Career: Detectives
Solving crimes is a detective's job-- and they go to great lengths to do it. When murder, theft, or another criminal act is committed, these plainclothes sleuths are on the scene, searching for fingerprints, strands of hair, and other clues. They question witnesses, tail suspects, and analyze records. And they’re on the case for as long as it takes, often putting in more hours than the average worker.
Detectives dig up facts and collect evidence for criminal cases. They investigate a wide variety of crimes, from theft to homicide.
Did You Know?
- Edgar Allan Poe is widely recognized as the father of the detective story.
Are You Ready To...?
- Interview witnesses
- Dig up evidence
- Interrogate suspects
- Work on one case at a time
- Work long, irregular hours
It Helps to Be...
Determined, observant, and great with details. Tenacity is key: you’ll have to stay on each case until an arrest is made or the matter is dropped -- and that can take a very long time.
Make High School Count
- Sharpen your logic in math.
- Develop an eye for evidence in science.
- Learn to read between the lines in English and history.
- Make the most of your research assignments and build Web and library research skills.
- Take a journalism class and write for the school paper. It’s a great chance to practice the fact-gathering and interviewing detectives do.
Did You Know?
- You’ll find the most detective jobs in the police departments of towns and cities with populations of 25,000 or more.
Outlook
Jobs for detectives are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2016, according to government economists. One reason is that people are more concerned about security these days.
Opportunities rise and fall from year to year and place to place, depending on budgets. But plenty of new jobs should open up as detectives retire or move on to other positions.
Compensation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that detectives and criminal investigators earned, on average, a salary of $63,840 in 2008. Those working for the federal government earned more than those working for state or local governments.
