Career Advice by Randy

If you are an avid fan of the CSI TV shows, you may have heard of terms such as crime scene investigators and wondered what they are and what they do.

In this article, I will explain what a crime scene investigator is and describe what they do.

A crime scene investigator (CSI) also known as a crime scene technician is a person whose job is to visit crime scenes and gather evidence. If you get a job as a CSI, do not expect that you will have a 9-to-5 schedule. You will be on call and work odd hours of the day or night. It is part of your job duties to assist police in securing the crime scene and protecting, preserving, and gathering the evidence. It is your responsibility to know how to work a crime scene, recognize, gather, and transport evidence. You must also know how to maintain the chain of custody of the evidence. You must have working knowledge in exposing, photographing, and collecting latent (not visible to the naked eye) fingerprints, using a special kind of light source and chemical techniques. In a nutshell, CSI’s deal with many kinds of evidence at crime scenes.

You can get a job as a CSI by studying for a degree in forensic science or becoming a law enforcement officer. Depending on the employer, some jurisdictions employ only police officers as crime scene specialists. By becoming a police officer and getting a forensic science degree, you can increase your chances of getting a job as a CSI. It is very helpful if you know how to take crime scene photographs. Keep in mind that many jurisdictions lack funding to employ somebody for every job. Therefore, the more skills you have, the better.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer for the website NinjaCOPS SuperStore. This vir Read the rest of this entry »

If you are an avid fan of the CSI TV shows, you may have heard of terms such as forensic medical transcriber and wondered what they are and what they do.

In this article, I will explain what a forensic medical transcriber is and describe what they do.

Becoming a forensic medical transcriber requires that you have standard office skills and an interest in medicine and crime. If you are an experienced secretary, office assistant, or executive assistant, then getting a job in this field should not be difficult.

The job duties require that you know how to transcribe technical and specialized medical dictations with regard to forensic evaluations, tests, and autopsies. You must have specialized knowledge in medical terminology, Dictaphones, Microsoft Word, data entry and report preparations, business English and bookkeeping. It is a must if you employ good grammar, spelling, and punctuation effectively. It is also your responsibility to maintain files and records, interact with the public, either face-to-face or via telephone, and perform different kinds of administrative duties.

In many medical examiner’s or coroner’s offices and crime labs, the minimum education you need is a high school diploma or GED. You must be able to type 60-90 wpm from dictation and complete a course in medical terminology. Medical terminology courses are taught at many community colleges, big universities, and private schools. Many employers look for candidates with at least one or two years of transcribing experience.

Having a good education in the field of medical transcribing will give you the edge over the next candidate who applies for the same job and has no experience.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer fo Read the rest of this entry »