How to Become a CIA Agent

The Central Intelligence Agency, commonly referred to as the CIA, is a place that offers a plethora of job opportunities when it comes to choosing law enforcement jobs. Make no mistake though, being a law enforcement officer is no walk in the park. It takes high levels of intelligence and commitment to last out through such high intelligence national security jobs. So, while CIA agent jobs are desirable jobs, they are equally tough too. Have a look at what it takes for a job like this, since you are looking to learn about how to become a CIA agent.

How to Become a CIA Agent: Requirements

The levels of fascination towards becoming a secret agent know no bounds. The FBI, DEA... There's a constant curiosity for it all. We'll keep it simple today, and take a look at how to become a CIA agent.

The criteria to become CIA agent can be listed. That's the least of the issues involved, but if there's one thing that very importantly comes into play it is the self-assurance that this is what you want to do. If you know it is, read on about how to get there.

Basics
First off, only people with US citizenship are eligible to apply for becoming part of the CIA. If you are keen on joining the CIA but aren't a citizen, this is what you have to begin with. Make sure you obtain your legal status in the country. For those of you that do not have citizenship issues, your background is equally, or perhaps even more important. There are absolutely no exceptions in this one. To qualify for a CIA position, you are not allowed to be deigned with so much as a trace of any criminal or illegal activities. A flawless track record is a must. When considering applying here, be true to yourself, and ensure that what you are doing is well worth it, because if you already know that you don't have the kind of background that they are looking for, do not fool yourself into anything. Very simply, refrain from applying. Some important pointers to remember are as follows:

• Stay away from criminal records.
• Have clean character records.
• Ensure your family and friends have clean legal records too.
• Be very strong, morally and ethically.
• Be financially stable.
• Most importantly, stay away from drugs. No drug use will be accepted at all.

But this was it when it comes to the character requirements of an applicant. There are other requirements such as educational requirements too. The question regarding what to study in college to become a CIA agent is perhaps a common one, so take a look...

Education and Special Skills
A minimum of a bachelor's degree is required to get started in this field. However, a master's degree would render more beneficial. A good GPA, preferably a minimum of 3.0 is also a contributing factor towards the CIA job. Useful or relevant choice of subjects to have a degree or major in would be international relations / business, politics, sociology, psychology, and even foreign languages. A logical mind with good deductive skills, ability to work with large amounts of data, and good knowledge regarding criminal and investigative issues act as a major plus point too. In addition to all that's been mentioned so far, prior experience (roughly 5 years) in a similar field also helps. Yet another bonus to be in a field like such is to be diplomatic and tactful, because in a field like this, qualities like these are of utmost importance.

Salary
All said and done, there has to be a salary factor attached too. A CIA agent's salary is definitely a handsome one, and one that will leave you with no complaints. A job that unquestionably qualifies as a lucrative one, working with the CIA means good monetary compensation too. With a minimum salary starting at roughly $50,000, this pay scale moves in the right direction. With the possibility of going well over $100,000 too, you know you will not complain for this part of your job, to say the least.

Now that you know how it works when looking to become a CIA agent, you can go ahead and work on making a career out of it. The advantage is that these jobs never go out of demand, and working the right way, could mean a promising career for you for a long time to come.