"I love my job. Although the compensation isnot great, the satisfaction is enormous."

What are your job responsibilities?

I am federal prosecutor, concentrating on fraud and public corruption. I handle many white collar fraud matters, including healt care fraud, corporate fraud and tax violations.

How did you discover and obtain your current job?
(What resource revealed your job? Did networking come into play? What skills/experiences did you bring to the interview that helped you land your job?)

I always knew I wanted to be a trial attorney. I clerked for a state judge after law school graduation. Shortly thereafter, I joined the Justice Department, Criminal Tax Division. After traveling throughout the U.S. prosecuting cases for various U.S. Attorney's Office, I moved to D.C. U.S. Attorney's office where I have prosecuted all types of crime, local and federal.

What advice would you give students interested in working in your field?

Everyone must start at the bottom. Its a slow progression learning to be a good trial attorney. It is not like TV shows. Its a lot of preparation work and less court work.

What are important characteristics of people who succeed in your career?

Organization. Investigations and courtrooms are becoming very high tech. There is a lot of information and learning to organize and present in an understandable manner is the hardest part of the job.

How can students best prepare themselves while still in college?

Definitely work for local DA, public defender, U.S. Attorney's office. Most of these are going to be volunteer positions since the government does not usually have the money to pay students. This is really a learning experience for you. Its also good to see what the investigators are doing. If its local crime, there are police forces that would love the free help. On a federal level, although security clearance has become more difficult, working for the FBI, IRS or other agency would be a great way to see how crimes are being solved.

What are your future plans?

I am in this for life -- or my career. I love my job. Although the compensation is not great, the satisfaction is enormous.