Many people who consider a career with the Central Intelligence Agency want to know what life is like working for such a renowned and globally recognized intelligence organization. A career with the CIA is certainly not for everyone.
There are many elements of the job – regardless of your position or the division within which you might work – that require the highest level of personal and professional discipline, commitment, and dedication. For those who have what it takes, however, it is one of the most exciting places in the world to build a career.
The attributes found among those who work at the CIA contribute to the overall culture of work-life in the agency:
- Teamwork – Every person who works for the CIA understands the essential nature and value of being a team player. Nowhere else is the concept of “no man is an island” more thoroughly on display than within the Agency. Collaboration and cooperation are critical components of every facet of every mission and in the day-to-day operations.
- Accountability – Everyone is held responsible for their actions and for the outcomes thereof. It is well understood by everyone who accepts a position within the Agency that they will be required to make decisions as part of their job duties and that those decisions have consequences, good or bad. Everyone is held to account by themselves, by their colleagues, and by the Agency.
- Continuous Improvement – In order to meet the challenges of the job, the CIA demands that all of its personnel continually invest in self-improvement. Those who work for the CIA are encouraged to seek ever increasing levels of education, physical fitness, camaraderie, and overall personal development, in order to be ready for whatever the job demands.
Ethics – There is a high level of ethical integrity that is expected from those who take up employment with the CIA. Personal and professional performance standards are set at the highest levels, and there is an expectation that everyone within the Agency will be treated with the utmost respect and professional courtesy.