You can become a part of the CIA if you are smart, have a college degree, and want to serve your country.You are eligible to apply for a job with the CIA if you are a U.S. citizen with all the required qualifications and background checks.The process is competitive and there are a lot of reasons to turn down applicants.It's important to give it your best shot if you want to make your dream career.
Step 1: Before applying to join the CIA, you should understand what a CIA career entails.
The spy side of the CIA is glamorized, but it is not the entire CIA and is only one part of it.The majority of CIA employees work in analytical, language, engineering, and technology positions.If you don't match your skills and aptitude to what you're best suited for, you may not get a job in the service.When joining the CIA, be prepared to become part of a family, with expectations to uphold deep loyalty to others, and with possible ramifications on your outside-work socializing and relationships.Roles in the CIA mean that you're part of the first line of defense in warning and protecting your fellow citizens.People with high integrity, perception, analytical ability, and intellectual curiosity are what you will be working with.You will have to have strong team skills because you will be expected to work in many teams.It is hoped that you will stay with the CIA for the duration of your career.The agency has a community.The reason for this is due to the academic environment, as well as the nature of work performed and the mission of the CIA.There is a food court, fitness facilities, formal gardens, walking paths, company store, recreational and activity clubs, and artwork on display at the CIA's George Bush Center.There is a museum, a library, and offices.The Agency considers its community a family, employing people from nearly all fields of study, united in their work and service to the country.Before starting the process of becoming a CIA officer, you should read up on what the CIA is about and what CIA officers do.You can find out how much of the espionage isn't what you've seen in movies and TV shows.
Step 2: It's a good idea to background check yourself before starting the process.
Don't apply if you're not clean.If your background report contains false information, you will be prepared when they question you on it.You have to use a service that is able to access the same database that the CIA uses, if your name appears then they have your record available and you can prepare yourself.
Step 3: Stay out of trouble.
Every position requires a security clearance and you'll need to pass through a lot of background checks.The content and expectations of security checks are not publicly known, but it's obvious that there are standard behaviors and activities that you should avoid.Do not have a criminal record.This includes not having participated in activities against the USA's interests, whether or not they were criminal in nature.Don't use drugs.You can't use illegal drugs within a year of your application or background check.If you have used illegal drugs in the past, it's best to avoid them altogether.Legal drugs like alcohol and prescription drugs can provide evidence of your character and future likelihood of re-abusing, so don't abuse them.You should be financially sound.This means that you don't gamble, over- invest, or have a bad credit repayment record.The intelligence service does not want to take a risk on a person with poor financial management skills.Have a good track record at work.Ensure that you've always given your best, been honest and ethical, and worked hard, regardless of your previous jobs.Any work environment that has loyalty and accountability is an asset to your application.Be reliable, trustworthy, and faithful.People in your circle of acquaintances will be asked questions by background investigators.As their assessment of your character builds, feedback positive information about you is good for you.Maintaining confidentiality and confidence is important.Being in the CIA probably isn't a good choice for you if you like to gossip; you'll need to demonstrate that you can abide by regulations regarding the use, handling, and protection of sensitive information.Excellent strength of character, integrity, honesty, sound judgment, and loyalty to the United States is what you should have.The CIA knows that no one is perfect.According to their nature, seriousness, and recency, security officials will consider the blemishes in your background.They take into account the risk and benefit of each individual.If you have important contributions to make to the nation's intelligence efforts, the Agency won't turn you away.Have clean parents and friends.If a family member or friend with shady leanings falls into a spot of bother, it could be a source of weakness for you.If there are issues surrounding this, talk to a CIA careers agent about your options.
Step 4: In your field, be highly competent.
The CIA requires its officers to have at least a bachelor's degree.In many instances, an advanced degree is required for most positions, although the CIA also offers relevant undergraduate programs.The CIA gets so many applications per position that you'll need to ensure your skills, abilities, and studies stand out from the rest.Excellent grades can be obtained through high school and college.Have at least a 3.0 grade point average.Most internationally focused studies are likely to be of interest to a recruiters, but there is no specific major to study.
Step 5: You can learn more than one language.
The more, the better, but a master of at least one other language.Current world political and military "hot spots" include Mandarin, Farsi, Pashto, Dari, Russian, and Arabic.If you're applying for a position in the service, you need to be able to speak English.You need to demonstrate that you can speak it as well as a native if you want to keep your job.You can either improve it or inquire about on-the-job training for language improvement.
Step 6: Be pleasant, flexible, and personable.
Being a good talker and listener, as well as being able to connect with others with ease, is what the best way to get information out of other people.If you don't feel comfortable around people, either brush up on the skills through reading or courses, or be less inclined to seek any positions that require interacting with assets, because these skills are harder to learn for some people.People skills include how to make people like you and good conversation skills.To be able to spot, assess, develop, and recruit assets, you'll need to know how to "schmooze" with people from all walks of life.You need to know how to feign interest in other people's hobbies and interests in order to get information.Being a CIA officer is not a good option if you have a problem with being likable.You will soon be dropped from the training for arrogance, egoism and inflated self-importance.Look at life's gray areas.You're not going to be a good choice for the CIA if you see life in absolutes.Inquiring minds, openness to discussion and possibilities, and the ability to see the more nuanced and complicated elements of every situation are essential to analyzing things.Sometimes you will be asked to change things for the good of your national security in order to get better results for people in other nations.Is that something you can handle?
Step 7: You should be physically fit.
It will be expected that you can manage the physical tests when you are put through them.As well as the benefits of keeping fit, getting involved in both team and individual sports on a regular basis proves to your future potential CIA employers that you're willing to stay in shape, work in teams, and maintain your general health and well-being.In a typical day you could spend the daytime creating a cover for yourself, and the night catching up with people you need to, if you had good stamina.
Step 8: Be well-adjusted.
In training, you will be tested to your limits to see how you handle emotional pressure.You will need to be able to deal with the mental pressures of being subjected to dangers and life threatening situations if you enter the service.If you're caught, you may be subjected to torture and even denial by your government.If your asset is caught by his or her own government, you will face emotional issues related to how that person is treated, sometimes they will suffer the death penalty.Your mental health needs to be in top shape in order to cope with the many trying situations.
Step 9: Be honest about it.
Expect to be tested as much as possible to make sure you're telling the truth.You will be subjected to a polygraph if you are accepted for the interview process.CIA polygraph equipment is among the most thorough and the technicians working with our security professionals are highly trained.If there is a reason to believe you are lying, these security professionals will take that into account.They will be able to find out if you lied about taking illegal drugs, disloyalty, poor financial management, and so on during this testing.All test results are kept confidential.It's not a good feeling to have others trying to catch you out and to be hooked up to a machine that could determine your future career.Checks will continue throughout your career with the CIA.You will be expected to have regular re-investigations.Continue taking polygraph tests.For the duration of your CIA career, be prepared to maintain high standards of professional conduct both at work and outside of work.
Step 10: Prepare to move or travel.
CIA jobs require you to move from your initial residence.If you don't already know how you'll cope with frequent travel in the CIA, it can be disturbing to your home life.The stress on your personal life can be underestimated.If you want to come home at 5 every day and be available to raise your family, working as an agent is not likely to give you that ease.Look for a different career if you can't abide by this thought.This type of stability is offered by many other CIA careers.
Step 11: You have to be a US citizen.
Only US citizens can join the CIA.If you don't have citizenship, get it.
Step 12: Apply for a position with the CIA.
It's time to apply if you're confident you can pass the initial requirements.It is possible to do this online, but be prepared for a lengthy process and a lot of information about yourself.The application process can be found at: https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/cia-jobs/index.html.Look for a specific position of interest, read through its requirements and make sure you meet them.Unless you have a good reason, don't apply unless you meet the minimum requirements.Follow the application deadlines and instructions in the letter.Your application will be rejected if you miss one thing.You need to submit your resume along with the online application.Job listings are updated frequently.If you don't see anything that interests you, check back frequently.
Step 13: Don't wait and be patient.
If you have a lot of foreign contacts, the vetting process can be lengthy.This will speed up the checking process if you've been completely honest.Don't call or write to check.You will not get a response.If the CIA is interested in your application, they will contact you within 45 days.Don't give up.One small flaw in your application had yours rejected, it could be that you selected a position that wasn't cut out for, or that there were too many other highly qualified people competing with you.persistence may pay off if you keep trying.In some cases, it may mean they'll take you when your experience improves, so get that PhD, go for that military position, or do something else extraordinary that will catapult you into their notice.
Step 14: If you are successful in getting clearance and getting a job offer, you should be prepared for the next stage.
There is still a long way to go before you can be hired if you get one of the initial offers.To join the Agency, you will need to pass a series of physical, psychological, security, and intelligence tests.Go for a medical and psychological exam.The medical is designed to make sure you're in good physical condition for the job and also to test for drug use.Intelligence, judgment, and mental stability are assessed in the psychological exam.Wait for the background check to be finished.The background check can take two years to complete.The investigation addresses comprehensively one's loyalty to the United States, strength of character, trustworthiness, honesty, reliability, discretion, and soundness of judgment.It examines one's freedom from conflicting allegiances, potential for coercion, and willingness and ability to abide by regulations governing the use, handling and protection of sensitive information.
Step 15: Do you accept or decline the job offer?
Only 17 percent of candidates presented with conditional offers pass the background check and exams if you make it through the selection process.You can accept your job and get ready for training, but you might not be a good fit for the job.Take part in job training.For some positions, particularly those in the secret service, you may have a training period during which you must successfully complete training for your position.If you have to relocate during your training period, the Agency won't pay for it.If you don't pass the rigorous training, you will not be an official case officer.