Published on: 03 November 2016
Last Updated on: 19 August 2019
Studying abroad is an experience that not only means you will improve your education, it will also be an experience that will take you out of your comfort zone. As a student in another country, you will have to become accustomed to living in another culture and will come across hurdles you have never faced before. This will all result in you developing clarity in your job role and will help in you making key decisions about your career path. The following goes into more depth about how these things will benefit your career.
You Will Gain First Hand Experience for How to Communicate with People From Another Country
The first point is how you will learn how to communicate with people from another country. By working in another country you will gain first-hand experience of what it is like to talk to someone who knows a different language. Not only will this be by just speaking to a person, but you will also learn how people from different countries act in terms of their body language, this can be facial expressions, the way they greet other people or how they respond to certain situations. This type of skill can be imperative in certain industries, such as when undertaking medical work experience as you will be able to then communicate with people from another country when they are unable to explain their illness. Also being bilingual is a hugely desirable trait to have for employers are wanting people to work in their company.
You’ll Improve Your Decision Making Skills
If you’re traveling and working in another country on your own, you will learn how to make quick decisions on the spot. Also, on the flip side – if you’re traveling as part of a group you will develop the skills required for working as part of a team. These types of skills can then be easily transferred to a number of industries when it comes to making decisions. The reasoning for this is that you will know what you need to know when you’re put into these types of scenarios at your workplace. This is something which is important in almost every industry and it is often something which will be brought up during a job interview. If you are able to show that you have done this in a foreign country, it will certainly make you stand out.
You’ll Indirectly Become Better at Managing Multiple Projects
When you’re in a foreign country, you will be in a new place and this means that you will constantly be thinking and planning new places to go to have lunch or enjoy a weekend away. All of this might only be a fast thought process in your mind, but the way you will be planning and organizing these different scenarios can be directly linked to the type of work you will have to when you are undergoing some type of project management scheme. By studying abroad this will make you better equipped when it comes to high intensity and fast-paced jobs.
To Sum Up
To conclude, studying in a foreign country is certainly something that everybody should consider if they are wanting to give themselves the best possibilities when it comes to their career. Of course, there can be issues with the cost or simply being unable to travel, and this is certainly a viable excuse – if this the case these people should try their best to do some extracurricular work in their current country. However, if it is possible to work in another country then it certainly is something that should be considered as what it can do for your career may actually be unmeasurable.
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When you hear the term "detective," you might think of the fast-paced, well-groomed characters from television series. True detective work demands extreme patience, rigorous investigation, and unwavering ethics; it is very different from the glamorous portrayals in the media. The process of solving cases can take months or even years, during which time a lot of time is spent sifting through files, documents, and photos.
On top of that, solving cases may expose investigators to potentially dangerous people and situations. Notwithstanding the difficulties, though, working as a detective can be fulfilling because it offers the intense sense of accomplishment that results from cracking cases and giving victims closure.
Despite the overlap in their areas of expertise, private investigators (PIs) and police detectives are two different professions. Police detectives usually obtain investigative experience through their work in law enforcement and become detectives as a promotion through the agency. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2022).
At work, they might interview witnesses or suspects, look through documents, gather and meticulously record evidence, write reports, watch subjects at work, secure crime scenes, obtain arrest warrants, assist in apprehending offenders, and also testify as experts in court.
In contrast, private investigators, or PIs, are citizens who usually require state licensure. They gain experience in obtaining legal, financial, and personal information about their clients through surveillance and background checks. They also participate in missing person tracking, snooping for hints in documents, and speaking with relevant individuals. Detectives can focus on corporate malpractice, insurance fraud, computer forensics, and other areas.
There are a hoard of professional courses you can do, and your scope is equally varied. Keep reading to learn about the salary detectives draw and the qualifications, training, and personality needed to enter this field. Here is everything you need to know about how to become a detective.
Skills To Become a Detective
Most prosperous detectives are inquisitive, meticulous, and diligent. Perseverance may also be crucial because solving crimes isn't always a straight line or a quick process. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the following abilities are critical for successful detective work:
Communication skills: When speaking with witnesses, victims, and possible offenders, detectives need to pay close attention to what they are saying, ask the right questions, and be aware of nonverbal cues.
Decision-making skills: Detectives need to be able to make decisions quickly and calmly, especially when someone's life is in danger or when acting quickly can lead to the discovery of information that can help solve a crime.
Curiosity: Skilled investigators possess an innate ability to solve puzzles and can consider potential reasons behind a crime as well as determine the means of commission.
Perseverance: As mentioned earlier, solving a crime can take several months or even years. Crimes go unsolved occasionally, turning into cold cases that may be reopened years later, particularly with the development of forensic technologies like DNA testing.
Resourcefulness: Although detectives always need to be quick on their feet and adhere to protocol, they also need to be able to solve crimes by using their intuition and the resources at hand.
How To Become a Detective?
There are several ways to become a detective or private investigator (PI), but they all involve a consistent mix of classroom learning and real-world investigative experience. If you want to know how to become a detective, then this is one standard way:
Step 1: Complete your four years of high school
At this point, prospective detectives are advised to cultivate critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and inductive reasoning. To obtain practical experience in the field, some students might look for volunteer opportunities. They can do it through their local police departments, community organizations, or federal agencies.
For instance, high school students who are interested can enroll in the FBI's week-long Future Agents in Training (FAIT) program. Similarly, eligible high school and college students can apply for the Pathways Internship Program offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Step 2: Complete degree program in criminal justice, criminology, sociology, or related field
Many police academies require at least some college to qualify. Whereas some police academies may be able to accept prospective police detectives directly. Eileen Carlin is a state coordinator for Rasmussen College's School of Justice Studies and a 20-year law enforcement veteran. According to him, most departments prefer detectives with two- to four-year college degrees.
Step 3: Complete a police academy and gain investigative experience
The next step for someone who wants to work as a police detective is to enroll in a police academy. This is an option that can be more profitable than working as a private investigator (PI).
The qualifications for a police academy differ depending on the department and area, but applicants must be US citizens, be at least eighteen years old, have a driver's license, have never been convicted of a felony, and have some college experience.
Note that most state as well as federal agencies require a minimum of four years of undergraduate study. Typically lasting six to eight months, police academy programs provide specialized training in the use of firearms, patrol procedures, ethics, self-defense, writing reports, CPR and first aid, physical fitness, and emergency response.
Aspiring detectives can enhance their resumes by pursuing advanced training and responsibilities in investigative units after graduating from the academy. Homicide, surveillance, fraud, cybercrimes, financial crimes, and missing persons are among the different investigation branches.
Step 4: Private investigator's (PIs) licensure and on-the-job investigative experience
Prior to receiving a license, private investigators frequently need to have investigative experience gained through on-the-job training. Before being issued a license to operate, a prospective PI must first fulfill the eligibility standards of their home state, pass an exam, and finish additional state-mandated requirements. The number of hours required for this type of work varies depending on the state.
After receiving their full license, the PI may choose to focus on specific investigation fields, such as litigation support, insurance claims, cybersecurity, and criminal investigations. An online resource for investigators, Pursuit Magazine (2022), notes that 46 states (as well as certain cities) require a license for private investigators to practice, and it offers a useful table of state-by-state private investigator licensure policies.
Step 5: Police detective exam for professional certification
Both private investigators and police detectives can obtain certifications. For investigators with a focus on criminal defense or negligence, the National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI) offers the Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) credential.
Candidates for the CLI program must pass an exam with a minimum score of 70%, finish a 1,000-word research paper on investigations, and have at least five years of full-time experience (or qualify through appropriate academic coursework). Every three years, CLIs must complete 50 hours of continuing education (CE) to keep their certification.
For investigators who specialize in security, ASIS International offers the Professional Certified Investigator (PCI) certification. Candidates must have five years of investigative experience (two of which must be in case management) and a high school diploma to be eligible. People's knowledge of case management, investigative techniques and procedures, and case presentation is tested on a 140-question exam.
Step 6: Local credentialing
State-specific requirements may differ for becoming a detective. The procedures to enter the state's detective division may differ as well. Because most states have distinct standards for becoming police officers.
Generally, some police departments only accept a GED or high school certificate. Others demand a two- or four-year college degree, as well as certain college courses. For instance, you need a high school degree or GED to work in the Los Angeles Police Department Detective Bureau. Here, the first promotion after completing officer training is detective or sergeant.
However, candidates must have completed two years of military service or 60 college credits to be considered for employment with the New York Police Department. Candidates from Dallas, Texas, between 21 and 44, must have a 2.0 GPA and 45 semester credits (college-level).
In contrast, candidates in Miami, Florida, must obtain a GED or a high school diploma and pass the Florida Basic Abilities Test (FBAT), a law enforcement exam. To put it briefly, state requirements for becoming a detective differ greatly. Moreover, it is advised that prospective candidates check their eligibility by contacting their local government offices.
Institutions to Consider
When you are looking for more details regarding how to become a detective, the consequent thought to follow it up is which are the top colleges and universities offer the relevant courses. Here are some premier institutions that you should check out.
California State University
A Bachelor of Arts (BA) in criminal justice is also offered by California State University in San Bernardino (CSUSB). It combines structured coursework in criminal law and statistics in criminal justice. It also has correctional counseling with beneficial research and internship opportunities.
Graduates from this program will be well-versed in the criminal justice system, how it functions, and how laws, as well as law enforcement, affect society.
The program, which is worth 120 credits, consists of classes on topics like criminal law, research methodologies in criminal justice, statistics in criminal justice, police and police systems, theories of correctional theory and institutions, crime and delinquency, police and police systems, and criminal investigations, among other things. If you are seriously looking for the answer to how to become a detective, then CSU is your top bet.
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Many respectable undergraduate degrees with criminology, criminal justice, and criminal justice management majors are offered by this institution. Students can pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) in criminal justice program. They will receive specialized training in constitutional law, police and community relations, and the law and politics of racial relations. It lays special emphasis on institutional theory and practice.
The 120-credit program comprises courses like:
Drugs, Crime, and Law in Latin America
Police and Urban Communities
An Introduction to Corrections
An Introduction to Police Studies
Criminology
Community-Based Approaches to Justice
Police and the American Criminal Justice System
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State Harrisburg School of Public Affairs and Penn State World Campus have partnered to offer an online associate in science (AS) degree in criminal justice through Pennsylvania State University. Through this program, students will acquire the abilities and information required to start or progress in a variety of criminal justice and social services careers.
The 64 credits that make up the program include the following courses among others:
Criminology
Policing in America
Courts and the prosecution process
Corrections in America
Introduction to ethics
Race
Ethnicity
Culture
Statistical Analysis for the social sciences
Research methods in criminal justice
Graduates of this program will be prepared to work in the legal and correctional fields, protective services, security management, social services, court administration, and other related fields, serving both public and private interests.
How To Become a Detective: Specializations?
Depending on the county as well as the state, police detectives may be able to choose a specialization within their detective division. Additionally, because of compliance regulations and technological advancements, ongoing training might be required. Certain departments might also conduct ongoing research, design, and implementation of improvement strategies. This is done to improve the caliber of their investigative methods and procedures.
Some of these specializations or divisions, which are typically headed by lieutenants, captains, or commanders, are listed below:
Homicide and Robbery: Detectives assigned to the Homicide and Robbery unit will concentrate on cases involving murders, suspicious deaths, kidnappings, and robberies.
Forensics: This section examines the digital and tangible evidence discovered at crime scenes.
Juvenile: Investigators work on cases involving minors, including those involving child abuse and exploitation.
Gangs and Narcotics: These detectives deal with violent street gangs and the use and distribution of illicit substances and weapons.
Commercial: In addition to auto theft, commercial crimes can also involve fraud and cases of forgery.
Technical Investigation: Financial crimes and online crimes against minors fall under the purview of this investigative division.
Detective Support and Vice: This division deals with pornography, animal abuse, human trafficking, missing people, and hate crimes.
Special Victims Unit: Also known as SVU, these detectives investigate violent crimes against adults, including sexual assault, domestic abuse, and crimes against children.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Detective?
In general, there are many different routes to becoming a police detective. But it can take five to eight years to advance from police officer to detective after earning a high school degree or GED. The BLS (2022) states that to become a detective, a person must complete high school or earn a GED. Most will do so by earning an associate or bachelor's degree in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, psychology, or a similar discipline.
Moreover, passing physical exams, background checks, and other requirements is necessary for prospective officers to be considered as competitive applicant in a police department. Candidates may occasionally attend a police academy to receive additional training after being hired as police officers. Academies differ in duration depending on the department, city, and state. Basic police training takes place in Portland, or, for 16 weeks, while it takes place in San Jose, CA, for 0 weeks.
In addition, prospective detectives need to work as police officers for at least three years after completing a police academy to be promoted to detective. Officers who want to advance in the police department must pass exams and/or review their service history.
How Much Do Detectives Earn?
It's crucial to remember that four of the states with the highest salaries in the US also have the highest cost of living. To illustrate the point, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2023) discovered that among the top fifteen most expensive states are Alaska, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Hawaii, and Washington. In contrast, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Alabama were the five states with the lowest cost of living.
Ultimately, over the next ten years, job growth rates for private investigators and police detectives are anticipated to be comparable. For example, in 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicted that employment for police investigators (BLS) would increase by 3% and for investigators (PIs) by 6% between 2021 and 2031. This growth is almost equal to the average growth predicted for all occupations during that period (5%).
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, May 2022) makes a distinction between police detectives and private investigators. First, the following salary ranges were reported by the 32,050 private investigators and PIs in the United States:
Annual mean wage: $59,400
10th percentile: $33,710
25th percentile: $38,360
50th percentile (median): $52,120
75th percentile: $75,740
90th percentile: $92,660
In comparison, the salary ranges reported by criminal investigators and police detectives were significantly higher (BLS May 2022):
Employment: 107,400
Annual mean wage: $91,610
10th percentile: $47,990
25th percentile: $61,240
50th percentile (median): $86,280
75th percentile: $110,530
90th percentile: $150,570
Additionally, there's good news for Americans who want to work as federal agents nationwide: coastal states are home to the highest-paying states for criminal investigators and detectives (BLS May 2022):
District of Columbia: $133,890 annual average salary
Alaska: $128,410
Hawaii: $119,290
Maryland: $117,800
Washington: $110,620
If you were thinking about how to become a detective, the salary should be enough to push you towards achieving your target. It is a highly rewarding job, both morally and financially.
Wrapping Up
People who want to work in law enforcement and make their communities safer or who just have more questions about becoming detectives should check out the criminal justice degree programs offered by the various universities across the states.
If you want to serve your community and the nation at large, becoming a crime investigator in any capacity is very rewarding. If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask about how to become a detective, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!
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Changes are exciting, but they also fill us with doubts.
Do you know an old English proverb, "better the devil you know than the one you don't know"? Many will argue with it, as knowing any bad information on anything is more of a repulsive factor than a reassuring one, but still, going into a new work environment is scary.
What if the reality is different from what you've been told in a job interview? Does logic drive your decisions, or are you just following your emotions? Will your life improve after accepting the offer?
Changing jobs is stressful enough for any employee, especially if it is done more because of the external circumstances, but it may sometimes provoke regretful thoughts after getting to work.
This happens mostly because the hiring managers often describe the work environment better than it really is to create fake impressions and help the candidate 'swallow the bait.' Do you want to see the company as it is and be able to detect the so-called 'red flags' from the very beginning?
If your answer is 'yes,' this article is just what you need!
8 Prime Reasons For Job interview Red Flags
1. Inaccuracy and hesitation
Let's start from the most logical part: we all seek clear and honest answers while asking about the corporate values and important job conditions. If the hiring manager tries to avoid the direct answer to your questions, gets defensive, stammers, or even hesitates, it might be a sign that something is fishy
2. No consistency between the interviewers
The best way to detect red flags in any recruitment process is to ask different employees the same questions. During your job search, you may be involved in a multi-leveled interview process, so this is the best way to double-check the facts the recruiters told you.
No matter who you are speaking with, whether it is a top manager or a regular employee, asking similar questions at meetings with them is a great way to check if the answers coincide.
If the main point of all the answers stays the same, but with different wording and perspective, it's even better, as it helps to build a complete picture of certain aspects of the company. But you have to be suspicious if the answers cardinally differentiate from one or the other or are directly contradictory.
For example, the recruiter says they are seeking someone who could integrate a words to pages converter tool like this into a corporate site. Still, the team lead mentions that you should also create it from scratch, run all the tests yourself and integrate it.
It seems to be a far bigger job than you expected, right? Or just the lack of understanding and communication between employees.
3. Completely altered information from what you saw in the job description
If you find out that the conditions and your functions as an employee are different from what you saw in a job description before sending a CV, it is also a good indicator of something being wrong in the company.
Sometimes the hiring team tends to embellish the real work conditions to attract more specialists. Still, if the interview points out that the real expectations differ from the description, it is confusing and shows the company's lack of professionalism. Who knows, maybe the salary here is also not that high, and the collective turns out to be problematic.
4. The selection progress takes an eternity
No matter the reason, slow and time-consuming selection processes are signs of faulty organization. If the final decision requires too much time or the number of job interviews knows no end, you might have a thought or two about the adequacy of the company's scheduling or requirements.
A healthy recruitment process should never take longer than a few months. 4-5 interview sessions are more than enough to learn about the candidate's skills and helpful personality traits, but exceptions also happen.
You Consider Going Through Some High Paying Energy Jobs We've Sorted.
5. Constant rescheduling of the meetings
Let's get things straight: we are no robots, and changing plans is fine in some serious unplanned circumstances. Having a rescheduled job interview is fine, but it gets really suspicious if the recruiter changes the date several times in a row.
Accepting an offer from a company with a poor organization may lead to neglecting a new employee's time and needs further on. It is way better to spend more time searching for a more organized team and getting all the necessary work-life balance.
6. Poor or toxic internal relationship
If some of the interviews in the selection process involve people from different departments, observing their interactions with each other may be helpful to see the overall atmosphere in the company.
Any signs of criticism, arguments, repulsive non-verbal language, or out-of-place cruel remarks may be a sign of tension or toxicity between colleagues, so if you value friendliness and positivity, it may not be the collective you are looking for.
7. Any signs of discriminative behavior
These are the easiest to detect. If you detect unnecessary, discriminatory questions or mentions of sensitive topics like religion, gender identity, race, etc., it shows that discrimination is regular for this company.
It is not only offensive for you as a specialist but may also be uncomfortable for you to survive in a collective like this. Remember: you spend most of your adult life at work, so it must not harm your psychological well-being, even with a high salary rate offered.
8. Your personal feelings and comfort
Professional Job interviews involve a conversation between any amount of people where they try to know more about each other and the environment that surrounds them through both verbal and non-verbal signs.
Suppose you feel uncomfortable in the process for whatever reason (it may be the recruiter's questions, gestures or personality, the room you are in, future work conditions, or even a reason you haven't figured out yourself). In that case, it is also a legit factor for you to move on and find yourself in a more appealing position.
Of course, if some of you have had a rough day and could not connect or have a decent conversation with the recruitment team or any other employee once, it is not the reason to cross the company out of the list. Still, if you feel out of place all the time, you have the right to move on and look for professional happiness elsewhere.
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If it were up to most employers, they'd never have to hire again because all of their employees would be perfect. Unfortunately, that's not always what happens: so it's essential to be very careful when hiring. Here are three steps to hiring the ideal employee: make sure you find someone who can treat your company how it deserves.
Pull From A Wide Net
The more applications you can accrue- the better luck your company has at finding gold. Put out job listings on multiple sites, not just within your company. Although it may seem nice to hire someone that an employee already knows, there’s no telling if that person is the right employee for the role you have open.
If your company has multiple listings open, take out advertising on apps like Twitter or Instagram, and let people know what you're seeking. Don't be too general in your job description. Keep it straight, simple, to the point- and make sure to be crystal clear on any education or experience needs.
Although you can go through applications at any time, wait to interview anyone until you have a pool of candidates to know your options are at the top for skill and availability.
Call All References
When you find potential employees that would do well in your company- call their references. Ask questions about dependability, if they know why they left their last job, and what they think of the person you may interview. Pay attention to names and addresses, and make sure that you don’t accidentally use someone’s mom as their reference. You want honesty, and that’s not a great way to get it.
If they give you permission to call previous employers, listen for how they worked in a team and how they handled problems. You can tell a lot about an employee by how they react when facing adversity.
If everything checks out, and they seem honest and hardworking, it's time for the next step.
Interview With Caution
Pay attention to everything the potential employee says and does in the interview. If they seem aggressive or mention flirting too much with coworkers, that should be immediate grounds for them to get turned away.
Give every single candidate that fits what you need a fighting chance. It shouldn't matter what race, sex, religion, or sexuality they are if they seem to be a trustworthy and hardworking person who can do the work you need to get done. Employment discrimination cases can swallow a company whole- don’t let it be your neck on the chopping block.
Compare what they want to get paid with what you're willing to pay them, and be upfront with benefits, vacations, and sick days. You don't want to have to deal with hiring someone just for them to quit a couple of weeks later when you find out they had unrealistic expectations.
Hire someone who will make your company better. Look for people who want to become a part of your company, and seem like they’re eager to prove their skills.
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