The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) refers to its agents as clandestine service operations officers, and becoming one is a long and arduous process. Prospective CIA agents should be aware that it can take up to a year from the time a resume is submitted to the time an agent walks through the doors on the first day of work, and that only a small percentage of applicants are accepted for any position at the CIA, let alone a position in clandestine service. Anyone interested in becoming a CIA agent should be prepared to wait a long time.
Foreign language education is an important part of a candidate’s preparation for becoming a CIA agent. Candidates should study languages that are politically relevant, such as Arabic and Chinese, but fluency in any foreign language is advantageous. Candidates should also have an undergraduate degree with a high grade point average in any field of interest, according to the CIA. To work for the CIA, one must be a citizen of the United States.
After meeting the basic requirements, someone can submit a resume to the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA allows job seekers to submit resumes online, encouraging them to apply for specific job openings rather than sending in a generic resume. A resume for a position in the CIA’s clandestine service area should be submitted someone who wants to become a CIA agent. The CIA has up to 45 days to review the resume and contact the applicant; if the applicant is not contacted after that time, the resume will be kept for a year in case the agency finds it useful.
If the Agency contacts an applicant with a request for additional information, the applicant should expect a series of in-depth interviews. He or she will also be subjected to a background check, which will include medical exams, drug testing, and a review of the applicant’s history. It is impossible to become a CIA agent if there is any evidence of potential conflicts of interest or if the applicant has a history that suggests he or she could pose a security risk. A clandestine service operations officer will undergo clearance after being accepted for training, which determines the level of information that the agent will have access to.
In the process, there are some shortcuts. The CIA frequently recruits at American colleges and universities, looking for bright candidates who could have successful careers in clandestine service. Students should attend job information sessions and job fairs to meet CIA representatives. Prior military service can also be advantageous when applying to become a CIA agent, though it is not a guarantee of acceptance.