a compliment to anyone hiring/interviewing you. It demonstrates to the interviewer that you see the position as hard to come by and having real value.
Reapplying to multiple agencies shows wisdom and commitment to the field. NOT giving up is a great quality in law enforcement.
As my Mastering the Police Interview course states, showing enthusiasm and awareness of each specific agency is critical. Therefore, you will go into future interview ENTHUSIASTIC and up to speed on local issues – right?
Failing shooting? Cross-eye dominant? They would not care about this if it wasn’t important. You have taken steps to understand and correct for being cross-eye dominant. This is more solid evidence that you are committed and adaptable. So, talk about it!
DO NOT apologize like these were failures – they were learning experiences.
DO NOT use the term “getting my act together.”
Having competed side-by-side with others at the academy, you are now confident that you are well qualified both mentally and physically.
You are now motivated more than ever.
Good luck – Sgt. Godoy