I joined the criminal justice profession in 2000, with the goal of bringing a positive face to individuals “stuck” in a criminological way of living and thinking. In the last 24 years, I have served various communities as a police officer, a county corrections officer, then with MoDOC as a COI, Sergeant, Case Manager and my current capacity as a Functional Unit Manager.
As “Dream Jobs” go this would be it for me. Most people see a dream job as something that you wake up to every day with a smile on your face ready to start your day with. This profession is anything but sunshine and rainbows. It’s a way of life, because in order to be good or even proficient in this career, you have to live it. You will learn to look at things differently, compared to trusting your scenes completely. You’ll have new reservations and speculations that you wouldn’t have had before. The best part of all you will learn to process sights, sounds, and circumstances on the fly, which will leave a mark on your soul.
So, you may ask, “How could this be a Dream Job for anyone?” Well, that answer to those of us who truly do this job for the right reasons, is simple… if I can make a positive difference in even ONE offenders’ life, then all the bad will have been worth it. How many “free” people have had a second chance or had someone believe in them during a crucial part of their life? JUST SAYING.
Chad Ream
Functional Unit Manager, Northeast Correctional Center
Division of Adult Institutions
I love my job working in the MODOC Toxicology Laboratory because it is a unique job that requires your full attention to what you are doing; you are literally holding “someone’s life in your hands” – you can make their day, or you can break it.
We have to be very accurate in the procedures that we follow; make sure our standards, controls and calibrators fall within the correct parameters for the sake of our clientele. Make sure our equipment is performing to handle the number of samples that we run through on a daily basis.
Our clientele deserves the highest quality of testing, just as anyone walking free on the street would. Therefore, but for the grace of God; go I. I enjoy the folks I work with and am grateful every day for their work ethic and how they function as a team to meet our goals and deadlines for others.
If we don’t perform our jobs correctly, then someone is unnecessarily penalized for our lack of proper procedures and protocols. I can honestly say that I do NOT dread coming to work every day – I love my job! I am grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of the Missouri Department of Corrections in Missouri.
Carol J. Bates
Toxicology Manager, MODOC Toxicology Laboratory
Division of Rehabilitative Services
Becoming a Regional Administrator is the dream job that I never fell asleep and thought of obtaining. It actually came to me by way of a promotional advancement opportunity. Caring about others and being a shining light in the lives of others, has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl; always intentional about greeting strangers with a smile. I played a game with myself called “I’ll smile first”. I know it probably sounds a little weird but that was my favorite secret game. I watched how it would change a mood or change someone’s frown and turn it upside down. I believe I have carried that same game into my career with the Department of Corrections. Regardless of title, I get to care about the people. This career is very challenging yet very rewarding. I must be honest with my truth and state this is not a job where you always walk into smiles and positivity on a daily basis. You may walk into someone’s chaos, someone’s stress level on ten, someone’s constant negativity, or a combination of it all at one time! Regardless of what is going on in the midst of someone’s storm, I take pride in finding that one good thing to focus on.
Most times I get lucky and find a lot of good things to focus on. I get to be a part of motivating others to be the best in their roles. I get the opportunity to affect change and create positive environments. I get the opportunity to speak to others less fortunate than myself on many occasions. I get the opportunity to listen to concerns and often times are able to change the mood or tone of the conversation. I get to remind staff of the reason they chose this career. I get the opportunity to be a cheerleader to the teams who are working diligently to adhere to the demands of the job. I get to listen to concerns and help with finding positive solutions. I get the opportunity to find root causes to situations and address those areas. I have the opportunity to lead leaders. I count this opportunity as a blessing in my life. I focus on leading by example. The most favorite part about the work I do is when my leaders are doubting themselves; I get the opportunity to remind them of their strengths! I get the opportunity to work with others from all different walks of life. I get the opportunity to embrace change and send a charge to change. My career goal was to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I truly believe I have been afforded the opportunity to just that. The great part about this goal is the fact it is on-going!
Kim Hubbard-Stewart
Regional Administrator
Division of Probation & Parole
This job has helped me to grow and come out of my shell, gain confidence and learn the fundamentals of being a team player! I love that I do not have to do the same thing redundantly every day, I love that I have peer support and strong leaders. The best part is knowing that we are collectively changing the image and feelings in the minds of those people we keep secure and walk out their time with. It surely can NOT be easy to come around and understand that regardless of what one has done in their lifetime 98.2% of all inmates will be let out of an institution. Then they are our neighbors and coworkers; we will be reliant upon them for services from McDonald’s workers to executives OR they become reliant upon us. If we help them to have a better fighting chance in society when they do go home, by removing the resentment and anger, and giving them real opportunities to succeed and do better, WE are effectively helping ourselves reduce strain on the world collectively. Change can be excruciatingly hard BUT when implemented effectively can make a BIG DIFFERENCE! It has been personally rewarding for me to see that building of trust all around. The sky is the limit in corrections all you have to do is dream, believe and work hard to achieve.
Co-1 Cassey Wallace
Western Region Diagnostic and Correctional Center
Division of Adult Institutions
I love what I do because in my role I have the opportunity to meet and connect with staff at all levels, roles, and divisions of our department. Visiting each institution and office has given me a vantage point to see how we are all connected to the bigger picture. The Corrections Way is the type of leadership I believe in; therefore, it is easy for me to talk, teach, and practice the tools and principles daily. When you are doing something, you believe in there is no greater motivation. Working with ambassadors is encouraging because I can associate with like-minded individuals who help sharpen my skills. I love teaching TCW to our Basic Training students; they are moldable and energized as they begin their careers with the DOC.
Ashley Golden
Senior Staff Development Training Specialist
Division of Human Services
I love that I have days that I feel like I make a difference. My favorite part about my job is the professional relationships I make with my fellow staff members. My current position is helping me reach my career goals in a way I actually never thought possible. I have never really given thought to going beyond the entry level position I started at due to loving what I did. As I have grown in the Department, I realized that I had a passion for mentoring others and helping them reach goals and achievements they set for themselves.
COIII Sommer Taylor
UA Coordinator, Boonville Correctional Center
Division of Adult Institutions
When I was presented with the question of what makes this my DREAM JOB, I’ll be perfectly honest, my mind was flooded with a wide array of thoughts and emotions (Hint: they weren’t all unicorns and butterflies). However, I did feel an enormous sense of pride. To help me get a grasp on what I wanted to articulate, I took to the internet to get a better idea of what the definition of “dream job” really is.
I was a bit surprised at the abundance of interpretations the internet provided, from one end of the spectrum to the other. I am not sure this helped me get any closer to explaining the complexities of my thoughts and emotions, but it did assure me of one thing, that what defines a dream job is solely up to each individual to define.
Any one of us that has worked in a facility knows the day-to-day difficulties that come along with this type of job. So, what keeps me coming back day in and day out? Why can’t I give up on this job? What could possibly make this a dream job? What makes this my dream job?
Let me tell you…I GET TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONES LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
What I do matters to people and affects their lives. At my dream job, I have opportunities every single day to make connections and impact people from all walks of life. These connections allow me the ability to make an undeniably positive difference in the community, with my coworkers and with offenders.
What I did not anticipate, and am most grateful for, is that my dream job has given back to me tenfold what I put into it. After over a decade long career with the department, I have made meaningful friendships and have a sense of comradery; I am stronger, smarter, more resilient, and I have grown into a person I love and am so very proud of.
When my thoughts wander when the days get hard, and I question if the things I am doing are making a difference, I remember a quote that reminds me just how much of an impact a single person's actions make.
“I cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”
-Mother Teresa
Submitted By: Anonymous
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