Becoming an FBI Agent
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Anonymous
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My daughter is going to NOVA for 2 years with a plan to transfer to an in-state school (her goal is UVA or William and Mary.) She is interested in becoming an FBI agent and asked our relative who works in law enforcement for advice on a good college major and other tips. Our relative didn't have many tips because he's a detective in a small town, but did say that he doesn't recommend majoring in Criminal Justice. His recommendation is to major in Accounting. Daughter really isn't that interested in Accounting and preference is to major in Political Science or History based on her interests.
For those of you that work for the FBI, or have spouses that do, do you have advice for a young person on how to prepare for an FBI career? What college major(s) do you recommend? What sort of jobs and/or internships should she be pursuing? Are there specific colleges/universities (within VA and/or affordable) she should think about transferring to that would enhance her prospects for getting hired? She assures me that she won't do it, but what happens if during the college years, she decides to experiment with the substance that was recently legalized in Colorado, or has friends that do and she is around it? Finally, does the FBI accept people who have a diagnosis of ADHD, or take medication for ADHD (as we understand it, the military does not)? Thanks in advance for any advice. |
Anonymous
| My husband worked for the FBI for two decades before leaving. He majored in accounting and is a CPA as well as a financial forensics expert. |
Anonymous
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Yeah. Work there now. Hiring freeze. Think about that the next time you vote.
She can try to reach out to her local field office recruiting office. I strongly recommend her finding a major she is interested in and applying for the FBI when she qualifies. That way if she can't get in she has something else to do with her life. |
Anonymous
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Look at fbi.gov
The hiring parameters are explained there. |
Anonymous
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This is her planned career path, and she hasn't looked at the website?
To become an FBI Special Agent you must be a U.S. citizen or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands. You must be at least 23 years of age to apply and have not reached 37 years of age upon your appointment as a Special Agent. Age waivers may be granted to preference eligible veterans who have surpassed their 37th birthday. You must possess a four-year degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. You must have at least three years of professional work experience. You must also possess a valid driver's license and be completely available for assignment anywhere in the FBI's jurisdiction. All applicants for the Special Agent position must first qualify under one of five Special Agent Entry Programs. These programs include: Accounting Computer Science/Information Technology Language Law Diversified More details about Special Agent Entry Programs. After qualifying for one of the five Entry Programs, applicants will be prioritized in the hiring process based upon certain Critical Skills for which the FBI is recruiting. The FBI is currently recruiting for Special Agent candidates with one or more of the following Critical Skills: Accounting Finance Computer Science/Information Technology Expertise Engineering Expertise Foreign Language(s) Proficiency Intelligence Experience Law Experience Law Enforcement/Investigative Experience Military Experience Physical Sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) Expertise Diversified Experience |
Anonymous
| OP here. She is looking at the website. Thanks to everyone that responded. |
Anonymous
| NP here with a friend who is an agent, undergrad degree in accounting, worked in the industry for several years before applying for FBI. |
Anonymous
| In general, the FBI is overrun with criminal justice/law enforcement applicants. Her odds are going to be much better with experience in one of the other fields listed. Proficiency in a language like Arabic, Mandarin, Farsi, etc. would be a huge asset. |
Anonymous
| Tell her not to forget about the physical fitness requirement. |
Anonymous
| Also tell her to be ready to work in a hidebound, overly rigid and stultifying environment (based on my 20+ yrs. experience working with FBI). If she can handle that, go for it. |
Anonymous
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Learn a hard foreign language, like Arabic or Chinese. Applicants that speak those languages that aren't from those cultures are attractive candidates (easier to get through background checks and clearance processes, if those are necessary).
Also since hiring is tight all over, also consider intelligence agencies like CIA or DIA. Each has a different tone. There's a lot of BS and classism at FBI - if you're not a special agent, you're garbage. Some fascinating work, some great people but a lot of stupid rules and people who like to enforce them. Tell her to stay off the drugs, but yes, "experimenting in college" is usually not a problem anymore. But if FBI is her goal, why bother at all? |
Anonymous
Don't forget the racism and sexism. |
Anonymous
*** all else fails she can get in and sue for her own history month. Oops did I say that? |
Anonymous
| It strikes me as odd that a mom is helping a college-age DD figure out a job/career path. I can't imagine my parents ever doing this for me. If I wanted to figure out something I had to do it myself. |
Anonymous
| FBI is a joke... Tell her to stay far away. I speak from direct experience. It's as old boy/rigid as it comes. Not cracked up to be what as it appears in Hollywood.. Far from it. She would do better focusing on one of the other govt agencies. |