LIsa Black
Cape Coral, FL
Female, 49
I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.
Sorry it took me so long to reply! I applied after I got the degree. THat’s kind of odd that they would tell you to apply—does the position require a degree? It couldn’t hurt to contact them for more information and make it clear you won’t have your degree until May and would need to finish your schooling as well. But jobs aren’t easy to come by, so if they’re that interested. In you , you might as well find out more. Best of luck!
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Wow, that’s a tough question—I can think of projects and experiments, but research....and what ages? I can ask my coworkers for suggestions.
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Best of luck to you! Other than taking all the science and laboratory courses possible, I would suggest checking out the websites of national forensic organizations to check job postings and what different agencies require. You might also decide if you’d consider moving and where. Try to get a tour of any forensic facility you can, this is a good way to meet people and to see what different jobs entail.
I hope that helps!
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Yes, certification in any discipline is definitely a good thing to put on a resume.
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Call Center Employee (Retail)
I've heard that a lot of startups are hiring really well-educated college grads and paying them a lot, reasoning that customer service is often a client's most lasting impression of a brand. What do you think, and is it something you see spreading?
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Are men better at CPR than women because they're generally stronger?
What is your favorite part of this job?All the interesting, different, bizarre stories that make up the crimes that have happened that we have to investigate.
What is you least favorite part of the job?Being 'on call' and knowing you can be interrupted at any moment of the day and have to go to a crime scene, even if it's the middle of the night or a holiday. I've also had to change vacations because I have to testify in a trial. I hate that.
Being around the dead is something you either get used to really quickly or you don't. The dead will not bother you, but the living can drive you crazy! And stress depends where you work. I have a great office and a relatively low-crime area, so unless we have a lot all happen at once, which is not too often, it's really not that stressful. If I lived in a more hectic place with too many demands and not enough time or resources, it might be a different story.
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Wow, best of luck!! I would suggest you Google the heck out of the facility and find out everything you can about what they do—if it’s a state lab, what kind of evidence they accept from the state agencies. They probably test for illegal drugs, but are they testing the actual drugs seized, or bodily fluids from arrested people, or blood/urine/gastric samples from medical examiners or coroners offices—or all three. If you can’t find the information then that’s a good and reasonable question to ask. They’re sure to ask you what kind of instrumentation you’ve worked with, in class or in an internship, etc.—GC Mass Spec, IR, etc., how much experience and what kind of samples you tested. PS If it’s not posted you might want to ask about hours and/or overtime. They might be 9-5 M-F or they might be 24/7, depending on the size and location.
Best of luck!!
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I’m sorry but I have no idea. that would be the detective’s job, not mine.
Best of luck!
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