by To some people, this might be an unexpected line of career. But for some others, it’s the one thing they know their whole life. Whatever that is, being a bondsman or bonds agent is a huge responsibility and can be a primary job for most people.
However, it doesn’t mean that anyone can be a bondsman. There are several things you need to have when you want this as your career.
4 Things You Need to Prepare
1. Necessary Soft Skills
As a bondsman, you will meet various people who may or may not be your clients. You need to have the crucial skills to ensure your client that you are the best in the field. Negotiations and empathy are two of the most important skills.
The capability to think outside the box and be quick-witted is also crucial since you won’t know what type of client comes to seek help. Some cases require a creative solution to ensure the defendant sees their case end.
2. Mastering the Court System
Your primary task as a bondsman is to navigate through the court system. To help your clients, you must be knowledgeable and capable of going through the whole legal process.
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The knowledge is available on the preliminary course you must take before becoming an agent. However, it also helps if you come with a degree in law or finance.
3. Risk Assessment
Excellent risk assessment is crucial for any bond agent. You need to do a thorough background check for the clients to decide whether you will take them on or not.
Assessing the risk is not limited to knowing their address, workplace, income, and even family situation. But also whether they have similar convictions in the past and if they possess a flight risk. It’s not unusual for an agent to charge a higher fee for clients with multiple previous convictions.
4. Licenses
Before you can start working as a bond agent, you must pass the licensing exam. Each state has different rules on eligibility to get an exam. But in general, you just need to be over 18 years old and have a high school diploma or a GED. You also must have enough financial backing that allows you to bail out your clients.
Bond Agent vs. Bounty Hunter
One thing that most people tend to confuse is being a bondsman with a bounty hunter. While on technicality, you can be both a bondsman and a bounty hunter at the same time. But each job has different responsibilities and focus.
When you are a bounty hunter, you must present the defendant in court to receive the bounty. Which means you have to track them down and detain them to get to the court. When they miss their date multiple times, you must employ a bounty hunter or you will lose the bail.
Most bond agents start with a previous career in law, whether as an attorney or a police officer. But you also can start without the career switch and become a full-time agent early on. As long as you have passed the licensing exam and taken the necessary education, you can be a licensed agent.
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