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US Customs and Border Protection Reviews
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    US Customs and Border Protection Reviews

    Updated May 27, 2018
    128 reviews

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    Full-timePart-time
    3.7
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
    US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske
    R. Gil Kerlikowske
    23 Ratings

    128 Employee Reviews

    Sort: PopularRatingDate
    Pros

    • "Good pay with the overtime; good job security not particularly dangerous for a law enforcement job" (in 12 reviews)

    • "Good benefits, good fellow workers, you make a lot in overtime if you wish, not boring and not repetitive" (in 10 reviews)

    Cons

    • "Long hours, facilities can be rough in older airports/cargo offices, normal headaches that come along with managing union employees" (in 9 reviews)

    • "Start work here, than move to a professional law enforcement agency" (in 7 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons

    1. Helpful (1)

      "Working at C B P"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at US Customs and Border Protection full-time

      Pros

      The sense of doing something important for our country.

      Cons

      None that I can think of right now.

      Advice to Management

      Keep it up!

    2. "Safe"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Career Opportunities
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at US Customs and Border Protection full-time

      Pros

      Good pay, good hours, equipment

      Cons

      Varying shifts, nepotism, bad locations

      3. Join the US Customs and Border Protection team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. "cbp officer"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - CBP Officer in Jf Kennedy Ap, NY
      Former Employee - CBP Officer in Jf Kennedy Ap, NY
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I worked at US Customs and Border Protection full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      Good pay with the overtime; good job security not particularly dangerous for a law enforcement job. Very hard to get fired unless you do something really egregious or illegal; or fail a drug test. Journeyman GS-12.

      Cons

      Mandatory overtime with no regard for your personal life or family life. You get up to 5 weeks vacation but they steal it from you anyway by forcing you to call in sick to get a day off - so after you burn up your sick leave you use up annual leave then take leave without pay. Frequent payroll errors never in your favor: You have to check your hours worked against your earning and leave statements. They mess them up constantly, making you chase your money.

      Advice to Management

      Fire all your managers: They are promoted by nepotism, croneyism. Supervisor's exam is a fraud' They never publish or give you your results and what the answers were. Total sham for promotions to supervisor. They are picked and anointed under the radar while the online application is taken down intermittently at odd hours to keep you from applying: It is by patronage only and totally corrupt.

    4. Helpful (1)

      "Border Patrol"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Supervisory Border Patrol Agent in Detroit, MI
      Former Employee - Supervisory Border Patrol Agent in Detroit, MI
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook

      I worked at US Customs and Border Protection full-time

      Pros

      Great comraderie amongst the Agents.

      Cons

      We need to be a proactive organization

      Advice to Management

      Be independent when dealing with politicians.

    5. "CBP Supervisor (First-Line)"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - CBP SUpervisor (First-line) in Chicago, IL
      Current Employee - CBP SUpervisor (First-line) in Chicago, IL
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at US Customs and Border Protection (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Excellent pay, opportunity to earn up to $45000 in OT per year in addition to base salary and up to $2500 end of year performance award (if you are a good/excellent manager)

      Cons

      Long hours, facilities can be rough in older airports/cargo offices, normal headaches that come along with managing union employees.

      Advice to Management

      Eliminate grade compression (GS-13 first-line supervisors promote to same grade, GS-13 second-line) with little salary increase and less opportunity for OT work.
      More agency wide communication regarding policy changes/updates.

    6. Helpful (1)

      "International Import Specialist"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - International Trade Specialist in Washington, DC
      Former Employee - International Trade Specialist in Washington, DC
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at US Customs and Border Protection full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      Great Benefits and great salary

      Cons

      none, it is a wonderful career

      Advice to Management

      You have to apply for another position, unless it is preset when hired, ie 12/13

    7. Helpful (4)

      "Not too bad"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Import Specialist in Newark, NJ
      Former Employee - Import Specialist in Newark, NJ
      Recommends
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      Pros

      It is the federal government. The benefits are good the pay is definitely not bad, but each agency has its pros and cons. This agency has a 59 minute Liberty system so that they will let you out almost an hour early before holidays, sometimes. They also offer telework.

      Cons

      The agency uses Scare Tactics and focuses on publicly calling attention to the prosecution of officers that have broken the rules. There is a weirdly negative undertone to many of the guidelines they want staff to follow. The agency prioritises the issues and needs of their direct law enforcement staff above all other staff. They are still not treated too well. They refuse to allow several of the veterans here to use their GI bill education benefits while employed. The training for this position is very intense as well, if you fail any of the eight exams more then once...You lose your job .

      Advice to Management

      Treat people fairly and you'll reduce suicides and increase retention

    8. Helpful (2)

      "CBP"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends

      I have been working at US Customs and Border Protection full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      good job and good pay

      Cons

      management doesn't really care about employees

    9. "Fast paced and stressful"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at US Customs and Border Protection full-time

      Pros

      Lots of work to be done. I enjoy HR, so i find the work rewarding.

      Cons

      Managers are under too much stress and aren't always leaders.

    10. "Program and Management Analyst"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Numerous Positionover A 45 Year Career in Indianapolis, IN
      Former Employee - Numerous Positionover A 45 Year Career in Indianapolis, IN
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I worked at US Customs and Border Protection full-time (More than 8 years)

      Pros

      My last position - Over paid for what you do/You can work any schedule as long as it adds up to 80 hours worked every two weeks

      Cons

      Apathy - There was no commitment to do the best you can do. Management was afraid to address union or race issues.

      Advice to Management

      Take a stand on issues where you know you are correct

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