This pay to test scam is a bad joke. I've taken many tests in NH that were free, of course that's because they are genuinely looking for applicants, not just to line pockets.
This pay to test scam is a bad joke. I've taken many tests in NH that were free, of course that's because they are genuinely looking for applicants, not just to line pockets.
Went Through the Hopkinton process about 12 years ago. I got pretty much to the end but didn't get the job. The process at the time seemed fair and not a scam. The interesting thing here is that the company they hired to give the exam isn't even using their own exam. They are using the "Police Officer Selction Test" which is used by PDs all over the country.
I might be on to something? Charge PDs huge fees to give an exam and just use one I can purchase from somewhere else.
Went Through the Hopkinton process about 12 years ago. I got pretty much to the end but didn't get the job. The process at the time seemed fair and not a scam.
I had the FT academy at the time. They very upfront told me that they had been promising their reserves and dispatchers that they were going to be hiring a couple of internal candidates for long time but hadn't done so in several recent hires. They told me that they were strongly favoring internal candidates for the current round of hirings but would keep me in mind for a couple of openings they expected in the near future. I had just gone through a couple of other hiring processes that were a complete scam and waste of my time. The truth from Hopkinton PD was refreshing to hear. I was hired by my current PD right after the Hopkinton process. I got a call a year later from Hopkinton PD informing me that they were hiring again and wanted me to participate in the process. I didn't participate because I was happy where I was. I was treated very professionally throughout the process.
I interviewed with Hopkinton in 2009. Squared away department, good guys, really liked them...I thought they said that the test results from 2009 would be good until 2014, though. Guess it's pay to play again. I really wanted the job at that point, now I am not sure about paying the fee again. I've got a couple irons in the fire for campus jobs and one or two out of state things. Guess we'll see, I need to kick it around.
After my experience with Westborough, I'm really hesitant to pull the trigger and take this test. Does anyone here know if they're looking for ONLY academy trained?
I find myself defining insanity by taking these tests.
You have a 100% chance of not being hired if you don't take the entrance exam.
I spent an untold amount of $$$ on entrance exams for jobs that I didn't get, and I don't regret a dime I spent. I even took the CS firefighter's exam, with absolutely no desire to be a firefighter, just for the experience of taking a standardized exam.
The good folks at HPD are recruiting from the EXISTING list. Good on them. Just got an email a little while ago asking if I was interested... But also if I had an academy. Of course.
Good luck to those that take them up on this, it's nice to see a department be proactive and not just offer a test so quickly.
I could build a house with all the rejection letters I have gotten. Being almost 20 years in I am glad I was a doer and not a whiner. If I were a chief I would look at someone who has hung in for the long haul to get this thankless job than someone who complains and talks about how unfair it is. It shows a certain amount of character and intestinal fortitude to just keep plugging away at it
I can't help but think that your posts, both from this thread and the Nahant thread, are slightly- if not entirely directed at me.
So I'll help you out here, since you believe that I should stop "whining" and that my only other potential career path would be to ask, "Would you like fries with that?"
At what point does one decide that their efforts are futile? 5 years? 7? How about 11. That's when I decided to throw in the towel. You know the old adage about the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same thing repeatedly (testing) and expecting different results (not getting an FU letter.) So you can save your spiel about "hanging in there for the long haul" as almost exactly 1/3 of my life I've dedicated to getting into law enforcement.
Since you seem to confuse my frustration with whining, let me correct you there. Spending untold sums of money on tests, to waste weekends at some high school track, to be told the same exact thing over and over, is frustrating. Scoring in the top 5, REPEATEDLY, and being told to go screw because I have no academy training takes it's toll. But go ahead and tell me how hard it was in the early 90's to get hired.
A very intelligent Sergeant once told me that I needed to do something to separate myself from other candidates. Be it reserve academy, or self sponsor, or whatever. He was right. Dead on accurate, but the reality is that I can't tell those that depend on me to bring home a paycheck that I decided to drop my career and our income to pursue my aspirations of LE. It's not the responsible thing to do for my fam. I'll sacrifice myself time and time again for them, to make sure they're good to go. My dreams, can be put on hold. But you're right, I'm just a huge whiner.
Any other pearls of wisdom you'd like to share with me about "continuing to march" and being a do-er?
Hey douche. Why don't you try being a member here for longer than SIX WEEKS before you start talking shit and making assumptions about a long time member. First and only warning.
Hey douche I don't really care how long you or anyone has been a member. Its an observation on a discussion board don't be so thin skinned. I've actually been a member since 2003, but who cares. And ill comment on anything I please, but hey if my comments are to much for you sensitive little eyes i'll try to be nicey, nice. Hope you aren't so sensitive on the street.
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If you have been a member since 2003 you have violated the TOS of this site, send the proof to one of the admins or shut the fuck up. I for one am tired of your bullshit.
Wait... wouldn't that make it back into *not* an abortion? Haha...wtf...
Sorry JL, I necromancied this thread and caused this trash heap because I got a nice email from a Sgt. @ HPD. The whole point of my original post, prior to commencing MC standard derailment procedures, was that they're doing the right thing, and recruiting from the existing list from the 2012 test. Like I had posted before, good on them. It's the right thing to do.
What the big shot from Springfield seems to misunderstand, is that I'm far from complaining. I've retired from test taking. I'm out. I haven't ever complained about something "not being fair" with regard to recruitment practices, the only thing I ever asked is that departments advertise appropriately. If you're only going to look at academy trained, then state so up front. Set proper expectations so people don't waste their time or money. Kind of a simple request?
And I'm quite sure, had I gotten on the job, that I would have been able to handle myself JUUUUST fine, citycop, but thanks for your concern.
However what I don't like, are people that have not the fuckin' faintest clue about who I am, and then make baseless assumptions. You don't know me. You don't know how many attempts I've made. How many resumes I've sent out... How many flights I've taken to field offices on my own dime, how many KSA's and tests, or interviews I've been through. Some here do, because they've gotten that phone call from me after I was dismissed from an interview process and could hear that upset tremble in my voice, because I thought that "this was finally it after all this time" and it turned out to the be the contrary yet again. So you can take your awesome advice about not complaining and whatever else foolish bullshit you spewed outta your suckhole, and save it for someone who actually cares.
This all started with PVT. Cowboy making a positive statement about HPD. Which I agree with Cowboy. HPD is doing the right thing pulling from their existing list until it is exhausted of suitable candidates.
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