Law Enforcement Resume - How I Wrote a Client's Entry Level Resume For Law Enforcement

© Copyright 2009
David Alan Carter / All Rights Reserved

Adam was a client fresh out of college with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a bit of internship experience. It's always tough to get that first career position out of college, what with little or no actual experience in the field. But beyond education, Adam had something else going for him. He had put himself through school by operating a landscaping and lawn maintenance company. Building it up from scratch, he showed he had drive, good public relations skills and the ability to supervise a crew. I would try to transition that work history into the skill set an employer would be looking for.

After a telephone conversation that evening to delve into his background and explore his goals, three decisions were an easy call.

1. The resume should have an objective statement. A job objective is not always advised, but it almost always helps the resume of a new graduate. In these cases, a job objective can focus a resume that might otherwise lack direction due to an absence of relevant work experience.
2. The objective statement should be followed by a "summary" or "profile" section. This would give me the opportunity to try to transition those years as a landscaper into relevant career skills.
3. The resume needed to hit the ground running, capturing attention within the first few lines.

Here's The Objective Statement I Wrote for this Law Enforcement Resume

Entry-level position in LAW ENFORCEMENT requiring a valued team player with relevant academic training and internship experience, proven public relations skills, and a strong work ethic.

Here's The Profile (or Summary) I Wrote

Dedicated, detail-minded professional with a B.S. in Criminal Justice, internship background in Law Enforcement (police and probation departments), and practical experience in operations management, team leadership, and public relations (in support of college).

Well versed in all areas of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, including Crime Prevention and Investigation, Suspect Apprehension, Officer Dispatch, Loss Prevention and Security Management.

• Perceptive listener and effective communicator with the ability to deal effectively with individuals from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds; tactful and diplomatic.
• Excellent critical thinking and decision making skills with a reputation as a problem solver; well organized and adaptable. 
• Demonstrated leadership abilities.

OK, What Was I Thinking?

For the objective, I took stock of Adam's attributes and selected just a few that would be of undeniable value to a prospective employer in the law enforcement industry.

Regarding the profile section, you'll notice that this is basically an expansion of the objective; we're putting some meat on the bones. Because I didn't want the section to overwhelm with a large block of text, I elected to separate and italicize the second sentence. I further broke up the monotony of text by using four bullet points to drive home some relevant skills.

The education section followed, then internships (under their own heading), and finally the work history (landscaping and odd jobs in support of college).

Final Thoughts

Could Adam have written this resume himself? Yes. With time, study, and a bit of marketing skill, most folks can write an effective resume. But it's not a walk in the park. If your resume is going to be fighting for attention in an extremely competitive field, or if your work history or job qualifications are difficult for you to express in a promotional and unbiased manner, the services of a professional resume writer might make sense.

If you opt for the latter, seek out a certified resume writer, and a writer who will guarantee the resume he creates will generate interviews. Yes, they're out there.

• Quality of workmanship
• Credentials
• Pricing
• Guarantees

You’ll find in-depth reviews on each of the 9 companies. But if you’re pressed for time, you can click straight to the website of top-rated ResumeWriters.com. As the largest network of certified resume writers on the internet, they've got unparalleled resources to best match you with a writer most qualified in your profession. Plus, they guarantee you'll get interviews with their resume. That cinched the deal with me.

Whether you go it alone or trust the services of a pro writer, I wish you the best of luck in your job search!

--David

David Alan Carter is a former headhunter and the founder of Resume One of Cincinnati. For more than ten years, he personally crafted thousands of resumes for satisfied clients from all occupational walks of life -- entry level to executive.

 Back To Top