The wide variety of ports in which we operate means there is a great diversity in duties, with some entailing significantly greater law enforcement challenges than others. A Customs career can be tough work. The hours can be long and there is shift work, but the overtime is well paid. In some assignments, Inspectors have to climb aboard train cars, trucks, and into ships' holds. Inspectors at land borders and in harbors work outdoors in all kinds of weather.
Some tasks involve getting dirty going through cargo and tearing apart vehicles in search of drugs.
And, although our duties are nearly always performed in a controlled environment, our officers do carry firearms and are sometimes called upon to use them. For the men and women of the U.S. Customs Service, the rewards include representing your country in the uniform of a proud Federal service. You are also rewarded by knowing that you are doing something positive about stopping the plague of drugs entering our country. Collegiate academic excellence or graduate education can also help fulfill requirements for a GS-7. Prior law enforcement or military service is often a good starting point for a Customs career.