What would you as a federal agent recommend?

[Silver Fox]

My grandson is in his senior year of college and will enter law school next fall.
After completing law school he wants to get a federal LE job with the FBI, CIA, ATF or someother agency.
He has asked me for advice and I've told him to join the military (preferably the air force) and put in for the judge advocate general's office, JAG...He's a good boy, never been in trouble and very mature for his age. I don't want to give him a bum steer, so what would some of you Feds recommend?

[charlydevo]

My grandson is in his senior year of college and will enter law school next fall.
After completing law school he wants to get a federal LE job with the FBI, CIA, ATF or someother agency.
He has asked me for advice and I've told him to join the military (preferably the air force) and put in for the judge advocate general's office, JAG...He's a good boy, never been in trouble and very mature for his age. I don't want to give him a bum steer, so what would some of you Feds recommend?

The CIA is not a law enforcement agency. It is an intelligence agency. The ATF Agents that I know are looking for other jobs. Most FBI Agents are happy. But, it all really comes down to the type of work that your grandson wants to do. Most federal law enforcement jobs are strictly investigative, and are slow-paced. Most agencies are also very specialized. I'd have to say that the FBI has the widest spectrum of investigative responsibilities. But, their agents seem to specialize within the agency. In other words, just because the agency has a large spectrum of investigative responsibilities, that doesn't mean that an agent becomes exposed to all of those various types of investigations. The largest federal investigative agencies are the FBI, DEA, USMS, ATF, and ICE. But, there are Special Agents (Criminal Investigators) employed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, all 5 military branches, the U.S. Attorney's Offices, the Forest Service, and many other agencies. Also, if fraud, waste, and abuse, as well as internal affairs type investigations are interesting to him, all federal departments and agencies have Offices of the Inspector General, which handle those types of investigations. The big picture here is that there is a very wide range of jobs available. He'll have to research and decide what he finds to be interesting. It is also important to know that most agencies only hire sporadically. So, he'll also have to look at who is hiring at the same time that he is looking for a job. I apologize for the lack of paragraphs, but I'm tired and ready for bed.

[Jennifer]

My grandson is in his senior year of college and will enter law school next fall.
After completing law school he wants to get a federal LE job with the FBI, CIA, ATF or someother agency.
He has asked me for advice and I've told him to join the military (preferably the air force) and put in for the judge advocate general's office, JAG...He's a good boy, never been in trouble and very mature for his age. I don't want to give him a bum steer, so what would some of you Feds recommend?

Hey Bill:

Well, I'm not a Federal employee (yet ) but having done some research online I would reconsider the JD. The reason being, if he is doing it because he thinks it will give him an advantage for the Feds, now is not the time to accrue that much debt.

The job market for lawyers is ridiculously low right now. JAG is getting bombarded by law school graduates who were planning on the white shoe firm in NYC to pay off their debts, but law firms are not hiring as many as they used to right now.

So you have students from tier 1 or t14 schools such as Yale, Columbia, and the like applying to US Attorney offices, Federal LEO positions, and JAG. Which means that that job market may end up being just as tight as others are now. Your grandson might accrue large amounts of debt and not get the advantage he seeks. Now this may all change in the years ahead and if your grandson has always dreamed of going to law school, who am I to say not to.

He's interested in the CIA but that's not a LEO or criminal investigative position. But if he is interested in international affairs, foreign travel, espionage, etc., he might want to consider the Diplomatic Security Service (which a JD or a Poli Sci degree would be good for).

[swatoperator]

The CIA is not a law enforcement agency. It is an intelligence agency. The ATF Agents that I know are looking for other jobs. Most FBI Agents are happy. But, it all really comes down to the type of work that your grandson wants to do. Most federal law enforcement jobs are strictly investigative, and are slow-paced. Most agencies are also very specialized. I'd have to say that the FBI has the widest spectrum of investigative responsibilities. But, their agents seem to specialize within the agency. In other words, just because the agency has a large spectrum of investigative responsibilities, that doesn't mean that an agent becomes exposed to all of those various types of investigations. The largest federal investigative agencies are the FBI, DEA, USMS, ATF, and ICE. But, there are Special Agents (Criminal Investigators) employed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, all 5 military branches, the U.S. Attorney's Offices, the Forest Service, and many other agencies. Also, if fraud, waste, and abuse, as well as internal affairs type investigations are interesting to him, all federal departments and agencies have Offices of the Inspector General, which handle those types of investigations. The big picture here is that there is a very wide range of jobs available. He'll have to research and decide what he finds to be interesting. It is also important to know that most agencies only hire sporadically. So, he'll also have to look at who is hiring at the same time that he is looking for a job. I apologize for the lack of paragraphs, but I'm tired and ready for bed.

I am surprised to hear this. I have always heard that ATF agents were among some of the agents rarely leave there agency or are unhappy. Do you know why the ones you know are unhappy? I am in the process with the ATF and want to know both the positives and the negatives of the agency.

[Switchback]

You will note that I made a similar comment. I know several Marshals that went there many years ago. Most are not very happy.

This has not always been the case and it seems that my experience seems to have come on in the last several years. There is a different mentality in most ATF agents with whom I have worked lately, too. I think they are tired of being brow-beaten by the beaurecratic red tape, who knows.

[Kimble]

That's exactly why I wrote this thread: So You Want to be a Federal Agent?

[charlydevo]

I am surprised to hear this. I have always heard that ATF agents were among some of the agents rarely leave there agency or are unhappy. Do you know why the ones you know are unhappy? I am in the process with the ATF and want to know both the positives and the negatives of the agency.

I think that it all coincides with the transfer to the DOJ, the name change to BATFE, and the hostile takeover of many of their functions by the FBI.

[Kimble]

I think that it all coincides with the transfer to the DOJ, the name change to BATFE, and the hostile takeover of many of their functions by the FBI.

Which just goes to show, do your research on an agency before you apply. Don't just apply to an agency to become a "federal agent," as not every agency is a good fit. USPIS is debating internally right now whether they want to consider their Postal Inspectors as 1811 criminal investigators... which is beyond me why that would be a debate.

If you don't know people within an agency, ask questions during the interviews, research posts here and on 911jobforums federal LE section, and see if that agency really would be a good fit for you. If you take a federal position and they have you move across the country on your own dime (not all agencies do this, but many do), might as well be with an agency that will be a good fit for you and worthwhile.

[amhrinda]

Also, the Military is never a bad option.
I was intel in the Marines, and know a few people who ended up with NCIS,
a few who went to the NSA, etc. so it does open up a lot of doors.
I also knew an Air Force guy who went over to SID (from intel).

The other good option is he won't end up buried in school debt, while trying to find a job.

The best option, if he chooses the military, would be to go into the job field he feels would be the best fit for him, and while he is active duty, take advantage of the fact that a lot of schools will accept the credits from your military schools. Take those credits, work with your base education office and find a school get your degree from. There is a lot of distance learning these days, and many schools have sattelite classes at education centers.

Also, CLEP and DANTES tests are free while you are active duty, and tuitition assistance will cover your classes as long as you KEEP YOUR GRADES UP. (foot stomp) Then, if/when he decides to get off of active duty, he will have a degree and applicable experience. If his experience ends up being in something that his potential agency is interested in, that is even better.

The best advice I got was to finish my degree while I was in, and I am obliged to pass that on every chance I get.


Edit: Scratch all that good advice. If he is about to finish, tell him to put in an officer package and use TA to pay for grad school.

[Silver Fox]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the input.

[BP348]

I am surprised to hear this. I have always heard that ATF agents were among some of the agents rarely leave there agency or are unhappy.

I was surprised to see the comments as well.

Biggest thing I'd consider is Law School, there are a ton of people out there who made it through law school and can't find decent work & pay off their school loans.

Lawyer & FBI - from what I've heard both sound great but don't live up to the hype.