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Inspiration August 15, 2016
Carrie Mathison is borderline unstable, a huge risk taker and often goes rogue. Yet, her character still managed to land a great job at the CIA in the show Homeland. Could you? Here are some insights, guidelines and experiences from successful candidates to get you on your way to being the world’s next Carrie.
The Central Intelligence Agency is an intelligence gathering organization that acquires and analyzes data, monitors those deemed to be our enemies and drafts reports for the President and other top U.S. government officials. Kicking bad-guy butt and snooping on terrorist activities – that’s the life you get as a CIA agent. Have you always dreamed of traveling the world performing covert missions? Have you fantasized about going undercover and pretending to be somebody else altogether? Despite the relatively low pay, long hours and need for absolute secrecy, the CIA gets way more applicants than it accepts and has a mysterious formula for determining who is ultimately selected. Oh, and you had better be patient, because the process can take over two years to play out. The process will almost certainly uncover your deepest, darkest secrets and use them against you. Along with you undergoing every possible assessment out there, from polygraph exams to personality tests, your family, your exes, your neighbors and your friends will all be interrogated. Along the way, if you lie, or even exaggerate, you’ll be instantly disqualified,” according to Paul Petrone, who posted this information on Linkedin (sourced originally from Wikipedia Common).
CIA requirements change month to month depending on the jobs available and intelligence needs of the moment. You must have at least a high school diploma, be between 18 and 35 years old, and a US citizen.
Look over the CIA website to determine what career opportunities are available and in what fields. Whether you’re looking for a position as a forensic accountant, real estate researcher/analyst or even something in library science, you can pursue a surprisingly broad array of specialties at the CIA. If you’re confused, the CIA site offers a “jobfit tool” that can help match your skills to job openings. Many positions require a bachelor’s degree, but the CIA doesn’t specify major areas of study because of its diverse needs. That said, a graduate degree from a credible university is helpful during the screening process.
Demonstrated skill at foreign languages is also a major plus. “Top languages to learn would be those spoken in countries that present the greatest threats to America. Examples include Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Chinese, or Korean,” according to our primary source for this article. He is a retired Marine colonel with over 20 years of experience in the intelligence field. This gentleman can be considered a very reliable source but alas, we cannot reveal his name, for obvious reasons.
Regardless of which branch of the CIA an applicant wishes to enter, they typically must be “analytical, trustworthy, have a good background, be understated meaning able to blend in, adaptable, and culturally aware,” explains our incognito retired colonel.
“It is also helpful to understand history and geography. A candidate should be very technologically literate because technology has increased so much,” he explains. “I would recommend that candidates take college courses in computer science to address the technology requirement. Also, knowing the history of conflict regions such as the Mideast and Eastern Europe would definitely be valuable.”
When you’re ready to become your own Homeland star and apply for a job, be aware that you will likely have to relocate to Washington D.C. for training if you are successful. The CIA will conduct an extensive background check which will include interviewing friends, family, and neighbors. It’s also advisable not to apply for the CIA while outside the U.S. Be prepared for an incredibly rigorous interviewing process including multiple meetings under intentionally awkward or strange circumstances, sometimes with a whole roomful of questioners. Yes, this is intentional, to see how you perform under pressure. Not for the faint of heart to be sure.
Drug use is not permitted within a year of submitting an application. This applies even if you live in a state where marijuana use is legal. Once you’ve completed your application, within two days you will receive a notice that the CIA recognizes you have submitted an application. Don’t submit multiple applications because it will confuse their system. Additionally, don’t call. Eventually (in approximately 45 days), a recruiter will either mail, email or call you. If your application is accepted, you’ll be put through a series of tests, events, phone screenings, and live interviews. In many cases, they just go dark and you never hear from them. Which means, sorry Charlie don’t call us, we’ll call you….
Some other possible research sources for aspiring Entity “Women That Do” applicants are two female CIA agents’ autobiographies including “Blowing My Cover: My Life as a CIA Spy” by Lindsay Moran or “The Cloak and Dagger Cook: A CIA Memoir” by Kay Shaw Nelson.
To those of you who are genuinely interested and qualified, good luck we need you in government service! As for the rest of us, sometimes jobs like this are better left to fantasy or TV shows like Homeland.
Some reporting by Harmony Birch.
