Expert: Dick Rogers - 7/19/2007

Question
I hope to work as a police officer in my city, and I had a few questions I hoped you might give some perspective on.  First of all, I'm 24, have an A.A., joined the Army but received a medical discharge during basic (a since-healed shoulder injury), have no arrest record, have never used drugs, and am good shape.
However, I was fired from a job at 22 due to a disagreement over my use of the employee discount.  They never never claimed there was a crime, but do you think that will weigh heavily against me?  Also, I have a mediocre at best credit rating; I'm not sure if that's a big factor in many cities.

Thank you for your time!
Ryan

Answer
Ryan, I am not sure about the impact of your being fired.  A basic background check does involve previous employers so there is a chance this will affect you negatively.  What you can do is bring it out in the open either in writing or verbally during the oral...if you get that far...I've found that being up front about past problems works very well...it did with me when I was interviewing candidates.  As for the credit...there may be a problem  if you have had wage garnishments or a bankruptcy...but if you just have problems keeping up with your bills, getting a decent paying job in law enforcement might get things straight.  I wish I could be more positive but knowing the down side may prepare you better for dealing with it when you get to explain why this happened.  Good luck.