What should I do?

Question

I want to eventually be a psychologist for the FBI. I want to become a special agent and might join the police dept and work to become a homicide detective. I have also always wanted to join the military as a army or navy officer because i already have my degree in psychology. What should I do. Skip the military and join the police after college? Will that just be a waste of time which could be used to gain law enforcement experience?

Answer 1

Hi. Why are you asking me what you should do sweetheart? It depends on how much control you want over your life non? If you join the military they own you and I do not think that is something you would like too much at this time in American history.

You might have a little more autonomy if you join the force and start to work your way from the bottom up as you continue your college studies. You will be encouraged to think more than just obey which might appeal to you more as well. There is discussion already about the return of the draft.

Personally, I would go with my latter option simply because, as dangerous a line of work as homicide work is, the military option is much more dangerous to someone who wants to live .. let alone live without crippling problems due to war and exposure to contaminants etc.

Good luck with you!

Answer 2

Great career, however, you have to differentiate yourself from other candidates, everybody wants to be a psychologist anymore for the FBI. Military is a DEFINATE plus, as you will be working for the government, and a lot of times, you can actually put your military time towards your FBI career...lets say you did 4 years in the military, that will equal 4 years towards your retirement with the FBI, so if the FBI is 20 years for full retirement, you have 16 years to do it!! But they definately like military, and you can get some great experience there than out in a PD. I am in no way affiliated with any armed forces, I am being hired with a PD but just what I thought you might want to know!

Good Luck!!

Answer 3

Go to college and become a psychiatrist (medical school). Then apply and the FBI will take you in a heartbeat.

Answer 4

You already have degree in psychology?

I find this hard to believe, your question sounds more like something that would come from a Junior High Student who's watched to much TV than a degreed professional.

First, decide what you want. Realize that you can not be Magnum P.I. or Jack Bauer. They do not exist in the real world. Yes there are real FBI agents, yes there are real Army officers. That being said, this is the real world, not TV. You seem to have a vauge idea of "cool TV job" in your head, but you need to realize that police officers, federal agents, military officers etc. all work for different SPECIFIC organizations. NYPD is different from Chicago P.D. which is different from Albuquerque P.D. and all of these are different from the DEA which is different from the FBI and both of those are totally separate from the Army and the Navy. Even within the organization there are different hierarchies and subunits. Vice Squad is different from Counternarcotics which is different from homicide which is different from autotheft. As such, each different postion will require different skills, and different knowledge.

Realize that each organization has its own independent needs, budget, hiring practices, etc. Someone who works in each of these organizations will have a different career path, will answer to different bosses, and have different standards they will have to meet.

Bottom line, you don't just go to some magic "cool job" office and apply for a position labled HERO. This is NOT "Men In Black". You go to specific and different law enforcement agencies and talk to their recruiters, each of whom has different needs and expectations of you.

It sounds to me like you despirately need to do some (non-television related) research on this. Like I said, different agencies do different things. The DEA ( obviously) does drug related investigations, and works extensively overseas. U.S. Marshalls are primarily involved in transporting Federal Prisoners and apprehending escaped Federal Prisoners and doesn't do a lot of work overseas. The FBI handles counterintellignece and organized crime, with some counterterrorisim tossed in. The Secret Service not only protects the President, they do counterfiting investigations as well. The Coast Guard spends a lot more time on the water than the Border Patrol does.

Realize that the different agencies will have different needs, some may find your Psychology degree to be useful, others not so much. Only the agencies themselves will be able to tell you what they need and look for in a candidate. You may find that the guys who hire the DEA agents laugh in your face, while the Army recruter thinks you're just the perfect fit for the Army Intelligence Corps.

Your research should tell you what SPECIFIC job you really want. This brings us to step two, ask for what you want. If you want to be an Army officer go to the Army ROTC office and talk to them. If you want to be an FBI agent contact your local FBI office and enquire on what their standards are and when they are interviewing. If you decide you would rather work for DEA, talk to the DEA recruiters. The local FBI recruter should be able to tell you a lot more about what the FBI looks for in a candidate than a bunch of yahoos on Yahoo.

Next, evaluate what skills you have and what you "bring to the table", vrs. what your dream employer is looking for. In short answer the questions "Why should they hire me?" and more importantly "Why should they hire me instead of the other folks who will be applying?" Competition for these jobs is very fierce, with something like ten (or more) applicants for each available postion... but it varies a great deal by agency. Every teenage boy wants to join the CIA and they get deluged with applications whenever a new James Bond movie comes out, same with FBI, DEA, and (I suppose) NYPD. Their recruters biggest problem is going through the mountian of resumes to select the "BEST QUALIFIED" people.

Billings Montana PD or the Clear Lake Texas PD will probably have fewer applicants per availalbe position. (But they will also probably have fewer available postions.) You might find that smaller police departments have a harder time attracting qualified applicants.

Like I said, the different agencies are just that, DIFFERENT. You need to look at each individually and see what they offer and what their needs are.

If you lack the sort of Knowledge, Skills and Experience that your employer of choice demands (and somehow I'm thinking you will find you do) your next task is to determine how to acquire the Knowledge, Skills, and Experience that your employer wants, looks for, and values.

Then you will have to get that knowledge, skills, and experience. Depending on what sort of job you decide to go for that could include getting a criminal justice degree, learning to speak arabic or spanish, or just lots and lots and lots of push ups. You might find that military experience will be useful with some of the Agencies, but less so with others, and much would depend on the sort of experience and training you get in the military (the DEA does not have a lot of call for people that know how to use surface to air missiles to shoot down airplanes, experience as an invesigator might be of more use to them.)

You might also find that there are things they would value more than military experience; such as the aforementioned Criminal Justice Degree, or they might prefer to see you have three years experience as a patrolman for a local police department than three years experience as a USMC heavy artillery crewman.

Lastly "you can't win if you aren't at the table." This means you won't hit it big in Vegas while you are sitting at home in Duluth. You need to be talking to the folks who recruit for the agencies you decide you want to work for. Surf over to Google and find the local DEA/FBI/ Police Department office and contact THEM. If your goal is to get hired, talking to people who don't have the power to hire you is a waste of time.

This IS "doable" you just have to know how to do it.

Good luck!

Answer 5

use reverse psychology on yourself