After you land a job (usually as a trainee), you’ll work toward certification. The International Association for Identification (IAI) offers credentials in things like fingerprint analysis and crime scene photography. It’s like a black belt for your resume.
Most labs require you to get certified within a few years of hiring. It involves passing a brutal exam and submitting casework for review. But once you have it, you become the unicorn of evidence geeks—and way more employable.
