June 1999 Issue

Career Opportunities in Government

The FBI, Secret Service, and U.S. Customs

By Pei-Cen Lin

Editor's Note: In the April issue, The Trusted Professional profiled employment opportunities at the Internal Revenue Service. This month's issue continues the focus on careers at federal government agencies and offers advice for CPA candidates interested in pursuing jobs at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Customs Service.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

The FBI is the primary criminal investigative agency in the federal government, and its agents' responsibilities include conducting investigations in organized crime, white collar crime, financial crime, bank robbery, public corruption, kidnapping, terrorism, fugitive and drug trafficking matters, and many other violations of federal statutes. The agency recruits accountants as special agents to handle crimes directly or indirectly relating to the exchange of money.

The FBI seeks CPAs or accountants with a minimum of five years of professional experience in finance or accounting after college. All applicants must be at least 23 years old but less than 37 at time of hire.

The minimum qualifications for a special agent are U.S. or Northern Mariana Islands citizenship; a bachelor's degree from a four-year program at an accredited college or university; the willingness to relocate; a valid driver's license; and excellent physical condition as deemed by the FBI chief medical officer.

The application process includes an interview, written examination, background investigation, polygraph, drug test, personnel security interview, and pre-employment physical exam.

Special agent trainees receive 16 weeks of intensive physical fitness, defensive tactics, and firearm use training at the FBI academy in Quantico, Va. The full application and selection process takes a minimum of one year to complete.

Salary in New York starts at $50,000 and can reach approximately $70,000 after five years. Special agent candidates must commit to serving the FBI for three years.

For more information, visit www.fbi.gov, or write to Special Agent Recruiter Marsha Parrish at U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278.

U.S. Secret Service

Special agents of the U.S. Secret Service oversee investigations involving counterfeit currency, securities, and certain government identification documents and devices of U.S. and foreign governments; stolen and forged social security checks, retirement pensions, savings bonds, and other federal government disbursements; and telecommunication and computer crimes. The Secret Service also has jurisdiction over crimes at financial institutions involving fraudulent identification and fraud associated with access devices, credit and debit cards, government and commercial securities, and electronic funds transfer.

The Secret Service has field offices throughout the United States and abroad. Agents must travel extensively and may be required to relocate during their career. Applicants must be U.S. citizens between the ages of 21 and 36 upon appointment; meet certain physical criteria; and possess a bachelor's degree in any discipline or three years of experience, two of which must be in criminal investigation, or a comparable combination of both.

The application process includes a thorough background investigation, physical exam, drug test, polygraph, written examination, and personal interview.

For inquiries regarding Secret Service positions, call (800) 827-7783.

U.S. Customs Service

Criminal investigators (special agents) of the U.S. Customs Service investigate violations involving narcotics smuggling, money laundering, and customs fraud, including intellectual property rights and enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act.

Criminal investigators are treasury enforcement agents under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Treasury. Applicants must be less than 37 years old before selection or hire and meet certain medical and physical requirements. Other qualifications for Treasury Department positions are U.S. citizenship; selective service registration; a valid driver's license; the willingness to relocate; and a bachelor's degree in any field of study or three years of experience in criminal investigative or law enforcement fields that required knowledge and application of laws relating to criminal violations and the ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups in stressful or controversial situations, collect and assemble pertinent facts, and prepare clear, concise written reports.

The application process includes a background investigation, written examination, drug test, polygraph, personal interview, annual income tax filing record checks, and mandatory completion of basic training and qualification in firearms use.

Positions require overtime and overnight travel. Benefits include appropriate cost-of-living allowances or geographic locality pay for certain assignments in foreign or high cost-of-living areas.

Applicants may submit a completed application only during open periods when the Treasury Department issues vacancy announcements. For more information, visit www.customs.treas.gov or contact the appropriate Treasury Department personnel office or the IRS Centralized Examining Unit at the Internal Revenue Service, Attn: Chief, Centralized Examining Unit, 290 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10007. *