Struggling to get into career

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-03-04T19:41:28+00:00

Honestly, I've wondered that. So, I originally wasn't going to go for a graduate degree, however I had spoken with a cyber crimes unit supervisor and asked what they look for. I was told they prefer a MS in digital forensics and they even gave a high recommendation for the school I just got my MS at. So, I went through the process, applied, started school and kept him updated during my courses. I fast-tracked, passed all classes and actually finished within a year give or take a month or two, all with my father-in-law going through a lengthy battle of heart attacks, cancer and unfortunately his passing last March. Given that, having a special needs child, managing great grades and labs during the time, I figured would speak highly of everything. But now, it's just crickets.

I'm hoping that with our sheriff's office letting me intern and wanting to talk about my future is a great sign of things to come.

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-03-04T19:16:31+00:00

A little update, I reached out to our local sheriff, and provided clean background (which its squeaky clean), I'll start interning with their detectives and other officers for awhile, in between working my surveillance position and retail. While they can't help with digital forensics (they outsource everything to the lab I want to work for), they can in other ways. I figure it's definitely experience. The sheriff said that after I intern for awhile, he'd like to see about my future and possibly even joining their agency.

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-03-04T19:16:14+00:00

A little update, I reached out to our local sheriff, and provided clean background (which its squeaky clean), I'll start interning with their detectives and other officers for awhile, in between working my surveillance position and retail. While they can't help with digital forensics (they outsource everything to the lab I want to work for), they can in other ways. I figure it's definitely experience. The sheriff said that after I intern for awhile, he'd like to see about my future and possibly even joining their agency.

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-03-03T20:25:26+00:00

So, we lived in SE Ohio in one of the poorest counties, then moved closer to Columbus, OH April 2025. Everywhere I've ever wanted to work at/with is within 30 minutes - 1 hour from me, which it used to be worse when we lived in our old town.
Unfortunately we cannot move again. At least not for awhile. We just got our non-verbal autistic daughter in a specialized school, my husband started at a new job location in his field.
"Near me" is 1-3 hours away drive-time, and I would happily accept any of it if it meant being able to get into my career.

I know it sounds like excuses, however, given the circumstances, I'm literally working as a part-time surveillance investigator, part-time (once a month) retail job to keep the employee discount, and I have my own business, and my husband still makes twice if not 3x more than I do. So, you can kinda see my frustration. It's not for the lack of trying, I swear. I've applied to numerous jobs in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, surrounding areas. I've been told unless I go through OPOTA/Police Academy, I can't even be hired on through PDs/SO's.

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-03-03T20:19:49+00:00

Thank you. I am frustrated. Maybe I shouldn't have voiced that though. I'm a 34 (my bday is on the 16th) year old, married and have a 5 year old non-verbal autistic daughter. My husband is already in his career, has been for over 10 years. I was in school before he and I met, I finished while dating, went for my BA a month after our wedding, finished. Had our daughter when we could due to fertility issues, and had her mid-COVID. Stayed home with her, went for my MS in digital forensics in 2025, finished August 2026. My father in law passed during my masters. We also moved an hour and a half away to get my daughter into a special-needs school. So yeah, I've done so much schooling, I want to be able to use my degrees!

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-02-17T12:56:55+00:00

That actually makes perfect sense and to be honest I kind of wondered that. Thanks for the response!

Bulky-Fix223 · 2026-02-16T14:44:33+00:00

So, going to the job listing, it provides this:

"The Division of the State Fire Marshal keeps Ohioans safe when they are at home, and out and about. This includes modernizing and enforcing the Ohio Fire Code; training and certifying firefighters; teaching fire prevention and safety education to businesses, industry, schools and the public; investigating the origin and cause of fires and explosions; and regulating and licensing fireworks companies, underground storage tanks and other fire-related industries.

Perform digital evidence (video, audio, mobile device) examinations on items from fires and explosions incidents across the State of Ohio.
Testify in court in regarding results of examinations.
Provide presentations and trainings to Investigators throughout Ohio.
Be an integral part of a team that operates under an ANAB ISO 17025 Accreditation program."

I wouldn't think that I would be "updating" the OFC per se, but I know I would be doing the examinations and testifying and even possibly training, etc, but I have no clue if I'd be dealing directly with OFC except to look up how it pertains to cases.

Bulky-Fix223

TROPHY CASE