FBI Careers: The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Job as One of America's Finest, 2nd Edition [Paperback]

Thomas H. Ackerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2005 | ISBN-10: 1593572379 | ISBN-13: 978-1593572372 | Edition: 2

The definitive guide to acing the FBI's rigorous selection process-for special agents as well as professional support personnel.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–In this practical guide, Ackerman outlines the history and organization of the FBI; the salary and benefits of a career with this agency; and opportunities and hiring processes, including ways to present an outstanding application. He also describes the training for different positions. The entries are dry and necessarily brief, but offer a broad overview of how best to prepare oneself to be an ideal candidate. The appendixes are particularly interesting and helpful; they include much of the paperwork involved in applying to the bureau and for internships. This book is a must for career collections and for libraries with populations that are particularly interested in law enforcement, but it is not for those with only an idle interest in the FBI.–Morgan Johnson-Doyle, Sierra High School, Colorado Springs, CO
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Ackerman is the authoritative voice on obtaining a job with the FBI." -- Veteran's Enterprise Magazine

"FBI Careers is the most important book you will ever buy if you want to work for the Bureau." -- Robert Amaral, President and CEO, 911HotJobs.com Employment Portal

"Gives you the information you need to move from the middle of the pack to the top of the list." -- Lawrence A. Jackson, MSS, CPP; Washtenaw Community College Police Academy; Ann Arbor, MI

"Takes the mystery out of working for the FBI by offering a comprehensive resource for obtaining a position." -- Linda Campbell, Business Instructor, Humansville High School, Humansville, MO

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: JIST Works; 2 edition (October 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593572379
• ISBN-13: 978-1593572372
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,872 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this book BEFORE you apply, May 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: FBI Careers: The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Job As One of Americas Finest (Paperback)

I bought this book before I submitted my application to the FBI on-line and it was the smartest investment I could have made. Thomas Ackerman explains much more about FBI careers and the hiring process than you'll find on the FBI web site or anywhere else, and he guides you through the application forms, the exams, the interviews, and the background investigation in a straightforward no-nonsense manner. Every position, every form, and every step in the hiring process is broken down and analyzed in detail, which is precisely what you need to know whether you're interested in a career as a special agent or in any other position with the FBI. This book has given me the information and the confidence I needed to put my best foot forward.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The FBI website doesn't even come close!, August 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: FBI Careers: The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Job As One of Americas Finest (Paperback)

If you visit the FBI website you'll find only basic and carefully screened information. No surprise there. Although the internet and Ackerman's book both list requirements for the special agent position and other jobs (even though Ackerman's book has more), this is where the similarities end. For example, the FBI will never suggest ways to best describe your educational achievements, employment history, volunteer work, accomplishments, or other aspects of your background on the FD-140 application form or in KSA statements. Ackerman does, and if you've applied for an FBI job you know this can make or break your application because it's the first step in the screening process. The FBI also doesn't tell you how to prepare for and respond to specific types of questions you'll be asked during the structured interview. No surprise there, either. I can tell you from firsthand experience that Ackerman's characterization of the interviewing process is right on the money, and the same can be said for his guidance on the written exams. His description of the background investigation process, including the areas of emphasis that detrmine whether a security clearance is granted, is another example (of many) that you will not find on the FBI website. If basic and carefully screened information is all you need, stick with the internet and you'll be fine. If you want more than public relations material, this book is for you.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some people are never happy. Their loss can be your gain., May 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: FBI Careers: The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Job As One of Americas Finest (Paperback)

"Totally inaccurate," another reviewer wrote. This is absolutely absurd. I recently completed the special agent hiring process and I am waiting for an academy date. I found the flow of the hiring process to be EXACTLY as it was characterized in Thomas Ackerman's book. What the reviewer does not realize is that the FBI is a large bureaucracy and there are bound to be some variations in applicant processing from one field office to another. Applicants must be flexible if the road takes an unexpected turn.

It's true that some of the material in the book is also included in the Special Agent Handbook -- AS IT SHOULD BE! If the author had left this material out, he would also have left his readers in the dark. In reality, Ackerman's book includes MUCH MORE material than the Special Agent Handbook, not only about the hiring process, but also about the job, training, squad assignments, relocating, internships, etc.

I attribute much of my success in the hiring process to the fact that I did not settle for the free Internet material published by the FBI. My grandfather was right when he said "don't be penny-wise and pound foolish." I was more than happy to compete with applicants who learned about the FBI hiring process only from the Internet. This is where their loss can be your gain.

Without question, the FBI hiring process identifies intelligent, mature, flexible, well adjusted applicants who can accurately evaluate information and use it to their advantage. I used Ackerman's book to my advantage, and I'll be moving in at Quantico soon.