To apply for this job?

[AskMeAskMeAskMe]

(I've name changed, but you'll see why!)

I graduated from uni in 2010, got a 2:1 from a pretty good uni in a good-ole science degree. Was working away in various shitty jobs, then got a reasonably good one, but got made redundant in October. More shitty jobs over Xmas, now unemployed and getting more and depressed...

Anyway, a job has come up that I'm qualified for. And not just any old job, a public sector job. But here's the nub; it's as a prison officer. Well, they've re-named it 'custody officer', which basically means they can pay you half of what the old brigade get. Does anyone know what it's like as a job? I want honest answers people!

Another complicating factor is that I live in NI now, and prison personnel are not top of dissident republicans' Christmas card lists. Neither incidentally are the forces, which my DP is a member of. We don't live together at the moment, but it's on the cards.

So...do you think it's worth 18-23K a year?

Unless you have a great desire to do so, I'd say hell no. Prisons are seriously horrible places, and being a custody officer even in a police station is high risk and utterly thankless. Adding in the fact you'll have to change the subject when anyone asks what you do for a living, which is surprisingly hard to do... Hell no. Unless you really want to do the job.

Frankly in this current economic climate I'd go for it, I suspect you could do much worse.

Do you think you have the personal qualities to do the job? Not just the qualifications.

Could you cope with being shouted/sworn/spat at? Threatened? Show positive regard to people who have done really shitty things to people/society and therefore have no boundaries on what they will say/do to you?

Could you be strong enough to not fall for any of what they say? Are you quick enough to have a response to whatever they throw at you?

For me, these would be really serious considerations.

I understand that many people will say "in this climate, a job is a job" but that's not true of every job. You need to be made of pretty strong stuff to do this one!

Agree with winkly and folkgirl even though a job is a job is a job, some jobs are far more than that.

I couldn't do it.

How does your science degree qualify you to be a prison officer?

Apart from that, of course your not being U. Go for the job and try it. If you hate it find something else. I'm sure the training and support system for prison officers is pretty good and you won't be patrolling the mass murderers on your own on your first shift.

Would depend on loads of things like the type of prison, whether you could cope with it day in day out whether you're upto it physically, but not a bad place as it should be a fairly secure job.

I'd imagine it's a Psychology degree, Callisto.

It depends on if you think you could do it. It woudo be a very emotionally demanding job, and it's not the sort of job that anyone could do.

If you think you could do it then go for it. When you are interviewed I would think that a big part of the process would be to see if you were emotionally strong enough to cope with it. It won't just be about your qualifications, it will be about protecting you too because they won't want to employ someone that can't cope with it.

I'd go for the job and trust the descison that is made. These people will know what they are doing.

I used to work in a prison.. I found it very rewarding.. Yeah I lot of the time you got no thanks but then again there times you did.. Times when you know you made a difference to just one prisoner.. That made it all worth it.. Its hard work and mentally draining but I'd go for it if I were you.. Just develop a thick skin and you will be fine

A friend of mine is an ex prison officer (in Northern Ireland). He loved he job and apart from having to take the obvious precautions in terms of revealing his occupation to others, he says he had no major problems with it at all. He worked quite some distance from the prison where he worked, which I think was a requirement at the time (not sure if it is now) - he reckoned this helped a lot as it helped distance him from work iyswim, and meant that his alternative make-believe workplace that he used as a 'cover story' when necessary wasn't questioned, so no problems there.

He has mentioned that a lot of people found the job very stressful, and, having done a similar type of work myself in the past (in terms of the people I worked with, it was nothing of interest to dissident groups!), I'd agree with that - you'll need to think carefully if this is the type of work that would suit you mentally and emotionally too - its not for everyone.

Good luck, whatever you choose to do!

Thank you everyone for your replies, certainly given me lots to think about! My degree isn't really related, I was just trying to give a bit of background regarding my employment history. The only qualifications required are 5 GCSE's at C or above, so I think they're more into personal qualities than bits of paper iyswim. My mum wants me to go for it, my dad is convinced something horrific will happen (worrier- eg., was also sure my English boyfriend had a family at home while working here ).

I think I'll apply for it. I'm sure they give you more information as the application progresses, and if I don't like what I hear I can always pull out!

Name change fail....

That's the spirit! At the interview, you're interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you, and you needn't decide whether or not you'd actually do the job until it's been offered... meanwhile, it's practice applying for something/interviewing.

I say go for it.

I work within criminal justice system, but with female mentally disordered offenders (special hospital). Every day is challenging and I sometimes come home wandering how the hell I have managed to get through it, but overall my job is very rewarding and interesting.

I admire you for 'thinking outside the box' tbh- many people would just think 'no way'. Good luck

I always wanted to be a prison officer... I think they pay up to 18k p/a in London...

I think if you are interested in the prospect of helping people to reform and re enter society it could be a marvellous and worthwhile job.

I would imagine there will be promotion and training opportunities as well as the elusive job security.

I worked with a similar population and it was one of the most rewarding jobs I ever did.

I learned a tremendous amount from the men I worked with and was able to make a genuine difference to their lives and prospects.

I take what you are saying about the NI context and think you would need to be cautious about what you say.

No harm in applying. If you are not right for the job that will be identified fairly early on in the selection process.

Good luck with whatever you do.