How to Get Your Government Paycheck

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How to Get Your Government Paycheck…

while actually working

Federal Bureau of Investigations

An intelligence-driven and threat-focused national security organization with a mission to protect and defend the U.S. against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce enforce the criminal laws of the U.S. and to support law enforcement bodies on all levels.

Fights against:

  • Terrorism
  • Espionage
  • Cyber Attacks
  • Public Corruption
  • Interstate Crime
  • White Collar Crime
  • Organized Crime

Average starting salary:

  • $43,441

Hackers:

  • Recently, news broke that the FBI was having a hard time hiring hackers for their cyber division. The FBI requires that no new hires can have smoked marijuana in the past three years.
  • Apparently, a lot of hackers smoke pot, causing a problem.

Hiring process: 6 months – several years

  1. Online Application
  2. Phase I Testing
    Series of written tests taken at a local FBI recruiting center
    Those who indicate a specialization may take additional tests
  3. Phase II Testing
    Those who pass Phase I may be eligible to proceed to Phase II
    Writing test
    In-person interview with a panel of agents
  4. Conditional Letter of Appointment
    A conditional job offer that details steps of the background investigation
  5. Physical Fitness Test
    Applicants who fail their first physical fitness test can retest after a waiting test
    A second failure may result in the conditional letter of appointment being rescinded
  6. FBI Background Investigation
    Polygraph test
    Credit and arrest checks
    Interviews with associates, references, neighbors, past employers, etc
    Verification of education
  7. Medical Examination
    A thorough review of overall health, existing conditions, hearing quality and vision quality

Central Intelligence Agency

A government agency that works to correlate, evaluate and appropriate disseminate intelligence related to national security

Fights against:

  • Terrorism
  • Espionage
  • Cyber Attacks
  • Public Corruption
  • Interstate Crime
  • White Collar Crime
  • Organized Crime

Average starting salary (analyst ):

  • $50,861 – $98,305
  • The CIA made headlines recently when it created its official Twitter page. The first tweet: “We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet.”

Hiring process:2 months – 1+ years

  1. Online Application
  2. Polygraph interview
  3. Medical and psychological exams
  4. Background investigation

Secret Service

To protect the financial infrastructure and payment systems of the US and protect national leaders, visiting heads of state, designated sites and National Special Security Events

Fights against:

  • Terrorism
  • Espionage
  • Cyber Attacks
  • Public Corruption
  • Interstate Crime
  • White Collar Crime
  • Organized Crime

Average starting salary (analyst):

  • $43,964 – $74,891

Original purpose:

  • The Secret Service was originally created in 1865 to suppress counterfeit currency, of which made up a third of the nation’s money at the time.
    The paperwork to establish the Secret Service was on Abraham Lincoln’s desk the night that he was assassinated

Hiring process:6-9 months

  1. Online Application
  2. Aptitude test
  3. Physical test
  4. Conditional offer
  5. Security interview and credit check
  6. Polygraph examination
  7. Medical examination
  8. Background investigation

National Security Agency

Leads the US Government in cryptology that serves to both collect information and protect information, and uses network warfare operations to fight terrorists and other organizations

Fights against:

  • Terrorism
  • Espionage
  • Cyber Attacks
  • Public Corruption
  • Interstate Crime
  • White Collar Crime
  • Organized Crime

Average starting salary:

  • $42,209 – $56,375

Did you know?

  • The NSA is the nation’s leading employer of mathematicians

Hiring process:3 months – 1 year

  1. Online application
  2. Operational interview
  3. Aptitude testing
  4. Conditional job offer
  5. Medical screening
  6. Psychological testing
  7. Polygraph interview
  8. Drug testing
  9. Background investigation

Employment Disqualifiers

Immediate disqualifiers from employment at any of these agencies may include:

  • Felony conviction
  • Use of illegal drugs
  • Default on a federal student loan
  • Failure of an FBI-administered urinalysis test
  • Failure to register with the Selective Service System (males only)
  • Lack of US citizenship

Could you make the cut?

how-to-get-a-government-job

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