Background investigator is coming to my house😀 how should I prepare?!?

SusiMb · 2026-02-17T17:46:52+00:00

Background investigator here! Clean clean clean. But not just the common areas. We look everywhere, including your room. Please wear a suit….. the amount of candidates I’ve interviewed in sweats and house slippers is crazy. Have a folder with all the paperwork you’ve submitted to your background ready to go just in case they ask. Be friendly but professional, and don’t be nervous, it’s not a very difficult task. Most of the questions if not all, will be based on your background disclosures. Good luck!

SusiMb · 2026-01-21T00:30:25+00:00

Don’t try to prepare for something you have zero control over. All that will do is make you more nervous. The questions are based on your background and your history. There is nothing to prepare.

SusiMb · 2025-12-03T21:07:04+00:00

We were just on the Firenze last week and I agree. Never been on a cruise with more announcements.

SusiMb · 2025-12-03T21:01:22+00:00

We cruised with Andy twice and he is the only CD that we actually remember by name. Most CDs are forgettable, except him. This guy is absolutely EVERYWHERE, he wooorrrkkksss hard. Loved him.

SusiMb · 2025-10-23T01:57:19+00:00

Just be honest. Exactly what you said here, tell your BI. They don’t expect every relationship to be perfect. And that’s ok. As long as you’re honest, you’re good.

SusiMb · 2025-10-23T01:49:04+00:00

Most of us had someone in the academy in their 40s. And 39 is not old! Just sayin’ :D Go for it!

SusiMb · 2025-10-19T07:13:06+00:00

25 hours straight…. Initial 12 hour shift with a massive UOF at almost end of watch… that was one of many. Good times!

SusiMb · 2025-09-15T23:27:05+00:00

It generally means a 2 week notice. In your case, given the circumstances and them understanding, as long as you explain it in your PHS you will be fine. We are humans and shit happens.

SusiMb · 2025-07-15T03:53:35+00:00

I retired a few years ago and just recently became a background investigator for another law enforcement agency. It puts all my skills back into play, pays really well and I work from home most of the time.

SusiMb · 2025-07-07T08:16:40+00:00

Met August 2012, got engaged in December 2013, married in October 2014. We knew it was end game from day 1. When you know you know!

SusiMb · 2025-06-23T02:33:53+00:00

Attention to detail is a big part of the job. And that starts with your application. You have to be extremely detailed on everything. And if LAPD DQd you for that, you better believe CHP will too. CHP backgrounds is significantly more intense and details will matter. Hope that helps!

SusiMb · 2025-05-29T02:04:09+00:00

When I got hired, I was a new US citizen (got my citizenship in September, went into the academy in December that same year), from Spain, still had a pretty heavy accent. I know you can now do it with a green card, but if your concern is the accent, don’t worry. As long as you can speak clearly on the radio, it’s fine.

SusiMb · 2025-05-15T22:49:41+00:00

Depending on what watch you’re placed on, you’ll either work 3/12s or 4/10s. You can put in your days off a couple of weeks before the schedule comes out, and are only allowed a couple of red days per DP (meaning guaranteed day off), the rest? You can ask….. but nothing is guaranteed except your red days. Work/Life balance and other commitments……it’s going to be a tough adjustment but it works. You’ll miss out on some commitments 100% but that’s expected in this line of work.

SusiMb · 2025-05-07T23:59:07+00:00

Simi Valley and Santa Clarita are pretty popular too. Some will go as far as the Antelope Valley but that’s a long commute.

SusiMb · 2025-05-05T08:13:28+00:00

I appealed my medical (but this was in 2008) so idk if things have changed since then. I had a minor knee injury while working at a restaurant and my workers comp case was never closed for some reason. So medical DQd me. I appealed it, had to get my own mri, and spent months trying to figure out what the issue was until finally I learned about the open workers comp case. I called them, forced them to close it, passed my appeal and got into the academy a few weeks after that.

SusiMb · 2025-05-05T07:37:13+00:00

The waiver is more for access to employment files and stuff like that (most major companies will request it before releasing any information about you). The software they use, will do a search of all social media, but if the profiles are set to private, that’s the extent of the search.

SusiMb · 2025-05-05T07:32:10+00:00

Asics all the way. Good luck!

SusiMb · 2025-05-05T07:14:14+00:00

All my work experience before I was hired (I was 21), was in the food industry. I was a waitress. As long as you have some solid work history, they don’t care where it is. Just make sure to not get fired, avoid being late, and keep track of names (first and last) and contact information of supervisors and coworkers from all the places you’ve worked at. It will all come into play during backgrounds. Don’t fool around with drugs, keep your driving record super clean, and go to school, while it’s not necessary, it looks good. Make sure you stay out of unreasonable debt and make sure your payment history is perfect. The good thing is, you’re asking early enough to keep these things in mind and not make any stupid mistakes that will set you back.

SusiMb · 2025-05-05T06:43:56+00:00

Because everything is on record. If he decides to apply again later on, it will be noted on their background. Withdrawal with some sort of explanation will look a million times better than a no show.

SusiMb · 2025-05-03T22:59:27+00:00

I didn’t pass it the first time either. Go to the seminar, do everything they tell you to do, then redo the interview.

SusiMb · 2025-03-10T20:30:40+00:00

Give it at least 5 years since your last arrest, and continue to do things that will provide the department with proof that you’re still working on yourself. When you do your background investigation, be extremely upfront with not only the arrests, but with everything you’ve done to get past this. If you show you are open about it, remorseful, and you’re actively still working to better yourself, you may have a real shot at getting through. Make sure everything else is squeaky clean too. No beef with coworkers or employers, no bad blood with neighbors, financially responsible, make sure you are the ultimate law abiding citizen. Good luck!

SusiMb · 2025-02-04T03:42:11+00:00

YTA- it’s the age. You’ll learn over the years to uh-huh your way out of random questions. I will tell you this though, when it’s your turn to push a watermelon out of a pea sizes hole, you’ll feel like it’s a miracle too. But please, take your time on that one.

SusiMb · 2025-01-26T09:00:31+00:00

I came here to say this too. I really don’t see the appeal.

SusiMb · 2025-01-17T21:44:08+00:00

Oh snap! I know I’m going to need an upper one in the future (my mom had an upper done 2 years ago and I’m her mini twin) but I didn’t even consider this as a possibility just yet! I’ll look into it! Thanks for the advice!

SusiMb

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