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Careers in the CIA and Intelligence Community

Derrick T. Dortch is a career counselor who specializes in government job searching and military transition. Currently, he is president of The Diversa Group, a career counseling firm that focuses on entrepreneurship, leadership and organizational consulting, training and development. He also runs The Career Success Group as well as Targeted Resumes.

In addition, Derrick is a Flotilla Staff Officer and career counselor with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a branch of the Department of Transportation and as of March 2003, a part of the newly created Department of Homeland Security.

Until recently, Derrick was assistant director at Georgetown University's MBNA Career Education Center. There he served as a career counselor, an employment advisor and was responsible for the center's educational technology & marketing.

He also served in the United States Marine Corps in various capacities from combat operations in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm to career counseling, training and administration. Derrick holds a Master's of Education in Counseling and Student Development from Tuskegee University.

For this discussion, Derrick offered advice on getting a career in national security.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Derrick T. Dorth: Good Morning, Good Morning. WOW it is already July! Today is a beautiful day in the Washington, D.C. area and we are going to have an outstanding show. We have as a special guest Harold Tate, Director of CIA Recruitment. For those who do not know CIA is the Central Intelligence Agency and their mission is to support the President, the National Security Council, and all who make and execute US national security policy. This is done by (As stated on the CIA website at www.cia.gov): Providing accurate, evidence-based, comprehensive, and timely foreign intelligence related to national security; and Conducting counterintelligence activities, special activities, and other functions related to foreign intelligence and national security as directed by the President. Mr. Tate will be answering questions about Careers in the CIA and the Intelligence Community. I will also be answering questions related to the government jobs, security clearances, military transition and the job search in general. Before we get started let me mention a couple items of importance. After today's show I will be posting answers to questions I posed to Mr. Tate and the Recruitment office at CIA. They graciously agreed to answer a series of questions related to working for the CIA. If you did not get your questions answered today then please make sure you take a look at these answers. I am sure you will find the information quite helpful. NEXT SHOW: Our next show will be on Friday, August 6th. Our special guest will be William A. Curtis, Acting Director of Defense Security Service (DSS). We will be discussing "Getting A Security Clearance." DSS is one of the primary government agencies responsible for the security clearance process involving background investigations and adjudication. For those with questions about security clearances this will be the show for you. THANK YOU: I want to thank Harold Tate for participating in today's show. I also want to thank Michele at CIA for her great help in getting Harold for today's show. You have both been very responsive and your work at the agency is appreciated by all. And before I finish I have to thank Andrea Browne, my producer at The Washington Post for her wonderful support and great work. Well I have said enough for now. I will have some more announcements and comments at the end of the show but without further delay lets get started. If you have any questions please submit them. We will do our best to get to you. Thanks for stopping by and ENJOY!!! Derrick T. Dortch

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Washington, DC: Hello Derrick and Harold--

I write because I would like to hear Harold's response to my personal effort to join the CIA some six years ago. To make a long story shorter, I was tentatively accepted as an analyst pending a security review, but never actually started work there due in large measure to my inability to pass the polygraph test (six failures, despite my telling the truth in every one). These tests were truly unplesant, with polygraphers yelling at me to "stop lying" and me saying "I'm not lying!" Obviously, the nervousness didn't help me pass!

Back then, I was told that the CIA viewed living in foreign countries and having foreign friends as a security risk--but how else does one gain expertise in foreign cultures/languages? Any response would be appreciated...thanks.

Harold Tate: Academic study and living abroad are important to us and are not viewed as disqualifiers. Quite the contrary, we value such experiences.

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Arlington, VA: Mr. Tate,
I have to think I have an educational, linguistic, and professional background that would make me an ideal candidate for the Agency. My wife, however, is not a US citizen -- she will be eligible to apply in December. Would this disqualify me, or pose a huge impediment, for employment at the CIA?

Harold Tate: Your wife must agree to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest possible opportunity. Given that she is eligible to apply in December, I would encourage her to do so. However, this does not block you from applying for a position at CIA. Pls apply at www.cia.gov

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Washington, D.C.: I graduated with an English degree last year vaguely hoping to get into some sort of editorial work. I completed two internships related to publishing/writing/editing yet I still cant find a full-time job. Where should I be looking? Would a more advanced degree (i.e. journalism) help me out?

Harold Tate: To see if your degree and experiences qualify you for a career at CIA, pls visit www.cia.gov.

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Alexandria: I have a strong academic, foreign language, and analytical background, and submitted an application to the Agency back in September of last year. How long does the CIA keep applications on file?

Harold Tate: For one year.

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Derrick T. Dorth: Here are some excellent sites to help you in your job search in the Intelligence and National/Homeland Security Community. Intelligence Community www.intelligence.gov This is a central location to find out about all the agencies in the Intelligence Community. CIA, DIA, NSA CIA http://www.cia.gov DIA http://www.dia.nil NSA http://www.nsa.gov Air Force Intelligence http://aia.lackland.af.mil/aia/ Army Intelligence http://usaic.hua.army.mil/index.htm Coast Guard Intelligence http://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm Department of Energy's Office of Intelligence (IN) http://www.energy.gov/ Department of Homeland Security Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, IAIP, Directorate) is a member of the Intelligence Community http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/ State Department Bureau of Intelligence and Research http://www.state.gov/s/inr/ Department of Treasury Office of Intelligence Support (OIS) http://www.treasury.gov/ FBI http://www.fbi.gov/ Marine Corps Intelligence http://www.nmic.navy.mil/cipo/index.htm http://www.usmc.mil/ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) http://www.nima.mil/portal/site/nga01/ National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) http://www.nro.gov/ Naval Intelligence http://www.nmic.navy.mil/ NCIS - Naval Criminal Investigative Service http://www.ncis.navy.mil/ Intelligence Careers www.intelligencecareers.com ClearanceJobs.com www.clearancejobs.com TechExpo Top Secret http://techexpousa.com/

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Washington, DC: I am currently working as a librarian in an academic setting specializing in business and legal research, while also working part-time towards an MBA degree. I am interested in a professional librarian position in the CIA, with the possibility of future advancement to an analyst position once I receive my MBA. I have several questions:

(1) My current contract ends exactly one year from today. How far in advance should I submit my resume online.

(2) What are the opportunities for advancement within the CIA from one type of professional position to another?

(3) Does the CIA support employees working towards advanced degrees?

Harold Tate: Given that the medical and security clearance process takes 6-9 months, you should submit your application to us now.

Movement from one career field to another is based solely on your competitiveness to make such a move; i.e., have you gained the sksills needed to compete for others vying for positions in another field. Such movements happen quite a bit here at CIA.

CIA does have a robust external academic training program that ranges from full time to many variations of part time. Interested employees must apply for such academic sponsorships.

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Alexandria: Thank you for your response about how long applications are kept on file. A follow-up: is it worth re-applying after a year, or should someone who isn't even contacted at all in a year not bother to try again?

Harold Tate: Yes, especially if you've garnered more skills or achieved an academic degree that you didn't have before.

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Alexandria, VA: The experience I have had both with the CIA and defense contractors gives me the impression that applying for any position online causes my resume to be lost in the ethos, how can anyone be sure that anything is being done regarding the submittal? Along the same lines, I've heard it takes a long time to get into the Agency, so is there any way to check on the progress of an application?

Harold Tate: CIA received over 100,000 applications each year, and competition for positions here is high. Nevertheless, upon applying, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt, which states that your resume will be reviewed with 45 days. We strive to meet that 45-day review. If you do not hear from us after 45-days, it means that we do not have a position to match your skills at that time. However, we keep all applications for one year and constantly review our holdings to determine if matches we didn't have before are now available.

The medical and security clearances process takes 6-9 months from the time we extend a conditional offer of employment and it is returned by the applicant. So, the entire process from application submission to entry on duty can take up to a year.

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washington dc: i studied arabic for four years in college (i graduated a year ago), but would not consider myself fluent, nor would i trust myself to translate documents that were crucial to national security. however, i can still read and write it quite well, and have a good base in the language. what kind of language training does the CIA give you? do i already have to be fluent in the language to get a job there?

Harold Tate: We have a language training department, the Intelligence Language Institute, which provides language training, both in the classroom and self-study, to its students for thepurpose of both maintaining and increasing proficiency in a foreign language. You do not need to be fluent in a foreign language to become a CIA employee. Pls visit www.cia.gov for more information on occupations for which we are hiring.

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Baltimore, MD: Dear Mr. Tate,

I sent in my resume to the CIA website a few months ago but have since moved. By email I was told to resubmit a whole new application, but then received another email that my new contact info had been sent to "Recruitment." Does that mean it's been taken care of or do I need to re-apply? Thank you for your time.

Harold Tate: It has been taken care of.

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Oklahoma City: How do you handle an application from someone who brings an understanding and committment to the mission of the US intelligence community but does not fully understand exactly what you do, currently lacks the requisite skill or maturity level, or simply applies for the wrong job? For example, if you recruit a person for covert operations (which I assume is riqorously vetted) and that does not work out, is there a process where that recruit could elect to be considered for other assignments where he or she could be of use? Another example may be someone who simply offers a resume and asks how can I help -- are you equipped to deal with such a request?

Harold Tate: We assess applicants for positions in which they believe they are interested and, at the applicant's request, for other positions as well. If you're not quite sure of what you'd be interested in doing at CIA, go to www.cia.gov/careers. You will find a tool entitled "career builder," which can help you identify occupations you might consider based on your interests.

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Washington, DC: Hi. How does the CIA differ from the DIA? Thanks.

Harold Tate: The missions of the various Intelligence Community organizations (there are 14) can be found at www.ic.gov. It's worth a visit.

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Taipei, Taiwan: I am considering applying for a Political Analyst position or Foreign Media Analyst position at the CIA. I am currently studying Mandarin Chinese, and I would like to know what level of proficiency is required to be competitive for such positions. Also, if an applicant is in a dating relationship, but not married, to a foreign national, will that prohibit the applicant from receiving a security clearance?

Harold Tate: You can find answers to your language proficiency questions at www.cia.gov/careers. Close and continuing relationships with non-U.S. citizens can be problemmatic, but we assess each applicant using a "whole person" concept; i.e., as individuals.

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Washignton DC: I currently am a PMF at the Department of State, with a region of interest focus (South Asia). Once I finish my two years here, i was thinking about moving on to the CIA. How difficult is this transition?

Harold Tate: You only need to apply for CIA employment.

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Silver Spring, MD: What are the CIA's hiring policies regarding dual citizanship?

Harold Tate: We do hire employees who have dual citizenship. The question we ask is: Where are your primary loyalties?

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Reston VA: I am currently a permanent resident, and will be eligible for US Citizenship in 2 years, through marriage to a US citizen. I am in the IT security field, have a masters degree from GW University, speak a foreign language, and have always been interested in applying for the CIA. But I grew up in a foreign country (that have always had friendly relations to the US) and my main family lives there. Currently, my home country is a possible location for Al Queda, but the government is working with the US against this. With this background, will I even begin to hope that I have a chance in the CIA (in IT security)?

Harold Tate: You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.

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Bethesda, MD: Is there an upper age limit for employment? If so, what is it and can waivers be granted?

Harold Tate: There is only one occupation for which there is an age limit -- the Clandestine Service (maximum of age 35 at the time of applying).

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Washington, DC: I work in the city of Washington, DC and have used the METRO system for the past three years. As a result I have not needed to purchase a car for transportation. I know that Langley, Virginia is not on the Metro line so will it be necessary to purchase a car in order to work for the CIA, or is it possible to commute through MARC or some other sort of public transportation?

Harold Tate: There is public transportation to CIA headquarters.

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Las Vegas, NV: Are applicants who live in the D.C. metro area considered for jobs before applicants in areas such as middle America?

Harold Tate: No. We recruit across the breadth of the nation, including Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

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Arlington, VA: A comment and a question: as a former employee I can vouch for the fact that passing the poly is probably the most difficult part for most people, I was the only one who passed the first try for my position and certainly contributed to getting the job. My question is, for someone who is interested in returning to the agency, after a long break - graduate school, etc., is there any acceleration in the amount of time it takes to actually start?

Harold Tate: You would go through the same clearance process as a new applicant but it might move faster because of your past clearances. Depends on how long ago you left.

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Alexandria, VA: Government agencies are known for a very slow hiring process. (For example, I recieved a call from the CIA seven months after I applied.)
First, is there anything I can do to speed up the process?
Second, do you think the delay affects the quality of your new hiries?

Thank you.

Harold Tate: The process does take time. We tell our apoplicants that, and the vast majority stick it out because they want to be here.

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Arlington, VA: I would like to work for one of the intelligence agencies, but I do not have extensive non-Western language skills (I do speak French). However, I am currently taking beginning Russian as a part of my Master's Degree studies, but will not be fluent when I graduate in a year. Will this lack of a background in languages seriously hinder my chances at a substantive career in the intelligence community?

Harold Tate: Proficiency in a foreign languages raises your competitiveness but we're also looking for other skills: degree field, experiences, etc.

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Arlington, VA: I will graduate with my Master's Degree in Security Studies this upcoming May. I would like to work for the CIA, NSA, or DIA. I am concerned about the application timetable. I want to submit my application materials now in order to allow ample time for the lengthy government hiring process and any potential security clearance investigation, but I also feel like I should wait to talk in person to recruiters from these agencies when they visit my campus later this fall. When would it be appropriate for me to submit my resume to government agencies if I hope to begin my career next summer?

Harold Tate: Suggest you submit it now and check with your career placement office to determine when/if any of the organizations you cite will visit your campus for a career fair.

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Derrick T. Dortch: To our viewers: Harold Tate will stop answering questions at 12 Noon. I will be on till 12:30 PM if you have any questions. Thank you.

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Brandywine, MD: I am a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy and I am transitioning to the civilian world later this year. I am very interested in careers in the Federal Government. I was wondering if you could give me any advice with regards to my transition and my search for employment with the Federal Government?

Harold Tate: The TAP is an excellent program. We at CIA are active partners with this program. You might want to visit the following web sites to get you started: "Operation Transition (dmdc.osd.ml/ot) and DOD.Jobsearch.org

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McLean, Va.:

Mr. Tate, I hope you have enough time to take my question.I am a 2003 grad with a BA in History. I recently moved to the D.C. Metro area, and have realized my passion, National/Homeland Security. However, my resume hasn't gotten much attention lately, though I am returning for graduate school in the fall. I am entering a program in Emergency and Crisis Management, should this be of a good deal of help for me, or should I focus more on International Relations?

I am also aware of the CIA's age requirements, and I am not yet 23, is there any hope in me applying now, or should i wait until I have reached that date? Thanks for your time and attention.

Harold Tate: Focus on what interests you. The graduate degree will enhance your overall competitiveness, whether it is in the Intelligence, Foreign Affairs or National Security areas.

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Arlington, Va.: Thanks in advance for your advice. Mr. Tate, my questions/comments may exceed your area of interest but I wish to call attention to the appalling imbalance between the number of currently active security cleared personnel relative to the numerous quantity of unfilled positions requiring clearance in this post 9/11 era. I have been a government contracting professional (systems engineer/logistics) for over 20 years. I have held various security clearances since my military service as a cryptologist. I have never had clearance revoked or denied. However, upon the relocation of many defense positions and my taking a non-sensitive position for the past 8 years, my clearance has expired and I don't have the necessary sponsorship for reinstatement or background investigation that's reportedly backlogged at the alarming rate of over 300,000 applications. So, despite my qualifications, experience and availability - due to a staff reduction - I am generally being excluded from consideration due to my lack of security clearance. Insofar as your security background investigations are conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations as opposed to the Defense Security Service, what advice do you have for me, and what positions within the Agency do you feel would be commensurate with my background?

Harold Tate: CIA does not go through the FBI or DoD for clearances; we conduct our own. We are actively hiring experienced contracting officials. Pls visit www.cia.gov/careers for more information and to apply.

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VA: Is it true that you must have graduated with a GPA of 3.5 to work for the CIA?

Harold Tate: Minimum GPA is 3.0

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D.C.: Just curious: how long does the average CIA employee work for the agency? Job turnover is often a reliable indication of job satisfaction, which I'd like to consider before applying.

Harold Tate: Our annual attrition rate, both retirees and resignations, is about 4.5 percent per year. CIA employees tend to stay, because of the mission.

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Arlington, VA: I have been trying to get a government job for along time. I have work experience in my field, two graduate degrees and certification. Yet I am not qualified for to even get an interview. I hear all the time about the retirement that will create a shortage and they need people now to transfer knowledge, and young people do not want to work for the government. And yet I submit over and over all this personal information, my entire life history and write answers to the KSA's that seem to be written for a specific person they have in mind. Are any of these jobs posted really open to the public or is it just a formality they go through to say they advertised it to the public.

Derrick T. Dortch: Hello Arlington, I understand your frustration. You are not alone. There are jobs out there for people without a doubt. There are many positions that are put on USAJOBS and other sites where the announcement seems to be writtent for a particular person. When you see KSAs or job descriptions that are too specific or tailored usually the fact is that the job is targeted towards someone or a group of particular people. The same is the case for jobs you see with a short timeframe between announcement and closing date. With that being said there are many jobs out there for people and I have seen and worked with many who do get in the door. The key with the government as with all jobs is to make sure you are qualified first. Analyze the job and make sure you have the education, skills and qualifications being sought after. Second is to develop a targeted federal resume and KSAs that are persuasive, well written and powerful. Too many people do not put the time, energy and investment into making their material sell themselves. Your federal resume and KSAs are your marketing tools. They are you selling yourself on paper. I would love to talk to you further to see what advice I can give based on what you are targeting in the federal government. Please contact me at dtd@diversagroup.com and we can talk further. Don't get frustrated. You can get into the government. It will take time, patience and persistence but you can do it.

Harold Tate: From Derrick

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Rockville, MD: Currently, I'm a grad student looking at about one more year of school. I have the academic background suggested on the website for the Clandestine Service Branch, but very little experience in my field. What direction would you give in terms of internships that will be seen favorably in application to the CIA?

Harold Tate: We have a vaery active student program, offering internships and co-op opportunities. Suggest you go to www.cia.gov for more information. Our student programs are a very important pipeline for us for full time hires.

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Washington, DC: I have a MPA, had 4 years in the active duty military as an Intelligence Analyst and one year as Counterintelligence agent (plus fifteen more years in the reserves), plus I'm fluent in Spanish. Roughly, what starting salary could I expect if the CIA hired me with my current qualifications?

Harold Tate: Starting salaries are listed for each occupation on our web site: www.cia.gov/careers

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Vienna, VA: Mr. Tate~ My background is particularly in the Middle East. My undergraduate degree is in Middle East and North African Studies, concentrating on politics and religion, and I have intermediate language abilities in Arabic. However, my interests seem to lie in counterterrorism and intelligence analysis. Would I be better suited (and more employ-able by the agency) as an analyst in a functional field or as an area specialist analyst?

Harold Tate: We hire a wide range of analysts into our Analytic Occupation. www.cia.gov/careers contains them all. One might be suited to you. Check it out I want to thank everyone for participating in this chat today.

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Derrick T. Dortch: Unfortunately we are out of time. Harold, thank you so very much for taking time out to answer questions from the public about Careers in the CIA and the Intelligence Community. You have provided some valuable information and some great insight into an organization whose purpose is to protect us. We appreciate you and everyone in the CIA for your hard and critical work.

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Derrick T. Dortch: Before today's show I asked Harold Tate, Director of CIA Recruitment if he would answer some questions about Careers in the CIA. He graciously said yes. We did this know we would not be able to get to everyone's questions in one hour. The following are my questions and his answers. ENJOY!!!

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and before there has been many people interested in the CIA and working in the Intelligence Community. What suggestions do you have for people who are career changers and want to move from what they are doing to work for the CIA? Do you have any recommendations on how they should prepare? What steps can they take to begin working for the CIA or for other agencies in the Intelligence Community? What education, activities, work/volunteer experiences, associations, etc. will be beneficial and looked upon highly? HAROLD TATE'S ANSWER: For anyone who is interested in a career at the CIA, I recommend that they visit our web site, www.cia.gov/careers, where they will find a wealth of information on the many career opportunities we offer - the knowledge, skills and abilities we seek, educational levels, salaries, etc. For those individuals who are not quite sure of a particular career path, we even offer a "career developer" tool to help steer you toward CIA careers that may be of interest.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH QUESTION: Since there are many people who are looking for jobs working as Intelligence Analysts, what is your best advice for those who want to be analysis? Do you have any recommendations on how people should prepare and what steps they can take to begin working for the CIA or for other agencies in doing intelligence analysis? What education, activities, work/volunteer experiences, associations, etc. will be beneficial and looked upon highly? HAROLD TATE'S ANSWER: The Analytic occupation utilizes a wide range of degree fields, from engineering and science to economics and political science. Again, please visit www.cia.gov for detailed information. I would like to add that academic study abroad and proficiency in a foreign language are big pluses in terms of increasing your competitiveness for a career in Analysis.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: There are also many people who are very interested in the clandestine side of the CIA. Can you tell us more about the clandestine work CIA does and who are the people best suited to work in this area? What skills, qualifications, background and experience are necessary for a person to work in clandestine operations? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: Simply put, the clandestine work of the CIA is the methodology used to collect information of use by our nation's policymakers. If you're interested in a career in our Clandestine Service, please visit www.cia.gov for more information. You will find that we accept people with a wide variety of degrees. What is most important is that this is a way of life that will challenge your deepest resources of intelligence, self-reliance and responsibility. It demands an adventurous spirit, a forceful personality, superior intellectual ability and mental toughness, as well as personal integrity, courage and love of our country. You will be challenged by fast-moving, ambiguous and unstructured situations ? and rewarded with the knowledge that your work is making a difference on a national level.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: When a person applies to work for the CIA and applies online many think that their application goes into a black hole. What happens to a person's application when they submit it or send/give it to a recruiter? Can you explain the process and how long it takes? Are resumes examined by a computer or human eyes first? What is next? How are people selected during the selection process? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: Everyone who applies, and your resume is the application, received either an e-mail or letter acknowledging receipt of the application. This acknowledge also states that the application will be reviewed within a 45-day window and that, if you have not heard from us by the end of that 45-day period, we do not have a position that fits with the applicant's background, skills, etc. Several of my major occupations - Analysis and the Clandestine Service, actually review every application they receive. Other occupations use a combination of key word searches and personal reviews of the applications in sifting through the over 100,000 applications for employment we receive annually. If the application meets the background and skill levels we seek, we contact the applicant and arrange for interviews and/or testing, depending on the occupation, which leads up to the decision of extending a conditional offer of employment, conditional on the applicant's ability to successfully pass our medical and security screening. Once the conditional offer is accepted by an applicant, it takes 6-9 months to bring the person on board as a CIA employee.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: What advice do you have for students in college and high school who are interested in working for the CIA or in the field of national security? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: Because of the over 100 different occupations for which I hire employees, I advise students to pursue degrees in a field of interest to them. Why? Because the student is more likely to achieve a high GPA in a subject they like, if not love. Also, they should visit our web site to learn more about our student programs, under which we offer internship and co-op opportunities.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Other agencies such as Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) state the following for people applying for jobs: Applicants' immediate family members must be U.S. citizens. Included in this definition are spouse, parents, brothers, sisters, and children. Immediate family members also include step and foster parents; half, step, and foster siblings; adopted, step, and foster children, provided that a close relationship existed or exists as evidenced by substantial period of common relationship existed or exists as evidenced by substantial period of common residence. Cohabitants, with whom an intimate relationship is maintained, are also considered to be immediate family members for the purposes of employment consideration. Does the CIA have any restrictions about immediate family being U.S. Citizens? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: The applicant must be a U.S. citizen. If married, and the spouse is not a U.S. citizen, the spouse must agree to become a citizen at the earliest opportunity. That's it.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Are there any exceptions when the CIA will hire someone who is not a U.S. Citizen? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: No.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: I know CIA has increased its recruitment efforts? NSA recently announced it plans to hire about 1,500 people by September and a total of 7,500 people by 2008. This announcement reported by The Washington Post, says the recruitment is being done in order to replace workers it expects to lose to retirement during the next decade. What are CIA's recruitment plans in the near future and long-term? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: The CIA will maintain a robust recruitment and hiring effort for the foreseeable future.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Although CIA does many great things in the protection of our national security the agency has received a lot of negative attention in the media lately with the 9/11 hearings, prisoner abuse scandal, and other situations. Has this hurt recruitment or the number of people applying to the CIA? What can you tell us about the CIA that people should know? What makes it a great place to work and why should people still consider the agency despite any negative attention in the media? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: We have averaged over 100,000 applications per year since 9/11 and we are on pace to achieve this level this year. We are averaging 2,200 applications per week. Why work for the CIA? Our mission is critical to the security of our nation and your work, if you are employed here, truly matters. In addition to the mission, we offer tremendous opportunities to learn new skills and languages, to travel, and to work with world-class officers.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Does the CIA have any diversity initiatives? How important is diversity to the agency? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: For us, diversity among our workforce is an absolute imperative and is driven by our mission. Therefore, our entire recruitment program is geared toward ensuring the broadest possible diversity imaginable -- race, ethnicity, language skills, cultural affinity, area expertise, etc. Our goal is to have a workforce that reflects the demographics of our nation, and we're working hard at achieving this. As an example, over 24 percent of all new hires this year have self-identified as being members of a racial or ethnic minority group. And we have been over 20 percent each year since the year 2000.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: From the time a person applies, if they are qualified how long in the process from application to hiring to starting at the CIA? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: We do not have good data on the time lapse between the time of applying to the issuance of the conditional offer of employment, but from the return of the conditional offer (i.e., acceptance of the offer) to entry on duty is 6-9 months, with about one-half of that time being dictated by the applicants themselves -- scheduling the medical and polygraph appointments, promptly answering any questions that might come up, and scheduling their entry on duty date.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: What should people know about the background checks, polygraphs and other security measures taken to protect the agency and the country secrets before applying? Do you have any advice on what a person should do before they apply? How do past drug usage, criminal history, financial history and other personal details affect a person during the hiring process? What are some of the biggest challenges people have during the recruitment process and hiring process? What stops many who are prospective hires and how can these the obstacles be prevented? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: The following is taken from the Before You Apply section of our career web page: Drug Use: If you are a recent or frequent user of illegal drugs, including marijuana, you need to know that CIA is a drug-free workplace. Drug abuse is one of the common reasons a security clearance is denied to applicants. Personal Integrity: A career in intelligence can be enormously rewarding. It also demands the very best of the men and women who comprise the Agency's workforce. To meet the requirements of the work itself, intelligence professionals must be highly competent in their fields. To safeguard some of the nation's most sensitive information, CIA officers must be highly reliable and trustworthy. Woven through all aspects of their performance is the imperative to adhere to the highest standards of integrity. To be selected for a position of such trust and responsibility, one must be granted a security clearance. Many applicants wonder if they can pass such scrutiny. The Agency recognizes that no one is perfect. Agency security officials consider the nature, extent, seriousness, and recency of past behavior. They weigh the potential risk and benefit of each individual ? the whole person ? with utmost care. Although national security is always the paramount consideration, our security experts work hard to ensure that the Agency does not turn away unnecessarily someone who could make important contributions to the nation's intelligence effort. The Clearance Process: The clearance process, which is strictly governed by rules and regulations derived from Federal statute and executive orders, begins when you accept a conditional offer of employment from the Agency. It involves a thorough examination of your life history and fitness to safeguard the nation's secrets. Think of this process as the first step in building a bridge of trust between you and the Agency. Candor is an essential ingredient in the establishment of that trust. The investigation addresses comprehensively one's loyalty to the United States, strength of character, trustworthiness, honesty, reliability, discretion, and soundness of judgment. In addition, it examines one's freedom from conflicting allegiances, potential for coercion, and willingness and ability to abide by regulations governing the use, handling and protection of sensitive information. The Agency uses a polygraph to check the veracity of information that bears upon the areas listed above. CIA's polygraph examiners are highly trained security professionals, among the world's best in their field. They work closely and carefully with applicants to ensure that the information upon which clearance decisions are based is as accurate as it can be and is guarded with the strictest confidence. The clearance process can be lengthy. Since the Agency actively recruits people who have expert knowledge of foreign languages and cultures, it is not unusual for our applicants to have numerous foreign contacts. In these cases the investigation must cover more ground, which usually takes more time. Candor is critical to the timely completion of this process. The hiring process also entails a thorough medical examination of one's mental and physical fitness to perform essential job functions. You Should Also Note: Your responsibility to adhere to high standards of personal conduct does not end on the first day of employment. CIA employees undergo regular reinvestigations, including periodic polygraph examinations. The Agency does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, or sexual orientation in granting, denying, or revoking security clearances.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: What are the statistics on the number of people applying to the CIA each month and year? What are the most popular jobs being sought after by people interested in the agency? How much competition do people have in applying to these jobs? From the massive amount of people applying how many are truly qualified? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: We are receiving about 2,200 resumes per week and have averaged over 1000,000 resumes per year since 2001. One-third of applicants applying to our Clandestine Service, but numbers are high for all of our other occupations as well. As you can imagine, competition is stiff.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: What advice can you give about what a person should have on their resume? How should a person interested in working for the CIA develop their resume? What tips and advice can you give to help a person make sure they are noticed after applying? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: We strongly encourage everyone to apply on line at www.cia.gov as we have structured the application to capture the information of the highest interest to us.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: I know education and experience are important but how valuable is it when people do independent research on terrorism, the Middle East, and other topics related to the CIA's work? Is that looked at favorably when you are looking at prospective candidates? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: Area expertise is extremely valuable to us, as are overseas experience and proficiency in foreign languages.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Where do you see the CIA heading in terms of recruiting people? What new positions and areas of focus are you seeing the agency beginning to focus on? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: We hire for many different occupations. See our web site for more details.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: We know that terrorism is and will continue to be one of the biggest challenges and focuses of CIA and the Intelligence Community. But what are some of the other challenges the CIA faces that the agency is hiring for? What are some of the most critical skills, qualifications, and experience needed at present to effectively fight the new challenges of the CIA? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: Terrorism is but one of many issues facing our nation. Our mission is global and we hire to meet the needs of that mission.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: How valuable is it for a candidate to have military experience? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: Military experience can be important in that our armed services spend considerable time and effort developing and training its members. However, military experience is not critical in that we assess applicants based on their knowledge, skills and abilities and experience, whether military, academic, professional or personal.

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Where can people interested in the CIA get the education, training, experience and skills necessary to work for the CIA especially in the intelligence and clandestine areas of the agency? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: The educational, professional training and other backgrounds and skills we seek are listed for each of the occupations for which we recruit and hire. Again, I encourage everyone to take advantage of the information contained on our highly acclaimed careers web site at www.cia.gov

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Derrick T. Dortch: DERRICK T. DORTCH - QUESTION: Harold, is there anything that you want to tell the public about the CIA, its mission and any recruitment efforts? HAROLD TATE - ANSWER: That our mission is critical to the security of our nation and that for the CIA to be successful, we need the best people this nation has to offer, from everyone group and corner of the United States. Once here, they will become a part of the best Intelligence organization in the world, working side-by-side with a world-class workforce.

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Derrick T. Dortch: That concluded my questions with Harold Tate, Director of CIA Recruitment. Again thank you Harold for your time and insight into the CIA recruiting process. To a couple questions before we close.

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Derrick T. Dortch: QUESTION FROM New York, NY: Derrick, Perhaps you can answer some of the questions that Mr. Tate did not. Considering Considering the unreliability of the polygraph, isn't the CIA excluding people who are otherwise qualified. Isn't the same true for its strict policy on recreational drug use? DERRICK T. DORTCH - ANSWER: New York, NY thank you for you question. The polygraph is a tool that is used by CIA and other agencies. It is a fact that the polygraph can not detect truth and is considered unreliable in many circles. There are others who believe in it and its ability to detect deception. The debate is not new and it will continue. There innocent people who have been turned away because there polygraph came out inconclusive or showing deception while they were telling the truth. Currently the only thing a person can do when this happens is appeal to retake the polygraph and hope that it works out. If you do not pass a polygraph you do not move forward. For those who are innocent it can be a devastating blow. I would recommend that you contact your congressional officials and let them know how you feel. They may have the power to change the weight of the polygraph. Right now with security being so critical and the arguement being that the polygraph does more good than harm I do not see any change coming soon. Take care.

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Derrick T. Dortch: Well that is all for me. Thank you so much for everyone who participated in today's show. We had some great questions and I just wished there was time to do more. Next month (August 6th) we will have another guest: William Curtis, Acting Director of Defense Security Service (DSS) taking your questions on "Getting A Security Clearance." Before I go let me thank Harold Tate, Michele and the people at CIA for their work and participation in today's show. I would also like to thank Andrea Browne and Christen the Intern at The Washington Post for a great show. And lastly I want to thank Jimmy Rogers of the NYPD - 45 Precinct, The Bronx and the brave men and women of the NYPD (especally the 45th), as well as Dr. Isaac Sanders of East Stroudsburg University for setting it up for me to do a NYPD ride-along. It was a great, eye opening experience and I appreciate everything you do. As we vacation we must remember those who serve in our armed forces, police/law enforcement and fire departments, and national/homeland security communities. We appreciate your work and service. Have a great 4th of July weekend and I will see you next month. Till then, take care.

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