Personnel Selection Officer MOC

[pcantelo]

Looking for some insight

I am a 36 year old university adminstrator who has had regret about not joining the miltary earlier in life and as such I am about to explore the possibility of entering as a DEO in either the PSO , Infantry or Logistics MOC's.....

Firstly, can anyone clarify the fact that I would not stand a chance on being offered entry as a PSO given the fact that I do not have a Masters degree in Psych, Soc or HR......would my university recruitment experience count for anything ?

Secondly, am I nuts at my age ( I am in fairly decent shape) to think that I can get through BOTC and start a new career with the military.

Finally, as I am looking at giving up a decent payiing job, I am concerned about how long it would take me to make the same kind of pay I am making now as an officer. I make about $55,000 per year..

Any help is greatly appreciated..

 

[Quag]

Pcantelo,

PSO's usually have a great deal of experience in the military.  The reason for this is self-explanatory.  I'm not sure that you would be selected for a PSO right away after joining the DND. 

Logistics is a good trade for you if this type of career is what you want.  In my opinion, you would be more likely to get Logistics than PSO.

You can do a quick search and you will find multiple threads on joining the military at a higher age.  In short, the answer is as long as you are in good shape you are fine.

Do you have a university education?  I'm just trying to figure out if you will be going DEO or ROTP.  Anyway, you will be roughly making your current salary when you are promoted to Captain.  This can happen anywhere from 3 to usually 5 years of service after your commission to 2ndLt.  Getting promoted depends on your competence and like any other civvy job, positions available (among other things).

I will point out that the PSO on my base, is a MWO.  I'm not sure of his education, however being a MWO, you can assume he has a great deal of experience.

Hope this helps you out a little,
-Quag

 

[GINge!]

Regarding the PSO Question: My wife tried to get in as PSEL with an undergrad in Psychology - no luck at all, and she was already commissioned MPO. However, you might be able to join the Reserves as a PSO without a post-graduate degree, and after a period of time, component-transfer into the Regular Force as a PSEL. There are others better qualified to answer that than me.

 

[pcantelo]

Thanks Guys

This forum is excellent for getting some straight talk on issues that don't seem to be covered on the DND recruitment site.

As a potential BOTC attendee at the age of 36/37, would I be unique or are there others like me looking to make a career move at a relatively late age ?

Also, as a logistics officer are you able to pursue working in HR or are you just placed where the greatest need is ?

Last question for now..... Would an old geezer like myself be behind the "career eight ball" in terms of promotion due to the fact that I have less career time available than a recent university graduate ?

I appreciate the help.

 

[GINge!]

BOTC is geared for the recent high-school graduate. There are published fitness standards, and if you can meet those, then you shouldn't experience any difficulty in that area.

You will bring a wealth of life experience & maturity to your BOTC Platoon. You will notice a generation gap, though I suspect your current employment at a university has alerted you to that fact. I am on course with some 80's kids who have never seen an LP or a cassette tape, have no recollection of Reagan or Mulroney, and were still in day care during the Gulf War. It's a fun experience.

As for older age & career implications...the Army does not discriminate based on age. And when I say the Army does not discriminate based on age, I do in fact mean there is a certain amount of age discrimination. It is factored into your potential score, not always, and not officially, but it has happened. You would be roughly 41 as a Captain, and if you are a superstar, you could make Major at around 45. That is getting near the upper end of the age bracket, but it is by no means extraordinarly old.

As for HR, every officer gets to practice the fundaments of HR. HR policy is another area, but Log seems to be the MOC of choice for that (since they absorbed the PAdm MOC).

 

[mdh]

As a potential BOTC attendee at the age of 36/37, would I be unique or are there others like me looking to make a career move at a relatively late age ?

I will let the regular force guys speak about full-time careers and the age factor - but why not hedge your bets and consider an army reserve career as a nice compromise?

Your age in the reserves will be even less of a consideration and you won't have your life disrupted to the same extent; remember that the reg. force option will have a profound impact on your personal and family life; you have to move where the CF wants you to move and force you to take a career path that you may not want.

There are lots of logo options available at most units and they will likely welcome you with open arms considering the current manpower shortages in most reserve units.

good luck on whatever path your choose

cheers, mdh

 

[kincanucks]

The requirements to apply as a DEO PSEL off the street are:

Ideal - Master in Psychology, sociology or industrial relations and proven leadership/officer like qualities and no minimum experience

Acceptable - Undergrad in Psychology, Sociology and proven leadership/officer like qualities and two years or more of full-time civilian work experience in a HR service/section as a manager or HR specialist.

DEO Component Transfer are:

Ideal - Master in Psychology, sociology or industrial relations and average leadership assessments and no minimum experience required.
or
Undergrad in Psychology, Sociology and average leadership assessments and four years of commissioned reserve service (one operational tour or four periods of summer reserve training)

Acceptable - Major in Psychology, Sociology or other related disciplines and average leadership assessments and four years of commissioned reserve service or four periods of summer reserve training and one year of full-time civilian work experience in a HR service/section as a manager or HR specialist or as an Military Career Counsellor.

Also Acceptable - Any degree with minor in Psychology, Sociology or other related disciplines and average leadership assessments and four years of of commissioned reserve service or four periods of summer reserve training and two years of full-time civilian work experience in a HR service/section as a manager or HR specialist or as an Military Career Counsellor.

 

[pcantelo]

Hi Guys

Just found out that I have been accepted to do my Masters in Industrial Relations at Queens University  and as such I am digging a little deeper for PSEL Info.

Does the PSEL MOC have faster promotion due to the Masters degree requirement for entry ?

Also...can anyone tell me where it is likley that  a PSEL officer will end up spending most of his/her career ( ie where in canada). My wife is more concrened about this than I.

Despite being a relatively old bugger ( 36), I still want to do some exciting stuff with the military.....How would a PSEL get a look at doing a para course ?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[dapaterson]

PSel is a relatively small trade.  Initial employment may be on a base or wing, providing an array of services including career transition advice to service members - both transitions within the military (occupational transfer) or to civilian life (release).

PSOs are paid as General Service Officers (GSOs) but are considered as specialists - PSOs will only fill PSO positions, not those designated as "ANY".  Many senior PSOs fill positions within NDHQ, working on personnel planning and some personnel research.  Selection standards are an area of concern to PSOs - that is, the indicators used to decide whether a person is suitable for CF service, and in which occupations.

Hope this gives you a bit more of an idea on the world of PSel.

(Note that I'm not a PSO, but I have spent considerable time around them)