How to Become a Detective

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Meet the educational requirements.

   If you want to be a detective, having a high school diploma or a GED is the bare minimum requirement for both types.
   
   But if you pursue a higher education and graduate with an associates or even a bachelor's degree in something relevant to police work, such as criminal justice, criminal law, criminology, human relations, judicial function, forensic science, political science, and criminal procedure, then you will make yourself an even more desirable candidate.
   
   Many agencies require college coursework or a college degree.You can even find a degree program that includes an internship component, which will give you more real-life experience.
   
   While you're educating yourself, see if you can find a useful foreign language for your community, such as Spanish.
   
   Knowing a foreign language is a major asset for many urban departments and federal agencies, and this will help make you a desirable candidate, especially if you live in an area where a second language is commonly spoken.
   
   Getting a college or bachelor's degree will also make it likely for you to have a higher starting salary.
2. 2

   Step 2: Be at least 21 years old.

   This is another requirement in both states, so you won't be able to be a detective when you're right out of high school.
   
   While you're waiting to turn 21, you can benefit from some relevant training or getting a higher education. , When you apply to be a detective, you'll need to pass a physical exam to show that you have sound vision, hearing, strength, and agility. , If you have a felony conviction, you may be disqualified.
   
   You may also be asked to take a lie detector test and go through a series of interviews, so make sure that you are honest about your past. , You will need a driver's license to be a detective. , Though you can work on developing these qualities over the course of your career, starting off with a base of qualities that make you perfect for the job can improve your chances of success.
   
   Here are some of the qualities that are crucial for success as a detective:
   The ability to multi-task.
   
   Though you may be focusing on one case at a time, you will always have multiple tasks and lots of paperwork to get done within a short time frame, so you need to be able to juggle a variety of tasks at once.
   
   Superior communication skills.
   
   If you want to investigate a crime to the best of your ability, then you'll need to be able to talk to people in a comforting yet firm manner to ensure that you get the best information possible.
   
   Strong writing skills.
   
   Being a detective isn't all about going out into the field, having high-speed chases, and following exciting leads.
   
   There will be plenty of writing involved, and you'll need to know how to best express the details about an incident through concise, accessible writing.
   
   Patience.
   
   If you want to be a good detective, then you can't obsess over solving a case immediately; it can take months, or even years, to follow a lead, and a lot of your detective work will lead to dead ends.
   
   Perceptiveness.
   
   You need to develop the ability to take in all of the details of a crime scene, and to think of the information in an original way that can get you a step closer to finding the solution.
3. 3

   Step 3: Meet the physical requirements.

4. 4

   Step 4: Have a clean record.

5. 5

   Step 5: Have a driver's license.

6. 6

   Step 6: Possess the qualities you need to be a good detective.

Detailed Guide

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