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What are my chances of getting a job with a criminal justice degree?
By Jim Greenberg
Anyone hoping to be employed in the criminal justice field needs to be armed with more than just a degree. Though your chances of employment increase exponentially if you have a degree in any area of criminal justice and law enforcement, most jobs in this sphere require a high level of physical fitness and moral fiber. Your chances of getting a criminal justice related job are virtually zero if you have a checkered past; a clean record is an absolute necessity. You will be subject to a series of oral, written and psychological tests if you are aspiring to enter the police force. Training at a police academy is also mandatory. Since most positions in this field involve a certain amount of responsibility and accountability, you will be on probationary period during which you will be monitored and evaluated before you are employed full-time.
Your marketability to potential employers increases if you pursue internship programs during your study period as this helps you gain valuable on-the-job experience. While top grades are an asset, it is your work in related services that makes a more favorable impression. To enhance your chances of success in the job market, get involved in voluntary programs that relate to the field of criminal justice.
If you have a keen eye for detail and a sharp mind that can solve crime, you will probably stand a good chance of being employed in fields like forensic criminology and crime scene investigation.
Prerequisites for employment may be more stringent in federal and state agencies than in the private sector, which has openings in the fields of security and investigation.
Any associate degree or certification program will only take you up to a certain level in the professional playing field, so it makes sense to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree if you are eyeing a managerial or supervisory position.
A master's or doctoral degree will be useful if you wish to be employed as a member of the teaching profession. This is usually valuable towards the end of an active career in any area of law enforcement.
Thus, given the fact that according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics employment in careers associated with criminal justice are likely to be the fifth highest growing among all professions, your chances of getting a job is the fifth highest among all careers in the country provided you meet all the other requirements essential for a career in criminal justice.
About the Author
Jim Greenberg recommends you visit the Online Criminal Justice Degree Guide for more information on salaries and job prospects with an online criminal justice degree. See http://www.ocjdg.com/2006/02/what_career_and.html for more information.
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