Joining the FBI

[JustDontDie]

How hard is this to do? What must someone like me do to work towards getting in to such a career? I'm 18 and finishing high school. What should I look in to as far as schooling goes?

[Valor55]

This board is for and about law enforcement. Your question is off topic. Please take it to carebearsfightcrime.gov. :D

[Frogdiver]

That has to be the funniest answer I have ever heard to that question.

[Mike Romeo]

How hard is this to do? What must someone like me do to work towards getting in to such a career? I'm 18 and finishing high school. What should I look in to as far as schooling goes?

Here's the idiot proof answer, not saying you're one, just a choice.

[MCCO]

LOL I take it the FBI is not considered your average LE type job.

[cecilVA]

LOL I take it the FBI is not considered your average LE type job.

No, cops just love to make fun of them.

[Kimble]

LOL I take it the FBI is not considered your average LE type job.

It's average if you wish to smile in front of the cameras while the other investigators involved in the case hang back in the shadows.

FBI is for some, and not others, but one thing is for sure, it's not what you see on TV or in the movies (unless you count what was depicted in Corky Romano :D ).

[Switchback]

Hey guys, joking is fine. Let's try to be civil.

[Kimble]

Hey guys, joking is fine. Let's try to be civil.

Alright, let's see if I can squeeze out a productive post...

All of the FBI agents I've met have been solid investigators who represent their agency well. I regularly attend the local Infragard meetings in my area, and the two agents who run it are really good guys who truly enjoy their work.

As I stated before, FBI isn't for everyone. I'm very interested in pursuing federal law enforcement, but the FBI is not one of the agencies I'm interested in. Why? I have my reasons (mainly related to the types of cases and investigative work I want to do which other agencies offer), but suffice to say that in my experience, the FBI has some of the most well-rounded individuals working in their SA positions.

Now, to answer the original poster's questions:

"How hard is this to do?"

I've heard that joining the FBI as a Special Agent is on par with getting accepted into a Ivy League college. Is that true? Who knows, but suffice to say that many (in the several thousands) apply and only a handful are eventually hired. If the FBI is where you want to be, you can't go wrong by studying one of the following: Accounting, Foreign Language (particularly Arabic, Farsi, Persian and the like), Computer Science, Natural Sciences (Chemistry, Biology, Physics), and other areas related to the Critical Skills listed on the FBIjobs.com site.

"What must someone like me do to work towards getting in to such a career?"

Stay out of trouble (DO NOT USE DRUGS, even once, to help ensure your place among the most qualified), participate in community and volunteer functions, steer your education in the directions the FBI wants (i.e. don't expect Criminal Justice to be a shoe-in if FBI is where you want to be), study hard and get good grades in college, take leadership roles and pursue opportunities for supervisory or management positions, and above all, be a good, honest, and ethical person in your everyday dealings. Do this and you'll be a good applicant for any agency, including the FBI. Good luck.

[JBT]

Hey guys, joking is fine. Let's try to be civil.

Must we be civil, do we really have too. I don't think it's deserved. But let's have a press conference about it. :D

[retdetsgt]

All of the FBI agents I've met have been solid investigators who represent their agency well.

Apparently we have totally different experience. I've personally been lied to by SA's more times that I can count. As far as being investigators, they only thing I've seen most SA's have working for them are deep pockets.

I've worked with the FBI on probably 20+ cases over my career and was burned each and every instance, no exceptions. The last few I worked with them only when ordered to by my dept. The attitudes of J. Edgar are still rampant in that agency. An agent once told me over a few beers that he was taught in the academy to consider ALL local agencies corrupt. If you believe that, the way they treat locals makes a lot of sense.

On the other hand, I've had nothing but positive experiences with ATF, Customs, etc. I had one bad experience with DEA, but plenty of great other ones to make up for that one. And that bad experience wasn't the fault of the local office.

[Switchback]

The FBI is like any other agency... there are some great agents and there are some "not-so-great" agents. I regularly work with some really good investigators. A few of them are even working violent crimes and enjoy doing an interview, bouncing down on his car's hood as much as the rest of us.

[retdetsgt]

I've met a few SA's that I personally liked, but I found the culture of the agency tiresome.

I don't know how many times I got calls from agents that started out with a canned speech about how the agency has changed and we need to cooperate more, etc. etc. etc. The speech always ended with a request for something. Then when I called back and reminded them of that little monologue and asked for something from them, I got the old, "I'll get back to you" and that would be the last I would hear. Everytime, slam dunk, zero exceptions.

When something we worked on went right, they took the credit, when something went even the least bit bad, it was a problem with the "locals". And I swear the agents had to call Washington to find out how much toliet paper to use when they went to the can.

Right after working a task force with the FBI, I worked one with ATF. It was like night and day. You wouldn't have known you were working with the same government.

[Nole795]

How hard is this to do? What must someone like me do to work towards getting in to such a career? I'm 18 and finishing high school. What should I look in to as far as schooling goes?

What I always tell applicants on becoming an FBI agent is that there are tons of other federal law enforcement agencies out there so don't put all your eggs in one basket. Do your research and check out what the other agencies have to offer.

Back to your question, your 18 so you have plenty of time to prepare yourself. Remember for every one open Agent position there are approx. 10,000 applicants applying. A lot of those people who are applying are Criminal Justice Majors, so you may want to look at another college major to get in...chemistry, law degree, accounting, are a good start. What would also put you above the par is to learn to speak a fluent foreign language.

Obviously, keep your background clean, and your head straight.

[ladibug]

The FBI is a wonderful agency. I would suggest going to college of course. I would study Homeland Security, Emerg. Management, Middle Eastern Studies, or a foriegn language for starters. The background traces you most from 18. Be sure to keep good notes. All jobs, roomates, everything. Go to FBIjobs.gov and check out the SF-86 form. Start filling it out now. You will need it in the future for most fed jobs and it is good to keep track as you go. Also in college I would suggest trying to get into a national honor's society, it helps! Maybe intern at a local PD and later try for the honors FBI internship. Above all stay clean... I have seen many people fail background lately for doing stupid things, don't let that wreck your dream!