Petersons - Master the Special Agent Exam

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Previous editions published as Special Agent, Deputy U.S. Marshal 1989, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and as Master the Treasury Enforcement Agent Exam 2006

Stephen Clemente, President; Bernadette Webster, Director of Publishing; Therese DeAngelis, Editor; Mark D. Snider, Production Editor; Ray Golaszewski, Manufacturing Manager; Linda M. Williams, Composition Manager; Margaret Moran, Contributing Author; Barbara Jani, Contributing Researcher

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ISBN-978-0-7689-3513-4

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A career as a special agent with the federal government offers an opportunity to serve your community and to help others. Special agent positions are available in a number of departments, including the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, the Interior, the Treasury, and Transportation. The U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, and the Transportation Safety Administration are just a few of the federal agencies that employ special agents. (For purposes of this book, we are including special agent, criminal investigator, U.S. marshal, and two uniformed officer positions in the Department of Homeland Security under the umbrella of special agent.) The job of special agent offers diversity, excitement, and, in most cases, some personal danger, as well as career security and growth opportunities.

To become a special agent with a federal agency, it is important that you not only pass the Treasury Enforcement Agent (TEA) exam or agency-specific exam but that you score well and complete all your interviews and applications satisfactorily. Peterson's Master the Special Agent Exam provides you with the necessary information and skills to excel, including:

• Part I provides basic information about the structure of the federal government. You'll learn how the federal government is organized, where a special agent fits into this organization, what a career as a special agent is all about, and how to create a top-notch federal application.
• Part II is a full-length Diagnostic Test that provides an opportunity to practice every type of question. It can show you where your skills are strong and where they need some shoring up.
• Part III contains comprehensive review of every arithmetic topic you can expect to find in the Quantitative Reasoning/Arithmetic Reasoning section of the exam.
• Part IV includes three full-length practice tests, including a sample Self-Descriptive Inventory Exam
• The Appendixes provide information about the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Program.

Master the Special Agent Exam is designed to be as user-friendly as it is complete. To this end, includes several features to make your preparation much more efficient.

Each chapter begins with a bulleted overview listing the topics that will be covered in the chapter. This will allow you to quickly target the areas in which you are most interested.

Each chapter ends with a point-by-point summary that captures the most important points contained in the chapter. This is a convenient way to review key points.

As you work your way through the book, keep your eye on the margins to find bonus information and advice. Information can be found in the following forms:

Notes highlight critical information about a career as a special agent and the application process.

Tips provide valuable advice for effectively handling both the job search and the application and examination processes.

Alerts do just what they sayalert you to common pitfalls or misconceptions.

You have made a decision to pursue a career as a special agent. Master the Special Agent Exam ill help you select the agency to which you are best suited and will also guide you in finding, applying for, and landing the job of your dreams.

But a word of caution. Everything that you need to know and use to apply for a federal government job is available from the government itself. You have to be willing to spend the me and do the research necessary to find it. The information is free on federal agency Web sites, including the application forms and instructions on how to fill them out. The application process is also free. The federal government does not use employment agencies, so don't fall victim to a company that promises to get you a federal job. It can't. There are also companies, especially Internet businesses, which offer to write your resume and your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) document for a fee. However, no one knows you better than you do, so don't pay someone else to write what you alone know best. Guides like this one are your most cost-effective way to learn about and apply for federal government jobs including the job of special agent. Good luck!

Peterson's publishes a full line of resources to help guide you through the civil service application process. Peterson's publications can be found at your local bookstore or library, and you can access us online at www.petersons.com .

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