Joining the Gardai ?

S

Silvera

Guest
I see that the govt has raised the upper age limit for joining the Gardai to 35, and it has made me seriously consider applying when it is next advertised. I am 32 years of age.

Would it be a good choice of career ?
 
I applied once, they told me I was too small!

On reflection, I'm glad.
 
Please note the posting guidelines.

Would it be a good choice of career ?

In the absence of a bit more information there's not much for people to go on to make informed comments. :\
 
Hi Silvera,

I am also 32 and work in IT. I am totally bored with it and would love to change. Are you in IT too?
I have thought about the guards too but the thoughts of starting again at the bottom is just too depressing for me.
I have a mate thats a detective now, seems to me they have a great time. I have been with him plenty of times where he is supposed to be in work and just gets someone to cover for him.
 
Thoughts

It is hard to know. You'd have to think about starting at the bottom, training on low money, fitness training etc, chain of authority - would you have a problem if your Sergeant is younger? It would be interested to know if they would have any acceleration based on your experience in the civvie world? Nights is also a biggie - I know people who really hated this and that was when they were in their early twenties 2pm to 10pm and 6am to 2pm seemed okay but the nights - they still talk about them and how they messed up their body clocks for another week afterwards too . . .this sounds bad but these are thoughts of someone quite positively inclined towards the idea (@ 33 3/4yrs old)
 
Re: Thoughts

Consider that your friends might also see you in a new light. Don't guards have their own circles?
 
Re: Thoughts

Some gardai would make you envious of the lifestyle; rented houses, holiday homes, free beer after hours down the local, back-handers, free fireworks for halloween, virtual immunity for small traffic offences, loads of paid time off, early retirement, cushy and lucrative jobs in retirement, a big send off when retiring etc. (I personally know gardai to account for allthe above, before anyone starts ranting). On the other hand, many don't gain any of these perks, and live pretty miserable lives in fear for their own and their family's safety. The lads I know in the force, or ex-force (yes it's all lads) are tough as nails and well able to handle themselves and take abuse. They are also completely unfazed by breaking the law themselves and taking what ever they can get for free! I wouldn't do their job, because for me there are too many disadvantages.
 
Re: Thoughts

one of the good things about a large organisation like the gardai, is that like nursing, once you have the basic qualification you can specialise in loads of areas - detective, IT (!), teaching, traffic, underwater, horses, forensics, mechanics, handson criminal work, HR, publicity, or go for a desk job, and you can get promoted wherever you are. have a look at the garda website - www.garda.ie
One things is for sure, your experience will never be wasted if you decide to return to civilian life.
 
Re: Thoughts

I never knew they had underwater horses - must make a great water polo team.
 
If you have a background in finance - Could you join the gaurds to get into the Criminal Assets Bereau?

Is there any hope of using your qualifications?
 
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