Picking one department or waiting for the other? Advice

[DonLB]

Hi there folks,
I am in a situation where I may have to make a decision between two departments.
I am currently in the hiring process with Orange County Sheriff Department and San Diego Sheriff Department. San Diego is pushing me through the process and I am all but guaranteed to be in the upcoming July Academy.
However, I recently received word from Orange County that I am now slated for October Academy. My spot is not guaranteed, as I still have to pass Medical and Psych, and then be selected over the other final qualifiers.

Orange County SD is my preferred department, with great opportunity and being a short 15 minute drive from home. San Diego is my number 2 department, still a great opportunity for me, but a good chunk less money and a little over an hour of commute each way, not counting traffic.
I would not receive an official job offer from Orange County until after the start date of San Diego's academy.
My choices, as explained by my OC BI, was to 1) withdraw from OC and accept SD, 2) withdraw from SD and pray I receive the job offer from Orange County later, or 3) accept San Diego's offer, enter into the academy, and then if OC offers me the position, withdraw from San Diego to enter the OC academy.

Another option would be to request that I be placed into San Diego's October academy, that way I would receive word from both departments before I make a decision. Is requesting a further academy date out of the norm?

Option 3 seems like the best bet. Are there generally any complications with withdrawing from one academy for another? I am not sure which direction to head here.

Sorry for the long winded question, and thank you for any responses!

[Aidokea]

You should either delete this post, or delete the identical post you put in the "Ask a Cop" section.

[NolaT]

Take the offered job,....Nothing is guaranteed.

[CCCSD]

Hi there folks,
I am in a situation where I may have to make a decision between two departments.
I am currently in the hiring process with Orange County Sheriff Department and San Diego Sheriff Department. San Diego is pushing me through the process and I am all but guaranteed to be in the upcoming July Academy.
However, I recently received word from Orange County that I am now slated for October Academy. My spot is not guaranteed, as I still have to pass Medical and Psych, and then be selected over the other final qualifiers.

Orange County SD is my preferred department, with great opportunity and being a short 15 minute drive from home. San Diego is my number 2 department, still a great opportunity for me, but a good chunk less money and a little over an hour of commute each way, not counting traffic.
I would not receive an official job offer from Orange County until after the start date of San Diego's academy.
My choices, as explained by my OC BI, was to 1) withdraw from OC and accept SD, 2) withdraw from SD and pray I receive the job offer from Orange County later, or 3) accept San Diego's offer, enter into the academy, and then if OC offers me the position, withdraw from San Diego to enter the OC academy.

Another option would be to request that I be placed into San Diego's October academy, that way I would receive word from both departments before I make a decision. Is requesting a further academy date out of the norm?

Option 3 seems like the best bet. Are there generally any complications with withdrawing from one academy for another? I am not sure which direction to head here.

Sorry for the long winded question, and thank you for any responses!

So it’s about you having some choices and expecting the agency to work on your schedule.

Then you are trying to decide WHEN to bail out of the academy you are being paid to be in, to jump ship.

I hope neither of them pick you up. Those spots are for people that WANT the job, not dilettantes.

Post saved for the BIs.

[DonLB]

I am simply seeking additional advice based off the advice/options already given by my BI. I am unsure of what would be bad etiquette and figured experienced law enforcement officers could offer guidance. Thank you for your response.

[Destiny09]

Lol bruh relax....he's seeking advice about HIS/HER future. His predicament is pretty common among many applicants jumping into law enforcement. Keep it pushin with your negativity

[Destiny09]

DonLB,

Please disregard any negativity coming your way based on your questions.

If I were you, I would take the first job offer so I can get my foot in the door and start my law enforcement career. You can always lateral to OC in the future if you desire. However, if OC is truly where you want to be then explain your predicament to your BI's (I'm sure you have) and you'll be fine. If your BI's are aware and cool with option 3, then go for it! At the end of the day, it's YOUR career and your future, do what's best for YOU. Good luck!

[Aidokea]

The conventional wisdom is to commit to the first agency that offers you a job.

[NolaT]

Etiquette dictates considering and taking an offered job, and Not thinking too hard considering offers that Haven't been made.

Famous last words, ",.......all but guaranteed".

[DonLB]

Understood, thank you for the advice!

[CCCSD]

Etiquette? How about INTEGRITY..?

[FormerPotato]

I made it through the Orange County hiring process only to not be selected for an academy. Unless things have changed, if you don't get selected to the October Academy, you'll have to start the process over again. Besides, most people fail out during the psych and OC already has a very long list of people waiting to go the academy. If you're "guaranteed" a spot with SDSO, IMO you'd be an idiot for not taking it.

Though If you don't really want to work for San Diego then don't take the job. Why would you want to start the academy, withdraw and start a new one and spend potentially 9+ months in an Academy? If you want Orange County, wait for Orange County.

Also, unless you have legit life circumstances that prevent you from going to the July academy that SDSO would send you to, the department isn't really here to accommodate you. They have seats they have to fill and more people who want the job more than you who are willing to drop what they are doing to go.

[Snoopy1669]

To also echo what Potato shared, I also applied to OCSD and made it through the entire process with them last year. I thought that I was pretty physically fit, and my BI at the time made it sound like he/she believed that I was also going to be selected for sure based on my background and references.

Fast forward to a year later, and I got the call that my file had basically expired and I needed to reapply and restart the process if I was still interested. I wasn’t able to attend too many of their mentoring sessions, but I felt confident that I was going to get in, and things didn’t turn out that way.

Still waiting with another agency that’s on hold due to covid/budgetary issues. Also, pushing through and hoping to get in with another agency’s July academy. Things are looking good with them this time around, but I learned my lesson than to get too far ahead of myself. One step at a time.