How to Become a CIA Agent
Do you have what it takes to be a super spy? A career with the CIA may be waiting for you if you follow these tips.
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You Will Need
- A Bachelor’s degree
- Fluency in a foreign language
- A completed application
- The ability to travel or relocate
- Patience
- Successful test results and background checks
- Successful completion of the training program
Steps
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Step 1
Become familiar with job
Become familiar with an agent’s job responsibilities, including intelligence analysis, clandestine information gathering, language translation, science, and engineering.
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Step 2
Obtain college degree
Obtain a four-year degree. The CIA requires all agents to be in possession of at least one Bachelor’s degree.
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The CIA retains the best and the brightest, so study and earn the highest grades possible.
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Step 3
Learn a foreign language
Learn a foreign language, such as Mandarin, Arabic, or Farsi. Agents who are fluent in these languages are always in high demand.
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Step 4
Complete online application
Complete your online career application at cia.gov. Be prepared to provide detailed information about your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
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Thoroughly and honestly answer all the questions on the application. The CIA will verify all the information you provide through a series of background checks.
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Step 5
Search for jobs and apply
Search for job openings at cia.gov and apply to jobs that you are interested in.
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Many CIA jobs require travel or possible relocation.
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Step 6
Be patient
Be patient while the CIA processes your application. It takes time for the agency to validate the information you have provided and select candidates who are sufficiently qualified and meet their requirements.
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Step 7
Prepare for tests
Prepare for a series of rigorous physical, psychological, background, security, and intelligence tests.
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Did you know? The Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act.
