Table 1Transition record

polygraph examinertocriminal investigator

A polygraph examiner already meets 26% of what the criminal investigator role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From polygraph examiner

26%

Overlap1

To criminal investigator

7 Skills carried over

6 Required, not held

67.1 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 67.1

This move: 67.1 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the criminal investigator role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the polygraph examiner profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A criminal investigator role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a polygraph examiner background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held forensic intelligence services
already held criminology social sciences, journalism and information
already held present evidence communication, collaboration and creativity
already held promote human rights communication, collaboration and creativity
already held criminal law business, administration and law
already held comply with legal regulations assisting and caring

All 7 carried skills, including the 2 the criminal investigator role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 19 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 2 required, 9 supplementary

required, not held document evidence required
required, not held examine crime scenes required

optional, not held analyse blood patterns optional
optional, not held detect finger prints optional
optional, not held evaluate forensic data optional
optional, not held investigate forgery cases optional
optional, not held perform drug investigations optional
optional, not held assess contamination optional
optional, not held perform forensic examinations optional
optional, not held perform risk analysis optional
optional, not held undertake inspections optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held handle case evidence required

optional, not held maintain operational communications optional
optional, not held use different communication channels optional

03 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held photograph crime scenes required

optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional

04 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held restrict access to crime scene required

05 services 1 required

required, not held crime scene preservation required

06 handling and moving 1 supplementary

optional, not held clean crime scenes optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a criminal investigator role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 7 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held forensic intelligence knowledge
already held write work-related reports skill
already held comply with legal regulations skill
already held criminal law knowledge
already held criminology knowledge
already held present evidence skill
already held promote human rights skill

13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held analyse blood patterns optional
optional, not held clean crime scenes optional
optional, not held detect finger prints optional
optional, not held evaluate forensic data optional
optional, not held investigate forgery cases optional
optional, not held perform drug investigations optional
optional, not held assess contamination optional
optional, not held maintain operational communications optional
optional, not held perform forensic examinations optional
optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
optional, not held perform risk analysis optional
optional, not held undertake inspections optional
optional, not held use different communication channels optional

21 held skills the criminal investigator role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse legal evidence skill
not needed by the target role assess character skill
not needed by the target role assist police investigations skill
not needed by the target role conduct research interview skill
not needed by the target role create criminal profiles skill
not needed by the target role deal with aggressive behaviour skill
not needed by the target role document interviews skill
not needed by the target role human physiology knowledge
not needed by the target role interrogate individuals skill
not needed by the target role interview techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role investigation research methods knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain professional administration skill
not needed by the target role manage tests skill
not needed by the target role observe confidentiality skill
not needed by the target role observe human behaviour skill
not needed by the target role profile people skill
not needed by the target role provide testimony in court hearings skill
not needed by the target role psychology knowledge
not needed by the target role psychophysiology knowledge
not needed by the target role report analysis results skill
not needed by the target role use technology for forensics skill

1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held crime scene preservation required

Index

Other moves recorded from polygraph examiner

Full index of moves from polygraph examiner

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.