I can't believe they can't fill these positions!

[Wyhunter]

Too bad they dont take military experience in lieu of a degree

 

[mtmuley]

Too bad they dont take military experience in lieu of a degree

Not sure why a degree is required for a Warden. mtmuley

 

[Nick87]

Not sure why a degree is required for a Warden. mtmuley

Or for a lot of positions for that matter?

 

[Pucky Freak]

So able bodied qualified citizens shouldn’t be game wardens and just hold out for a what $80k, $90k or $100k job?

You wouldn’t have to hold out for long.

https://www.careerbuilder.com/advice/blog/high-paying-entry-level-jobs

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[Wyhunter]

It was my dream to be a warden all through my early adulthood. I even went to the first year of school for it last year. But, I work in the Nuclear Missile Field for the Airforce and make almost $40 per hour working 4-10s and having every friday-sunday off... including 4 weeks of vacation I can use whenever I want. Pretty hard to pass that up for a 4 year degree that pays half of what I make now.

 

[ccc23454]

Its funny every state has WAY different responsibilities for wardens, some are full blown law enforement not just bunny police. I like a degree or specialized training experiance as a prerequisite but also think there could be ways to incetive program to attract better candidates.

 

[Wyhunter]

Wyoming is very strict with what they want, thats why we have 20 positions unfilled. Full blown law enforcement. Pays just under 30 per hour. Shitty part is, you have to live in their housing because you are on call all the time and are requiredto have an in-house office/internet. Good pay if you dont have a house payment. Hard to build wealth without a real estate portfolio though.

 

[mtmiller]

I get that there is such a thing as an entry level position, but considering how many 4-yr degree graduates have student loans to pay off, MT FWP job would barely cover basic living expenses.
View attachment 305157

I work in government where pay has been near stagnant through the inflation bubble. What once were competitive jobs, are now vacancies, and coworkers leaving for jobs at convenience stores, tanning salons, fast food, etc. where they make more $$.

Better sources out there.

Game Warden

Click the link provided to see the complete job description.

mtstatejobs.taleo.net

 

[Bryerific]

View attachment 305157

While I do firmly believe game wardens should be paid better, Ziprecuiter seems a bit low. You can see all state employee hourly pay and it looks like most of the game wardens are ~$30/hr
State employee data

 

[Perlodid]

Are they actually trying to fill the jobs or just saying they are vacant and have no intention to fill them?

Being in the conservation field low paying jobs, weekends, holidays are the norm for several years after graduating. Colleges need to do a better job of preparing students for that reality. Many of my interns have no clue they will have to work weekends, nights and holidays or want to hold out for a job near their hometown and aren’t willing to move. They usually don’t last long.

I would be surprised if even 50% of the people who graduated with me with a Fisheries and Wildlife degree are still in this field - in most cases through no fault of their own. They just had no clue what they were signing up for. The sacrifices are significant, and unless you have no other commitments or a lot of help it's extremely difficult to even get by, let alone progress in your career. I've moved 5 times for seasonal jobs since graduating in 2019, and will move at least one or two more times in the near future. Most of the federal offices I have interacted with in the past few years have 30-40% of the positions on their org chart unfilled, with a good chunk of those having no funding to even attempt to fill them. I make sure to take every opportunity to share my experiences with the undergraduate students I interact with because at the very least they deserve to know what to expect, and what they will need to do to succeed.

 

[Bigjay73]

I didn't bash anything. Being a Game Warden would be a great career. But at that wage, not sustainable unless a single person with no large financial obligations. mtmuley

Or has a spouse/ partner that makes a good amount of money

 

[Bigjay73]

Not sure why a degree is required for a Warden. mtmuley

I was always under the impression that they wanted people with bachelors in biology, but could be wrong.

 

[Doublecluck]

There’s prolly perks to the job, might get an invite to shoot a big bull every year if you “develop relationships” with the landowners.

I wanted to be a GW when I graduated HS. 48k a year didn’t seem like much, that was 1998. Somewhere along the line a smart person told me never to try and make money off doing something you love.

I wouldn’t deal with the general hunting public on a daily basis for 150k a year.

 

[more_cowbell]

I thought perks of government employment usually include better health and retirement/pension benefits, longer vacation/off days per year, and job security.

But sure a lower salary wont pay a $3k month mortgage and $800 monthly payment on a $75k truck.

 

[BuzzH]

1,237 days for another gov't vacancy.

But who's counting...

 

[TheTone]

1,237 days for another gov't vacancy.

10 full years. I really gotta figure out how I can use my vacation and sick leave towards the end

 

[Nameless Range]

I know someone who’s a game warden in the community I grew up in.

Not-so-great wages relative to the responsibilities aside, there’s also the fact that Montana’s housing is the most expensive in the nation relative to its wages.

And yet, this guy seems to like what he does and excels at it. As cheesy as it sounds, I get the sense that his job is a lifestyle to him - revolving around his neighbors and civic duty. Hard but rewarding. He’s looked up to in the community - which is the same one he was raised in and will be a member of for the long haul.

Takes a special kind of person for sure.

If they can’t fill the positions they just need to take econ 101. There’s no such thing as a long term labor shortage in a market with a wage mechanism.

 

[SAJ-99]

I know someone who’s a game warden in the community I grew up in.

Not-so-great wages relative to the responsibilities aside, there’s also the fact that Montana’s housing is the most expensive in the nation relative to its wages.

And yet, this guy seems to like what he does and excels at it. As cheesy as it sounds, I get the sense that his job is a lifestyle to him - revolving around his neighbors and civic duty. Hard but rewarding. He’s looked up to in the community - which is the same one he was raised in and will be a member of for the long haul.

Takes a special kind of person for sure.

If they can’t fill the positions they just need to take econ 101. There’s no such thing as a long term labor shortage in a market with a wage mechanism.

This whole thread should be merged with the MT property tax thread.

 

[Wyhunter]

10 full years. I really gotta figure out how I can use my vacation and sick leave towards the end

Ive got 19 left. Then ill have 30 years of federal service and will retire at 58.

 

[millerkiller77]

Get the unions out of government employment and pay the employees the same wages as private sector. It's a win win all the way around .