Careers

CAREERS LINH TRAN-PHUONG

Career #1: Software Engineer

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› Software engineers design and develop computer software.

› They must be experts on computing systems, software structure, and hardware limitations and can be found in variety of industries, including computer systems design, software publishing, computer manufacturing, and insurance.

› Requiring a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, this is one of the fastest growing jobs today.

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Career #2: FBI Profiler

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There is no such thing as an “FBI Profiler.”

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• What the FBI does have are special agents at the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) in their headquarters at Quantico, Virginia.

• The NCAVC special agents construct criminal profiles as well as give case management advice, threat assessments, and interviewing strategies to law enforcement agencies.

However…• There is no way to directly join the NCAVC. Service

for 3 years as an FBI agent is a basic requirement. However, since the competition for an NCAVC position is so competitive, many of the people selected have 8 to 10 years of experience.

• Overall experience in investigating violent crimes such as homicides, rapes, child abductions, and threats is ideal.

• An advanced degree in Behavioral or Forensic Science is a “preferred qualification,” but ultimately, there are no set criteria and demonstrated abilities as an FBI agent matters more.

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Compare and ContrastSoftware Engineer NCAVC Special AgentOverall cost of education: $87,743 (4 years)

Overall cost of education: $87,743 (4 years)

Entry level salary: about $50,000 Entry level salary: about $50,000 (start as trainees)

Potential salary: $100,000 Potential salary: more than $70,000Working conditions: office environment, 40 hour weeks, and not much travel unless a job requires it.

Working conditions: atypical—office environment, if nothing is going on, but emergency calls can happen anytime and traveling must be done in short notice. Exposed to crime and danger.

Type of work: designing software, programming, lots and lots of math and abstract thinking.

Type of work: investigative work, lots of psycho-analysis, many presentations on research and many consulting jobs with law enforcement agencies.

This is one of the fastest growing jobs. The chance of me even getting this job is extremely low.

ConclusionI started this project 75 percent sure than I would pursue a career as a software engineer. After this project, I am less sure, because I realized that I am mainly interested in the programming side of software engineering—I’m more into coding and computer languages than designing software, so my certainty of becoming a software engineer has decreased to about 70 percent. However, I will still major in computer science and see where I’ll go from there. At the very least, I know that I will never attempt to be an NCAVC special agent. Such a large amount of work for just a chance at the job!