Most applications are accepted, but the interview is where most people are weeded out. Your interview will likely be in a hotel, so book a room there. The interview may be in two stages, with each stage on different days. If you pass the first stage, then the next stage will be the next day. Book at least 2 nights in the hotel. Just as there is no excuse for being late to work, there is never any excuse for being late to an interview. Arrange your travel plans accordingly. Bring two suits, nice shoes, a nice pen, a pad of paper for notes, and any props or materials you want to use for your lesson. If you have print outs, print them in color. If you are using flash cards, laminate them. Make it as professional as possible. Your lesson demonstration is only 5 minutes, but the amount of work you put into preparing will impress your interviewers. Never start your demo lesson without some pictures or props. Iron your suits and polish your shoes. Don't bring perfume, extra makeup (foundation only is okay) more than 1 pair of earrings, more than 1 ring, any other flashy or colorful accessories. While people in Japan do wear many accessories, they do not wear them in the office. Excessive makeup like eyeliner and eyeshadow is frowned upon. Painted nails are a big no-no. (Clear polish is okay though). These things are unprofessional and won't even be allowed at your school if you are hired. If you are a woman, wear stockings and closed toed heeled shoes. Do not wear ballet shoes. No bright colors (pink, red, yellow, orange) and also do not wear all black. Schools want to show a professional, but "bright" friendly image. Think about that before you go. If you are man, shave your beard or trim it very short. It is relatively rare of men in Japan to grow beards, especially businessmen. If they do have one, it is always neatly trimmed. This will be a requirement at the school if you are hired. Hide any tattoos. Your school will not hire you if you display a tattoo. Some schools are okay if you have one, but you must keep it hidden and never tell students. The students "might" not care, but if they tell the staff at your school then you may have trouble.

Summary: If your application is accepted, arrange to attend the interview. If you need to fly or take a train, arrange it as soon as possible. Dress the part.


Filters, selected from the filter menu and applied to either the visible layer or selection, can be used to achieve a wide variety of effects. When each filter is chosen, a menu with a number of options will be brought up. You can experiment or look online for more details for each filter.  For example, you can use the “gaussian blur” to significantly diffuse the pixel on a layer. The “add noise”, “clouds”, and “texture” filters can give texture to your image. Other filters can be used to give dimension or distort images. You will simply have to experiment to find which is right for your project. Levels allows you control of an image’s brightness, color balance and contrast by specifically defining absolute white and absolute black for a given image. This is complex and will require experimentation and practice to execute perfectly. Many tutorials can be found online. Open the levels window by clicking command/control+L. The curves menu allows you to adjust the tones within your image. Bring up this menu by clicking Image -> Adjustments -> Curves. You will see a line going diagonally across a box. The horizontal scale represents the input image and the vertical scale represents the output image. Click on the line to create anchor points and then drag those points to alter the tones in your image. This will give you more control over contrast than the contrast menu will. You can use the transform tools to scale, rotate, skew, stretch, or warp an image. This can be done to a selected area, an entire layer, or a series of layers. Access these tools by clicking Edit -> Transform. This will give you a submenu with a variety of options. Choose which is best for you. Experiment or look up tutorials on the web. Remember to press shift if you wish to keep proportions constrained while using transform tools.

Summary: Use filters. Use levels. Use curves. Use transform tools.


You should call the company or dealership and speak to your leasing agent to notify them that you want to buy the car. The leasing agent will notify you of any penalties or fees you may need to pay. The leasing company will call you near the end of your term to talk about returning the car. If you are allowed to buy the car at the end of the lease, you can tell them you want to buy the car then. In most cases, you will receive the documents through the mail, although you may be asked to visit a dealership. Read through the terms of sale very carefully. When you are ready, sign the contract. Mail these back to the leasing company. If you are paying in cash, you should mail a check to the company. Before you go the DMV, you will need 3 things from the leasing company. The leasing company must sign the title over to you with all liens released on the car. They must also provide a bill of sale showing that you paid your sales tax, and a federal odometer statement. If you do not get these documents, ask for them. If you financed the car using a lender other than a dealership, the leasing company will mail the documents to the lender. The lender will then send you the documents. You will need to bring the Certificate of Title, the bill of sale, the federal odometer statement, proof of car insurance, and ID, such as a driver’s license. You will also need to fill out an Application for Registration and Title. This form will be available on your state’s DMV website.  Once you take these documents to the DMV, you will be registered as the legal owner of the car. Titling fees can vary by state. Look up the cost on your local DMV website. In some cases, if you don't make your monthly payments, the lender can repossess your car. Always pay your loan payments on time to keep a good credit score.

Summary: Inform your leasing company that you want to buy the car. Sign the documents sent by the leasing company. Ask the leasing company for documents proving the sale. Visit the DMV with your documents, insurance card, and ID. Make monthly payments to pay off your loan.


Apply for jobs in the field in which you have decided to specialize. Use LinkedIn, your university department’s alumni networks, and any contacts you might have to search for your first job. Research the company to which you are applying. Change your resume and cover letter to reflect the experience you have that relates to the job qualifications. Be specific and connect the dots.  For example, if you are applying to a lab position, emphasize your previous lab work. Mention any research projects you completed related to forensics. If you have a prominent advisor from forensics, mention that you were in his or her lab. Because forensics has become a very competitive field, your C.V. must stand out. Work to prove that you already are a scientist and thus are not a complete rookie.  Check Make a Resume for specific tips. See Get a Job for thorough tips on how to search for jobs, do informational interviews, and land your first job. Pretend you are speaking as an expert witness in court. Employers are looking for forensics employees that will stick to the evidence in the face of unscientific testimony. They desire employees with a meticulous appreciation for the facts of a case.  Practice with family or friends. Ask for informational interviews with employed forensic scientists. Use the interview as an information-gathering session. Also, ask if they would mind asking you typical interview questions and giving you feedback. Be sure to clarify what your duties are before signing your contract. Also, if it is appropriate, negotiate your salary and benefits so that you are satisfied. Give 100% to your job and learn as much as you can from your more senior colleagues. Read Negotiate a Job Offer for tips on mastering negotiation. Even though you now have a job, continue to stay current on trends in the field. Forensics has changed innumerably throughout the history of police investigation. Make sure you are on the cutting edge of the field in order to be eligible for promotions or better opportunities.
Summary: Perfect your resume and cover letters. Practice interviewing for a job. Get a job offer. Continue to supplement your career with continuing education courses.