Crime Scene Investigator Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Crime Scene Investigator resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
A crime scene investigator collects evidence at a crime scene in order to piece together what happened. This can be a challenging but rewarding job that gives you the opportunity to help people who have been hurt or injured.
You might think that becoming a crime scene investigator would require years of experience in law enforcement or the criminal justice system. But that’s not always the case. Many CSIs have backgrounds in other fields—like biology or forensics—and they often join law enforcement as a second career or part-time job.
In general, crime scene investigators need to be detail-oriented and organized. They need to be able to work independently and follow protocols. They also need to be comfortable working with law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and other members of the criminal justice system.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career—or just looking for a new opportunity—here are some tips and an example resume to help you write a compelling CSI resume that will get you noticed by hiring managers in this competitive field.
How to Write a Crime Scene Investigator Resume
Here’s how to write a crime scene investigator resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters will see. And they have to be compelling enough to make them want to read the rest of your resume.
The best way to do this is to use specific numbers and statistics to demonstrate your experience and skills. For example, rather than saying you “conducted investigations,” you could say you “conducted 150 investigations during first six months on the job, resulting in 100 arrests.”
The second bullet point is much more interesting and provides a clear sense of the scope of your work. It also provides a quantifiable result—100 arrests—which is always a good thing!
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume for a crime scene investigator role, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This program looks for specific terms related to the job, like “forensic science” or “evidence collection,” in order to determine whether your skills and experience are a match for the position. If your resume doesn’t include enough relevant keywords, the ATS might reject your application.
To make sure your resume makes it past the ATS, use this list of common crime scene investigator keywords as a starting point:
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Criminal Justice
- Crime Scene Processing
- Criminal Investigations
- Law Enforcement
- Crime Prevention
- Investigation
- Emergency Management
- Firearms Handling
- Public Safety
- Police
- Private Investigations
- Physical Evidence
- Police Operations
- Interrogation
- Evidence Collection
- Fingerprinting
- Homeland Security
- Security
- Patrol
- Death Investigations
- Autopsy
- Medicolegal
- Forensic Pathology
- Forensic Science
- Cold Cases
- Invasive Species
- Fish & Wildlife Management
- Wildlife Management
- Fish & Wildlife
Showcase Your Technical Skills
Crime scene investigators use a variety of technology to gather and analyze evidence at crime scenes. They are typically expected to be proficient in the use of forensic software, like chromatography software and DNA analysis software. They also need to be familiar with crime scene investigation procedures, and the use of specialized equipment, like metal detectors and forensic light sources.
If you have experience with any of these programs or procedures, be sure to list them on your resume. And if you’re not familiar with them, now is the time to learn them!