It is a calling more than a job where your duties will include protecting the country from illegal drugs and aliens. However, before you run out and get an application, there are a few things you might want to know.
1. Border Patrol Agent Qualifications:
You may be tempted to rush out and put in your application for border patrol with the Department of Homeland Security, but before you do, let us look at some basic requirements for the job.
1) You must be a US citizen
2) You must have a valid driver's license
3) You must take a 3 Hour entrance exam that will evaluate you in three parts. The first part will evaluate your logical thinking skills. A Spanish language test; in the absence of your ability to speak Spanish, you will be given an artificial language test to assess your ability to learn a new language. Thirdly, you will be evaluated on prior work history and performance.
4) You must have either relevant work experience or a 4-year college degree or a combination of both.
Once you have passed all the various requirements for the application and taken the exam, there is still the matter of passing a physical fitness exam. You will also go through an intensive background, psychiatric exams, vision testing and much more. This is not an average job you are applying for.
2. Border Patrol Agent Experience:
Surprisingly your experience does not have to be in a law enforcement related field (though it may help). Rather you must have experience dealing with high stress situations, the ability to keep your composure under said stress. You must have exhibited the ability to take charge and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills with co-workers as well as the public. Finally, your past work history must show that you have the ability to learn both on the job and off.
3. Border Patrol Agent Danger:
As previously stated, this is not your average nine to five job. There is real danger involved as you are dealing with some very dangerous and sometimes desperate people. The illegal drug trade that comes across our borders is not committed by boy scouts. These are dangerous people and agents have been killed while trying to stop them.
Conclusion:
This is a great profession in many ways, but really, it is more than a job. It is a calling that requires strict dedication and above average skills and character. If you meet the requirements above to be a border patrol agent, it just might be the job for you. You need to do a little more research on the web about the career. You should do this by visiting websites that dig a little deeper into the profession.
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