do agents in the cia really do cool stuff?

Question

do people who work for the cia really do things like "james bond". i mean i can see it happening but not as often as they say it happens. i am considering this feild but only if it has adventures and danger. do they make good money too

ok people i didnt mean i want to be james bond. i said do they really have action like that. i dont know how to describe it so i just wrote that because everybody knows what it is. i dont want a make believe job.

Answer 1

First of all, if you expect to be considered by CIA you'd better have a degree from an excellent university; the more Ivy the better. In other words, CIA ain't the infantry and the candidates that pass the initial screening are likely to speak at least one language beyond their mother tongue; preference given to fluent Arabic, Mandarin and others outside the usual Spanish, French and German. Degrees in Economics, Mathematics, Linguistics will get favorable attention.

Any history, official or not, of substance abuse is all but guaranteed to send you packing. Any record of emotional issues will have the same impact. If you have family in any foreign country, "friendly" country or not, both you and they should expect some serious looking in to.

"James Bond?" Even Field Officers (the closest real title to "Secret Agent") rarely if ever see that kind of action. In fact it's much more their job to recruit and control (and otherwise manipulate and pay) others, natives of the country in question, for that sort of dirty nonsense (called 'Human Intelligence'). Think about it: a kid from Minnesota or Virginia would make a rather unconvincing "spy" in an Iranian munitions plant, don't 'cha think?

Sure, some are groomed at FBI training camps in Quantico and elsewhere; in martial arts, firearms, "tradecraft" and other neat stuff, but most employees of CIA are analysts who study everything from satellite images to local newspapers from places like Siri Lanka all...day...long.

And none of them get to conceal throwing knives in their shoes or wear tuxedos to the office.

It's vital work and it takes really smart people to do it. "Intelligence", remember? And don't get into it for the money, either. It's a government job, after all. The benefits are exceptional, but those who live happy lives there are patriots, more interested in serving their country than impressing their stock brokers.

If what you're really after is a wham-bam, video game of a career, enlist in the armed forces. If you've got the chops (and very few do), you may be able to get yourself recommended for Special Forces training. But be aware that those people are as much brains as brawn, too. I know three individuals who are or have been in elite units and all of them graduated from West Point or Annapolis.

Sorry if I've burst your bubble. And, as James would have it, if you're shaken, at least you're not stirred.

Answer 2

I hate to burst your bubble. James Bond would last all of 5 minutes in the field. Field Intelligence officers, not agents live mundane lives for the most part. Their job is something called HUMINT, Human Intelligence. They gather information primarily by using sources in foreign governments. The intelligence officer plays both confidant and nurse maid for someone betraying their own country. Intelligence officers are of two categories, legal and illegal. Legal intelligence officers use a cover while working at an embassy fulfilling some off the radar job. They run assets and have diplomatic immunity. Illegal intelligence officers are under the Clandestine Operations Directorate. These people are Americans that live in a foreign land and run either intelligence assets like the legal officers or they physically perform intelligence gathering operations. These officers if found are tried for espionage. They do not walk about casinos and live high on the hog. Intelligence officers rarely if ever carry guns. Your wit and training is your only weapon.They blend into society so they cannot be seen. There is plenty of danger, but the people that do it do not want danger, they want to help their nation and if they can do it without the danger they would rather. They pay is not that great. 50 to 90k per year. Good Luck!

Answer 3

You are glorifying a career for being like a movie.

CIA does a lot of research, paperwork and training. You would need to be smart enough to know you don't have the maturity or experience for such a serious job.

James Bond is British make believe. CIA is American reality. Big difference.

Answer 4

You might look into Special Forces in the military. I think they do more of what you're looking for than CIA agents.

Answer 5

I bet some CIA agents got to plant explosives to bring tall metal buildings down then blow them down.
I bet there are even some agents that ask & answer questions here.

Answer 6

Only a select few after many years of internship training and schooling. After being selected by them from just certain schools, you may learn about it. But most of them are office ciphers and computer geeks. James Bond is a neat story, but don't get too enamored of it.

Answer 7

Yeah, they drive in Virginia traffic jams to get to early meetings with bad coffee and worse bosses. They answer phone calls, worry about the kids' soccer games and the mortgage payment.

Answer 8

i don't recommend this field, while bush is in office,his cronies will rat you out just like they did to Valerie plaine

Answer 9

They make lousy money.
Mostly they do paper work.

Answer 10

They make government wages, which is not good money.