Want to be a Spy? The CIA is Recruiting Students

Federal Government Job Opportunities

We all know by now how hard it is to land the job of your dreams these days. After spending years in classrooms, you’re waist deep in student loans and sending out more resumes than you can keep up with. If you’re just looking in the private sector though, you may be missing out on some great opportunities.

The Federal Government is a virtual gold mine of employment opportunities. The Government is undergoing reorganization and streamlining to become more proficient and less expensive to function. This means that fewer jobs are available in most industries, including Government; but many Federal agencies are still recruiting for specific occupations where the Government needs to provide critical services, maintain its technical expertise, and attract students who demonstrate the skills and abilities the U.S. Government needs. 

The U.S. Government Recruiting at Colleges

Over the past few years, there has been a huge increase in campus visits by the government to recruit students. According to Dr. Drema Howard, the Director of the University of South Florida’s Career Center, the U.S.Department of State, the Secret Service, CIA, Veterans’ Affairs and even the IRS have made trips to the campus to recruit students. “These are the areas that continue to grow because of the increase in administrative needs as well as the people who will be retiring from government.” 

Dr. Howard says University of South Florida has seen a shift in student’s interest in public sector work over the past few years. Last year, the university offered its first public service job fair. “We’re seeing more and more students exploring and looking at public service and government positions as very viable career opportunities for them,” she says.

Types of Government Jobs Available

So what‘s out there? If you want to see the world, The State Department could be the place for you. This agency hires Foreign Service, civil service, and student employees to work not only in the United States, but also in 265 posts abroad. Then there’s NASA: despite popular belief, it’s not just for astronauts. Scientists, engineers, computer programmers, medical doctors, microbiologists, geologists, physicists, accountants, electricians, maintenance workers, and many more specialists can be found at NASA.

Who hasn’t pretended to be a spy at least once in their life? The fast cars, cool gadgets, and let’s just say…perks that James Bond enjoys may be at the CIA. But alas, not everyone can be a spy. According to the CIA website, “The CIA is the premier agency responsible for providing global intelligence on the ever-changing political, social, economic, technological and military environment. Here, your paramount goal and mission will be to protect the national security of the United States. Virtually any job you can imagine is available at the CIA — plus, some you can’t even imagine.” Because of the classified nature of work at the Central Intelligence Agency, the application process is a lengthy one. Depending on your specific circumstances, the process may take as little as two months or more than a year. But don’t give up, the CIA has been on a recruiting binge as of late and is actively looking for a few good men and women. The CIA is especially looking to hire Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, and women.

Then there’s the FBI. Their main responsibility is to protect the United States from terrorist attacks. However, they also investigate everything from art theft to hate crimes. An undergraduate or graduate degree in the humanities can provide a variety of career options in the FBI depending on your interests. Linguistic Studies which include Linguistics, translation, and interpretation is a possible career path in the FBI. FBI Linguists play an important role in the translation, transcription, reporting, and analysis of materials with national security ramifications. Terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, organized crime, air piracy, interstate criminal activity, public corruption, financial crime, bribery, civil rights violations, kidnapping, drug trafficking...investigating these crimes and others may all be part of your challenging career as a Linguist with the FBI.

Public Service Job Openings

There are many public service jobs out there. In fact, the top 50 Federal agencies with the most openings in the last calendar month are all listed on usajobs.gov website. Here’s a list of the agency’s hiring right now and the number of open positions there are in each:

Federal Government Job Opportunities

Even if you’re not ready to graduate, the Federal Government has opportunities for you. The Federal Government has always looked to educational institutions to find people who have the skills needed to meet its future employment needs. The Student Educational Employment Program is designed to attract talented students to Federal public service. It's an opportunity to earn money and continue your education, to train with people who manage the day-to-day business of the national Government, and to combine your academic study with on-the-job experience. Some agencies develop additional student, intern, or fellowship programs to meet their specific business needs. No matter what agency you choose, the Student Educational Employment Program will introduce you to the advantages and challenges of working for the United States Government.

So what are you waiting for? Uncle Sam may have just the job you’re looking for.

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