OT: Need advice

Hey guys, hope everyone is doing well with the New Year upon us. Here is an e-mail I sent out on my mailing list to people about the choices I made recently. I believe that most of this is coming from the Gastric Bypass. What do u guys think?? Did I make a wise choice? The e-mail is below Hey everyone, I hope the weekend has found you all well and the New Year that is all upon us has begun on a great note. I just figured I'd send everyone an e-mail to let you guys know what is going on in my life.

Recently, I made the choice to terminate my employment with Wachovia Bank as of Jan 10th. (Allis, you know I love you guys but I need to do this for me.) Althoguh Wachovia has been good to me these past few years I need to move on with my career and pursue my goal as a police officer. I have put so much time and prayer into this that I am mentally worn out but I do feel that this is the direction the Lord is pushing me in. I have even had talks and am having another one with Chaplan Dave here before he goes back to NY about it and how to listen to the calling better.   My plan is to come back around Easter weekend and test with the Charlotte Police Dept and I also plan on applying with the US National Outdoor Whitewater Center there in Charlotte as a river guide. The pay is probably not great but the experience is. I realize that this is probably the riskiest thing I could do but it needs to be done.  Wachovia has been great to me and I can not thank them enough. In fact a lot of them are copied on this e-mail. I had a great manager who was always able to be there for her employees and she continues to be there as a friend although I am sure she probably does not approve of this idea nor do my parents I am sure. Am I right mom and dad? HA...   Anyways, the guide thing is just a temporary solution. I need to focus on getting my lfie ready for the next chapter and that is Law Enforcement. The Gastric Bypass surgery has opened up so many doors for me on all levels. Never before my surgery would I have imagined I was fit enough to become a white water guide or a police officer but I have been given this gift and I intend to use it.   I realize that it is totally risky and it involves a lot of moving money around and possibly even the 401k which is a last resort due to the IRS rules and such. I just hope everyone understands where I am coming from especially my Wachovia buddies. I realize its risky and probably is career suicide but we all know I was not happy in the call center and I just dont think that it is fair to drag Wachovia along for the next few months on my leave and than just not come back. This way I am able to hopefully have rehire status in the future should the need arise. Banking is a career that I just dont feel that I can help people in and I am being called to help people and I think that I need to be in a career that allows me to serve people as well as protect people from the bad things in the world. So hopefully this time in July 2008 I will be joinning the CMPD Police Academy as a police recruit.

Just my 2 cents...nothing to do with WLS or your goals. I learned a long time ago to not quit one job until I had the next job 100 %. I can't even begin to tell you how many of my guys quit before they actually got hired somewhere else then come begging for their job back. A job that's not always available any longer. I supervise a call center and you probably know the turn over is high. It's not the job for everyone, so I understand where you're coming from. Good luck with your goals though. Earl

Goota agree with Earl, leaving a solid job 7 month before you even go to the academy is risky at best, some would say foolish. The rafting thing sounds funand if you have no responsibilities to a spouse or kids, enjoy it. If you have afamily don't leave the job it will cause too much stress at home

The thing I don't understand is why you sent the e-mail out to the people on your mailing list.  Are you unsure of what you are planning and want feedback?  If you are certain about what you are going to do, then I would say that you needn't try to explain your future intentions to anyone.  This seems like a private decision that you shouldn't have to share with anyone.

Steve m, Great Goal, Great Sentiment! But, I wouldn’t mass e-mail ANYTHING. Sure, I post on this and another Message Board, But e-mail etiquette forbids me even from using the ‘reply-all’ even when the group is small. Individual e-mails, tailored to the individual, even if a lot of ‘copy/pasting’ is used to generate the specific messages. I also tend to go with Earl… Don’t quit one job until you are sure of your future. Of course the other side of my brain shouts- "Burn the boats once you invade a new shore, so there is no turning back!" It takes "Bravery and Willpower" out of the equation. Sometimes you have to ‘jump off the cliff’ to realize that your wings actually work. But on the e-mail issue, I’m not sure I’d draw a crowd to watch my ‘jump.’ Follow. May your way to your new exciting future be smooth and filled with victory! Best Wishes- Dx

I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist, and I never played one on TV, but I do find it interesting that you asked for advice after you had already sent out the e-mail.  Sounds that you made up your mind and just want confirmation.

Even though I agree with the other post about don't quit a job until you have another one lined up and why would you want to send this out to everyone for approval I'm also a firm believe in finding something you are happy doing not something that is safe.  I had worked for a number of years(and it was just that work) doing different things that never fullfiled me.  Then I finally found a careeer that I'm happy at and can't imagine doing anything different.  I commend you for having the guts to pursue something you feel strongly about and would also encourage you that once you obtain that goal if it doesn't make you happy then keep looking.  Life is to short to be misarable. Good luck in your new adventures and I hope everything works out for you.

I will give you my 2 cents worth from the law enforcement side.  I am not sure how it is in NC, but most departments I know of can take up to a year to process applicants.  The selection process usually entails written tests, physical ability tests, written and oral psych exams (usually done at different times), interviews with background investigators (the actual background can take from a couple of months to over 6 months) and medical appointments.  Most departments schedule each stage separately.  Even in a department that has many thousand vacancies like where I work (Ca dept of corrections) it takes a cadet a year to get an academy date.  I would advise you to speak with a recruiter at your department of choice to get all the info.  My other piece of advice would be to apply at a few different departments in the area you live, city, county, and state.  That is the whole eggs in one basket thing. 

Good luck with whatever you choose, law enforcement is a great career with good pay and great bennies.  here in cali pay ranges from 3000-8000 a month and retirement that is 5% at 50, which usually translates to 60-90% of your pay when you retire.

It is awesome that you are at a place now where you can pursue this dream, good luck and happy new year!

Paul