From College to Career: A Guide for Criminal Justice Majors Book

	Preface	ix
1	The Heart of a Criminal Justice Professional	1
	Interests and Goals	1
	Desires and Values	2
	Strengths and Weaknesses	3
	Putting It All Together	3
	Personal Experience	4
	Activities
1.1a	Why Did I Choose to Major in Criminal Justice?	7
1.1b	What Do I Want to Do with My Degree?	8
1.2	Desires and Values	9
1.3	An Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses	11
1.4	Putting It All Together	13
2	What to Expect: Looking at Career Tracks	15
	Career Tracks	15
	Postgraduate Education	16
	Law Enforcement	17
	Courts	17
	Corrections	18
	Other Factors to Consider	19
	Testing	19
	Academy or Certification Requirements	19
	Education	20
	Background Clearance	20
	Physical Requirements	20
	Geographic Location	20
	Age	21
	Continuing Education Requirements	21
	Personal Experience	21
	Activity
2.1	Exploring Resources	23
3	Choosing a Career	25
	Goals and Specific Criminal Justice Positions: Looking for the Best Fit	26
	Finding the Best Fit	26
	Activities
3.1	Making Decisions about Careers	27
3.2	Career Decisions: Essay	39
3.3	Career Decisions: Job Announcements	41
3.4	Job Announcement Essay	43
3.5	Interview Questions	45
3.6	Interview Results	46
3.7	Job Announcements and Interview Essay	47
3.8	Task and Time Frame	49
3.9	Goals Essay	51
3.10	Wrap-Up Essay	53
4	Making Yourself Marketable	55
	The Job Market	55
	While You Are a Student	56
	Student Associations	56
	Conference Participation and/or Presentations	57
	Campus Events	57
	Career Fairs	58
	Internships/Field Experience	58
	Volunteer Work	58
	Community Practicum	59
	The Job Search	59
	Time Investment	59
	Qualifications	60
	Resume	60
	Cover Letter	61
	Activities
4.1	Exploring Membership Options in Professional Organizations	63
4.2	Conference Paper Abstract	65
4.3	Campus Student Associations, Clubs, or Groups	67
4.4	Academic Campus Events	69
5	Back to the Basics: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and Research	71
	While a Student	71
	Reading	72
	Writing	73
	Arithmetic	73
	Research	74
	In Your Work	74
	Reading	75
	Writing	76
	Arithmetic	77
	Research	77
	Personal Experience	78
	Activities
5.1	Curriculum Requirements as a Puzzle	79
5.2	Pieces of the Future	81
6	Addressing Challenges	83
	Working for a Bureaucracy	83
	Working with Colleagues	84
	Working with the Public	86
	Knowing Yourself	86
	Personal Experience	88
	Activities
6.1	Government or Private Sector Employment	89
6.2	Getting to Know Yourself	91
7	Politics, Politics, Politics!	93
	Elected Leaders	93
	Office Politics	96
	Politics and Employment in the Private Sector	97
	Personal Experience	98
	References	98
	Activities
7.1	Elected Officials and Employment	99
7.2	Hiring Trends	101
7.3	Employment in the Private Sector	103
8	The Importance of Networking	105
	Networking for Career Opportunities	105
	Networking on the Job	107
	Networking with Professionals in Other Disciplines	108
	Career Changes	109
	Personal Experience	109
	Activities
8.1	Network Chart	111
8.2	Contacts in Network	113
9	Ethics	115
	Ethics Defined in Context	115
	Personal Ethical Standards	116
	Scenarios: Dilemmas in Ethics	116
	Ethics and the Public's Perception	118
	Ethical Challenges to Be Faced	119
	Personal Experience	120
	Activities
9.1	Principles of Behavior	121
9.2	Code of Ethics and Principles	123
10	After Graduation: What Then?	125
	Integration of Book Material	125
	Alternative Career Choices	126
	Expanding Career Potential	127
	Staying Fresh	127
	Second Careers	129
	Conclusion	129
	Activity
10.1	Putting It All Together Once More	131
	Appendix	133