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Customs inspector skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

CBP official

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical customs inspector skills. We ranked the top skills for customs inspectors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 31.0% of customs inspector resumes contained law enforcement agencies as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a customs inspector needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 customs inspector skills for your resume and career

1. Law Enforcement Agencies

Here's how customs inspectors use law enforcement agencies:

Assist with criminal and civil prosecutions and work with other law enforcement agencies in dealing with violators of customs laws.
Work closely with attorneys, litigation departments, and other law enforcement agencies on cases that were in deportation proceedings.

2. Federal Laws

The laws formed and upheld by the federal administrating body of a country are known as federal laws. A federal administrating body or government is formed by a political party after being elected by the general public.

Here's how customs inspectors use federal laws:

Enforce and administer Federal laws governing the importation and exportation of materials and immigration of foreign nationals into the United States.
Conducted arrests pertaining to state and federal laws, and prepare required court documentation for legal prosecution.

3. US Customs

The US Customs and Border Protection is the United State's most prominent law enforcement agency in charge of border control, security, travel, and trade. It is responsible for enforcing government regulations on border-related activities. Their jobs include enforcing laws on traveling overseas, luggage inspection, import/export monitoring, and border patrol. The agency is based in Washington DC and comprises over 4000 federals officers maintaining peace throughout the states.

Here's how customs inspectors use us customs:

Communicated stateside with US Customs on all shipment that had been redlined from entering the US.
Perform searches on suspected violators of laws enforced and upheld by US Customs;.

4. INS

Here's how customs inspectors use ins:

Work directly with other Federal agencies (INS, AGRI, K-9, Border Patrol, and ICE).

5. Customs Regulations

Here's how customs inspectors use customs regulations:

Inspected baggage, and personal articles entering U.S. for compliance with revenue laws and U.S. customs regulations.
Experienced in conducting investigations and enforce customs regulations.

6. NCIC

Here's how customs inspectors use ncic:

Conducted National Crime Information Center (NCIC) queries of persons using the Treasury Enforcement Communications System (TECS II).
Conduct training regarding sentence computation, release paperwork, NCIC, CPR and various other areas.

7. Incident Reports

An Incident Report, in a medical facility such as hospitals and nursing homes, is a type of paperwork filled out immediately after and in the case of an incident of some sort, with the goal of describing the incident and its consequences, as well as the measurements taken after or during the incident, as well as any other information relevant to said incident. Such an incident might be a patient acting out or a patient being injured.

Here's how customs inspectors use incident reports:

Make incident reports for passengers that maybe detained or arrested.

8. Criminal Investigations

Here's how customs inspectors use criminal investigations:

Headed criminal investigations and presented sworn testimony in Federal court.

9. Illegal Drugs

Here's how customs inspectors use illegal drugs:

Recognized for 3 significant seizures of illegal drugs entering the United States from Mexico.
Prevented illegal drugs and imported merchandise from being smuggled into the U.S.

10. Hazardous Materials

Any substance or good that is harmful to human health as well as the environment are called hazardous materials. Such materials must be handled carefully to avoid any mishaps. Harmful gases. chemicals, strong medicines or drugs, radioactive elements required for radiation purposes, a human blood sample that carries germs, all of these are considered hazardous materials.

Here's how customs inspectors use hazardous materials:

Responded with fire department on all post wide emergencies to include weapons of mass destruction and hazardous materials events.
Inspected hazardous materials and containers for the safe transportation into the U.S. and the safety of the general public and environment.

11. DOD

Definition of Done (DoD) is a set of deliverables that are needed to devise software. These deliverables are valuable to the system and can be exemplified by writing code, coding comments, unit testing, integration testing, design documents, release notes, and so on.

Here's how customs inspectors use dod:

Conducted inspections of Soldiers, families, and DoD employees going to and from Germany.

12. Inventory Control

Here's how customs inspectors use inventory control:

Certified Lift Truck Operator, Lift 75+ LB, load freight into overheads, inventory control
Assisted in inventory control and audit.

13. Federal Agencies

Federal agencies are specialized departments of government set up by the government to perform specific duties. They can have responsibilities such as management of resources, overlooking of financial position of industries, national security issues, and so on.

Here's how customs inspectors use federal agencies:

Coordinate with State and Federal Agencies to prosecute individuals involved in Immigration Violations and drug smuggling.
Establish and maintain liaison with external federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, and/or private sector stakeholders involved in asylumbenefits.

14. Firearms

A firearm is a type of weapon or device used by police, uniformed personnel or other related professional for security and protection purposes. This lethal and destructive weapon can often shoot bullet or missiles. A firearm usually consists of a chamber or barrel, frame body, breech bolt, and a magazine.

Here's how customs inspectors use firearms:

Reviewed and authorized all employee firearms training records, reviewed and authorized all instructor reports, certification and testing results.
Investigated and screened passenger and cargo facilitation, using non-lethal defense techniques and firearms.

15. USD Per

Here's how customs inspectors use usd per:

United States Salary: 83,000.00 USD Per Year Hours per week: 40 CBPAS United States Customs and Border Protecton

What skills help Customs Inspectors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What customs inspector skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

CBP official

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

-Critical thinking/problem solving
-Digital technology
-Communication
-Leadership
** These skills can be gained through online classes, volunteering, etc.

Do you want to know more?

List of customs inspector skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a customs inspector resume and required skills for a customs inspector to have include:

Law Enforcement Agencies
Federal Laws
US Customs
INS
Customs Regulations
NCIC
Incident Reports
Criminal Investigations

Illegal Drugs
Hazardous Materials
DOD
Inventory Control
Federal Agencies
Firearms
USD Per
CBP

FDA
Customs Laws
Computer System
DEA
Household Goods
Conveyance
Enforcement Operations

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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