Is the IC Right for You?
Intelligence Careers
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Adventure…challenge…international
affairs…calculated risk-taking…problem solving…travel…if
these words are appealing, you may want to pursue a career in the
Intelligence Collection field.
You may live and work anywhere in the world. You may be asked to
learn a foreign language. You will be on the cutting edge of intelligence.
In the performance of your work you will learn a great deal about
people and other cultures. Your work will have a profound impact…it
will help protect national security. Policymakers will be better
able to make decisions based on the work that you do.
Individuals working in
Intelligence Collection have very unique careers indeed. They work
with intelligence analysts to determine the vital information needed
to produce finished intelligence. There are six
basic intelligence sources or collection disciplines
(i.e., SIGINT, IMINT, MASINT, HUMINT, OSINT, and Geospatial Intelligence).
Intelligence Collection personnel use technical and human resources
to obtain that information. The important issues are diverse and
may include international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, missile and space developments, defense-related
medical and health issues, counterintelligence, and international
drug trafficking, to name a few.
To effectively collect intelligence information you must be able
to establish and build interpersonal relationships. The arts of
persuasion, negotiation, interviewing, and problem solving will
serve you well. The ability to work in ambiguous and unstructured
situations is critical. You must be a team player. Language proficiency
in one or more foreign languages is desired, and a bachelor's degree
is often required. Individuals within this career come from a variety
of backgrounds such as nuclear, biological, or chemical engineering;
international economics; business; or the physical sciences. Prior
foreign travel, residency abroad, or military experience is a plus.
US citizenship is required. All applicants must successfully complete
an extensive background investigation. Some positions may also require
medical and psychological examinations and a polygraph interview.
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