If you’re a closet crime scene investigator you probably already know quite a bit about the science of forensics. You can probably set your watch by TV shows like Law and Order and CSI, but isn’t it time you got off the sidelines and made your dreams a reality? To become a crime scene investigator takes great dedication and commitment but it is possible to make your dreams come true. To enter this exciting world of science and mystery there are three steps you need to take. Read on to discover what they are and you could become a crime scene investigator become part of a unique and important world.
Step # 1
Learn All You Can About the Job of Crime Scene Investigation
* Find out exactly what a crime scene investigator does (and not only the exciting parts, the paperwork too!). Learn what special skills, knowledge and abilities you need to do the job well. Find out if your personality type suits the job you want to do (for example do you faint at the sight of blood?).
Do research to determine what education and experience will get you your dream job. Of course there is some flexibility here as requirements vary from job to job and also depend on the agency you will be working for.
* Do a thorough study of the job summaries listed on the employment pages. This way you can get a good idea of the type of responsibilities successful applicants will have and understand the requirements for the job.
* Visit the Crime-Scene-Investigator.net Web site at : http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net and look over the article entitled: Duty Description for the Crime Scene Investigator, by Mike Byrd of the Miami-Dade Police Department Crime Scene Investigations Unit. This will give you great insight of the daily life of those who become a crime scene investigator.
* Make contact with several nearby agencies and find out what their employees do each day as well their minimum application requirements. Ask also about how often they have job openings.
Step # 2
Prepare for the Job as a CSI
* There are jobs in crime scene investigation that ask for a 4 year degree in science to become a crime scene investigator but other jobs require only a GED or High School graduation. In some cases you may be required to be a sworn police officer before you will be able to work as a crime scene investigator.
* In the case where the job you would like does require you to have formal training your next step would be to contact local colleges and universities. The above site has a college and university page for you to peruse but many community colleges have ‘Criminal Justice’ classes that do include crime scene investigations in the curriculum.
* No matter what the job requirements are you can prepare for the interview by informing yourself as much as possible by teaching yourself about the job you have your heart set on. Do this by:
