How to Find a Job as a Criminologist in South Carolina
Criminologists have tedious but fascinating jobs. Using data collected combined with analytical skills and a fascination for human nature, criminologists create profiles that can be used by law enforcement officers and investigators. With a true interest in human nature and preventing crime, it's not that difficult for individuals to find a job as a criminologist in South Carolina.
Instructions
-
-
1
Get a bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology or criminal justice. There are at least six colleges in South Carolina that provide sociology classes and more than 18 colleges and courses for psychology and criminal justice. Many criminologists have a master's degree in these fields, so this should be considered while individuals are in school. Some criminologists have substituted work experience for the master's degree, but any advantage can help in the search for a job.
-
2
Obtain a criminologist license. Determine whether your county requires criminologists to carry a license. Individuals will need to check individual counties they plan on working in as well to determine whether they will need extra licensing. This can be determined by visiting the website of the South Carolina attorney general's office.
-
-
3
While searching for a criminologist job, obtain on-the-job training by using the degree in criminology to perform other jobs. There are a number of jobs individuals can obtain with a criminology degree, including those of police officers, social workers, rehabilitation workers and social data collectors. Each of these jobs can help prepare individuals for the job of a criminologist. Some of the skills that can be learned from these types of jobs include analytical thinking, people orientation and isolation of self from the data and criminals one will be studying and more.
Places to look for jobs include the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice of South Carolina, Penn Criminology and RACE Forensic Investigators.
-
4
Apply for South Carolina Criminologist jobs. Stay up to date on the positions being offered in South Carolina, especially if there is one organization you prefer to work with. This will allow you to act as soon as a position is open. Have a resume ready that details education as well as degrees earned, on-the-job experience and special talents and skills. Check online job boards such as CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com and Craigslist for job listings. It's also worth it to check the large-city newspapers nearest your hometown, such as The Post and Courier in Charleston or The Columbia Star.
-
5
Obtain further training. Many individuals going into the criminology field obtain further training in an attempt to make more money in the field or get a better job. For instance, individuals with a master's degree may earn nearly $20,000 more a year than an individual with a bachelor's degree. Other skills individuals try to perfect include math, psychology, communication and research.
-
1