Rating: 
Summary: Everything in one neat and complete package
Review: I am amazed at the amount of information in this book. Everything you could possibly need to know to find a job in federal law enforcement is presented in a logical and organized format. You could spend months or even years of research to locate the agencies and information about them, but this book puts it all together in one package that is current and reliable. The information in this book will make anyone more knowledgable and competitive.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Guide!
Review: I got a copy of Thomas Ackerman's "Guide to Careers in Federal Law Enforcement" and couldn't put it down. It should be a required text at every college that turns out students who are destined for the feds. It is THE authoritative source for getting through the federal maze. The tactics Ackerman describes for the interviews, exams, and application forms would benefit anyone at any level of experience or expertise. I appreciate that it's written in real-world terminology that everyone can relate to, because many people who are trying to get hired into the feds do not have a law enforcement background. I also appreciate that the author shows you how to overcome lack of experience so you can compete with the best and brightest regardless of your background.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Guide!
Review: I got a copy of Thomas Ackerman's "Guide to Careers in Federal Law Enforcement" and couldn't put it down. It should be a required text at every college that turns out students who are destined for the feds. It is THE authoritative source for getting through the federal maze. The tactics Ackerman describes for the interviews, exams, and application forms would benefit anyone at any level of experience or expertise. I appreciate that it's written in real-world terminology that everyone can relate to, because many people who are trying to get hired into the feds do not have a law enforcement background. I also appreciate that the author shows you how to overcome lack of experience so you can compete with the best and brightest regardless of your background.
Rating:
Summary: Two job offers within the last week
Review: I read Guide to Careers in Federal Law Enforcement and found the information and advice to be very useful. The career descriptions, agency information, advice on preparing application forms, and hiring process details have been very beneficial. As a result, within the last week I have received job offers from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Interior. I would not be in this position if not for this book. I highly recommend it to anyone considering a career in federal law enforcement.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the information I was looking for
Review: If you're looking for a book that gives you some general information on different types of law enforcement careers, then this one is a good one. But if you're looking for a book that discusses exactly what to be prepared for in the important parts of the hiring process, then don't get this book. Part of the title of this book is "Surefire Tactics for Getting Hired", and as such, I expected a lot of information on how to successfully handle the "make or break" component of the hiring process - the personal interview. The personal interview is definitely the most important part of the hiring process, as this is where the hiring agency actually gets to find out whether or not you're law enforcement material. However, this book provides basically no useful information on law enforcement interviews. The book gives general advice on law enforcement interviews as if they were the same thing as any business interview (asking questions, paying attention, talking about your strengths and skills, etc.). However, I have had several law enforement interviews with various agencies, and none of them were anything even remotely similar to a business interview. In fact, in each case, almost the entire interview consisted of questions about how you would handle different situations on the job if you encountered them (hostile subjects, witnessing co-worker theft, emergency situations, etc.), and virtually no standard business interview questions ("what are your skills?", "what are your weaknesses?", "what makes you better than the next guy?", etc.). Yet, even though each law enforcement interview I have had has focused almost exclusively on these "what would you do if ..." types of questions, this book provides absolutely no information on handling such questions. I can tell from the author's credentials that he has been involved with several different types of law enforcement careers, but with the information about interviews in this book, one would seriously question if the author has ever even had a law enforcement interview. Seeing as the interview is the most important part of the hiring process, this book certainly does not provide you with "Surefire Tactics for Getting Hired".
Rating:
Summary: Best source of federal law enforcment job listings to date.
Review: Recently I was fortunate enough to obtain one of the first copies of the new Guide to Federal Law Enforcement Careers by Thomas Ackerman. I was amazed by the many lesser-known law enforcement careers listed. The book goes well beyond the normal FBI, INS listings to reveal a wealth of other positions such as the USDA Special Agents and FEMA Investigators. I was also surprised that there were so many security-related positions available within the federal system. These positions are actually good paying professional positions as security managers, analysts and other career oriented jobs. During my past 20 years in law enforcement I have found that you need to have an edge to be hired over other applicants. It is critical that your package looks attractive and that it helps the hiring agency visualize you as a member of their organization. Ackerman's chapters such as "Standing Out From The Crowd" give you that edge with advice on home to fill out and submit documents in the proper federal format. The book shows you how to craft your letters and documents to minimize a lack of experience and to maximize the specific personal strengths and qualities that federal agencies are seeking. If I had this book 20 years ago I could have saved myself a great deal of wasted effort combing the want ads and knocking on the wrong doors. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking employment as a federal enforcement officer, investigator, or security professional. I plan to keep it on my bookshelf for students who are really serious about getting a law enforcement job in the federal system.
Rating: 
Summary: Not perfectly accurate, but it is still a good resourse
Review: Some positions mentioned in the book are not quite up to date. Some requirements are not listed for a handful of positions. Comes close to matching the information on the agencies' website.
Rating: 
Summary: tons of jobs i didn't even know about!
Review: the good: ackerman does a great job of summarizing all of the federal law enforcement jobs out there. there were a lot of jobs i didn't even know about before reading. the not so good: i bought the book with the hope of getting a lot of useful hints for passing the written tests and personal interviews, but found it didn't provide as much information as i had thought (still got a job though!). buy the book if you want lists and descriptions of nearly every fed law enforcement job out there. don't buy it for the "sure fire tactics for getting hired."
Rating:
Summary: This book will get you into the Feds
Review: There is no better resource than this book if you are seeking a career in federal law enforcement. The agencies simply do not provide the public with the kind of information that Thomas Ackerman offers in "Guide to Careers in Federal Law Enforcement." There are more agencies, poositions, and important details regarding hiring procedures than I could have imagined until I picked up a copy of Ackerman's book. I'm certain that my likelihood of getting into the Feds has increased substantially now that I have the information I truly need to succeed in my career search.
Rating:
Summary: Very useful book
Review: This book has every law-enforcement job description you can dream of. It is a very helpful guide to learn how to apply to get a federal job, what the job is all about, how much it pays, etc. It has anything and everything you need to know.
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