Entry Level Federal Jobs?

[SA13]

Yeah, it sounds good and proficient they do actually go into combat zones (meaning overseas)?

Yes, NCIS and AFOSI both have civilian agents in combat zones.

Oh and can you tell me more about the DCIS?

Sorry, I don't know much about them.

[detective42]

Glad it was helpful, but my answer to your question remains the same: Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the individual. Some people love working for the military criminal investigative organizations (MCIO), and some hate them. Just like every other LE job out there.

Research the agency, the type of cases they do, and whether the culture (working primarily in the military court system, overseas assignments, deployments to combat zones, etc) is a good fit for you. Then decide.

Yeah, it sounds good and proficient they do actually go into combat zones (meaning overseas)?

That is something I would have to get over, because this job really sounds interesting? Are there any petitions for you to stay in America?


Oh and can you tell me more about the DCIS?
I went to the site but I want to get it from somebody who actually may know it.

[SA13]

Thank you so much. So do you think I should go for the NCIS? Ehen I'm done with college?

Glad it was helpful, but my answer to your question remains the same: Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the individual. Some people love working for the military criminal investigative organizations (MCIO), and some hate them. Just like every other LE job out there.

Research the agency, the type of cases they do, and whether the culture (working primarily in the military court system, overseas assignments, deployments to combat zones, etc) is a good fit for you. Then decide.

[detective42]

OSI and Army CID also hire civilians. However, NCIS is almost completely civilian agents (ie GS-1811 Criminal Investigators), while OSI and CID have a sizeable minority of civilian 1811s, but the majority of their agents are military personnel.Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the individual. Some people love working for the military criminal investigative organizations (MCIO), and some hate them. Just like every other LE job out there.While your knowledge of Spanish will be helpful on the job, unless you are native speaker, or were part of a long term immersion program, do not expect your Spanish from HS to help you in the hiring process. There are enough applicants out there who have spoken Spanish their whole lives that someone who just learned in HS will have a hard time competing based on that language skill.Again, I'm not sure what standard your HS or college is using to determine fluency in a language, but the standard may be different for hiring purposes. Again, it may help you, but until you take the language test for a particular agency you won't know.Sure are hot right now, but things could always change.

Thank you so much. So do you think I should go for the NCIS? Ehen I'm done with college?

[2971511]

sal

Air Force Officer
Army Officer
Marine Corps Officer
Navy Officer
Coast Guard Officer.

The Highest Paying Entry Level Jobs in the Government.

M-11

So, you are saying that a 2nd LT. in the Military pays more than an entry level LE job ?

What does a O-1 get nowadays ??

[SA13]

Well I think I get the jist of this, the NCIS normally hire civilian people (Information I gathered from another police forum and the NCIS website) so now I may be looking in to that.

OSI and Army CID also hire civilians. However, NCIS is almost completely civilian agents (ie GS-1811 Criminal Investigators), while OSI and CID have a sizeable minority of civilian 1811s, but the majority of their agents are military personnel.

Is this a good idea?

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the individual. Some people love working for the military criminal investigative organizations (MCIO), and some hate them. Just like every other LE job out there.

I'm going to get my masters in CJ/Law and I'm going to learn a couple of languages I'm already fluent in Spanish (learned in H.S.)

While your knowledge of Spanish will be helpful on the job, unless you are native speaker, or were part of a long term immersion program, do not expect your Spanish from HS to help you in the hiring process. There are enough applicants out there who have spoken Spanish their whole lives that someone who just learned in HS will have a hard time competing based on that language skill.

. . . and I need about another year in French and then I would be considered fluent.

Again, I'm not sure what standard your HS or college is using to determine fluency in a language, but the standard may be different for hiring purposes. Again, it may help you, but until you take the language test for a particular agency you won't know.

Farsi and Arabic are good languages right?

Sure are hot right now, but things could always change.

[SA13]

So about the AFOSI are you Criminal Agents? Are they field agents?

They are "Special Agents" (SA) who conduct criminal investigations in the areas of General Crimes, Counter-Intelligence, and Fraud. The civilian agents are employed in the GS-1811 job series, which is the federal job code for Criminal Investigators (aka Special Agents). The same job code as FBI SAs, USSS SAs, ATF SAs, ICE SAs, US Postal Inspectors, etc, etc.

Do you have to work overseas or can you apply to stay in America?

Agents are at bases in the US and overseas. I'm not sure what the current policy is on how agents are assigned overseas. Maybe M-11 can answer that better.

I may end up going into the AFOSI then probably gaining some experience there learning a new language or two then couple years later applying for another Federal Job.

Sure, because AFOSI is so easy to get into, and they will just spend tons of money and about three years time sending you to DLI for two different languages.

Let me put this into perspective, you would have better odds of getting into pilot training with the Air Force as a brand new military officer than you would for getting into AFOSI as a brand new officer. IMHO, it's slightly easier to get an 1811 job with OSI than it is to get a military agent slot as a brand new Lt, but it's still VERY competitive.

Don't display that kind of arrogant, "I'll get this job as a stepping stone to something else" attitude at your interview, whether it's OSI or some other agency, or you'll have a very hard time ever getting hired, by anyone.

[detective42]

I'm sure Muslims would say Arabic is the best language. Hebrews might argue with that, though.

Lol!

[detective42]

Well I think I get the jist of this, the NCIS normally hire civilian people (Information I gathered from another police forum and the NCIS website) so now I may be looking in to that.

Is this a good idea? I'm going to get my masters in CJ/Law and I'm going to learn a couple of languages I'm already fluent in Spanish (learned in H.S.) and I need about another year in French and then I would be considered fluent. Farsi and Arabic are good languages right?

[detective42]

So about the AFOSI are you Criminal Agents? Are they field agents? Do you have to work overseas or can you apply to stay in America? I may end up going into the AFOSI then probably gaining some experience there learning a new language or two then couple years later applying for another Federal Job.

[merlin436]

Your surest bet at the moment for a FLE position is US Border Patrol. BP will have to hire 3.5 to 5+K agents over the next couple of years to reach/mantain their numbers goal.

[M-11]

In My FLETC Class we had 6 ROTC 2 LT's and 1 college direct Civ Hire.

I'm just betting the concentration of 1811's in your area makes it easier to see the pool. I spend half my time at Overseas bases, and the other half in OEF so most of the Civilians I work with have pretty extensive backgrounds.

M-11

[SA13]

Good Call.

I actually forgot those types of jobs are considered "Entry Level" because I have only met 2 or 3 people who got those positions without years of experience.

My Bad

M-11

Really I'm shocked. I know several civilian OSI agents who got hired straight out of college. Some were PALACE ACQUIRE hires, and some were hired on the regular open announcements. I know a few Postal Inspectors, ICE SAs, USSS SAs, and a couple DEA and ATF SAs, and who all got hired straight out of college. I will say this though, most of the ATF and ICE agents that fit that bill usually had done an internship in college with a federal agency, and usually it was the agency the ended up hiring them.

Hell, I picked USPIS and AFOSI as examples because I've met so many that were hired straight out of college.

[M-11]

Good Call.

I actually forgot those types of jobs are considered "Entry Level" because I have only met 2 or 3 people who got those positions without years of experience.

My Bad

M-11

[SA13]

Air Force Officer
Army Officer
Marine Corps Officer
Navy Officer
Coast Guard Officer.

The Highest Paying Entry Level Jobs in the Government.

M-11

Sorry, but that's simply not true.

Let's take an example.

Denver/Aurora, Colorado. Home of Buckley AFB.

A Postal Inspector in Denver would start as a GS-10/Step 1 and get LEAP. In Denver/Aurora that's $68,510 a year.

A civilian AFOSI Special Agent would start as either a GS-7/Step 1 with LEAP making $55,780 a year, or as a GS-9/Step 1 with LEAP making $62,212 a year.

Assuming our brand new 2Lt could get an equivalent LE job in the military with AFOSI as a Special Agent at Buckley AFB, he'd be earning $48,653/year including BAH with dependents (he'd get less without dependents), and BAS.

Even if our intrepid new O-1 in the military were in a flying job where he got Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP) he'd still only make an additional $1,500 his first two years. Putting him at a grand total of 52,153 per year. Trailing behind all the 1811 jobs out there that start entry level applicants at GS-7,9 or 10.

Being a military officer is no where near the highest paid entry level job in the federal government. Hell, the new 2Lt doesn't even make as much as an entry level SA with AFOSI.