On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced one of the largest hiring blitzes in its 100-year history. There are openings for 850 agents and more than 2,100 professional staff vacancies.
“This is a great time to apply for a great job in the FBI,” said the bureau’s chief spokesman, Richard Kolko.
This will be the largest hiring since the 9/11 terrorist attack. According to Reuters, the FBI has been criticized for lacking an updated computer system and not having enough foreign language experts.
However, John Raucci, assistant director of the Human Resources division, said that the agency plans to hire candidates especially with skills in computer science and foreign language fluency, such as Chinese, Russian, and Farsi.
“We’re also looking for professionals in a wide variety of fields who have a deep desire to help protect our nation from terrorists, spies, and others who wish us harm,” Raucci said.
To accommodate the need for a more wide-ranging staff, the large list of positions includes openings for nursing, counseling, physical and social sciences, training and education, finance, accounting, intelligence analysis, security, physical surveillance, electrical engineering, and auto mechanics.
According to CNN, there will be positions in the FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in the 56 field offices throughout the country. Listings will close on January 16th, but there would be more openings afterwards, the agency said.
An official press release said that the FBI will have a large career invitational for interviews and selections.
All candidates will have to go through an extensive security clearance and a thorough background investigation, which includes a polygraph test, a drug screening, and interviews with family and colleagues.
“The FBI is like no other career choice you’ve ever considered,” said Raucci. “Whatever your background or expertise, you will find the FBI exceptionally rewarding. It is challenging, compelling, and important, as the work you perform has a daily impact on the nation’s security and the quality-of-life for all U.S. citizens.”
Full listings can be found at fbijobs.gov.
Our Take:
With movies like Die Another Day, Agent Cody Banks, or even Miss Congeniality, who doesn’t dream of working for a government agency like the FBI?
Fortunately, the agency is hiring for positions other than field agents. Even with the rising unemployment rate, law enforcement officials are still in high need. It would be interesting to know why there are suddenly this large hole of vacancy, and why the FBI waited this long to post job listings. However, this only means good news for the US: these openings are badly needed in today’s dire economic state.
