Anonymous
08/30/2013 15:35
Subject: CIA or State Dept?
Its kind of arrogant to assume he will get into either (on his preferred schedule, no less).
Anonymous
08/30/2013 07:06
Subject: CIA or State Dept?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What's your skill set and what are your natural tendencies? While both have an international focus, how do you like to approach an issue? If you want to make policy and in most cases deal with "what should be", you go State. If you like looking at things to see "what is", you go CIA.
CIA has the edge on support staff. Their support staff actually try to see how to get things done, rather than look for ways to say no. They also have more money, although with sequester all government offices are hurting.
This is a very interesting answer. I'm not OP but do you mind telling us your background (basis of knowledge)? I always thought I would love working for the CIA (as a romanticizing teen) but I'm way past feasability now. Just curious.
OP here -- It wasn't for me, but for my fiance. My father worked CIA in the 80s and always said that, when stationed abroad, CIA had the bigger houses in the consulate, had more leeway in selecting what they wanted to do, better benefits, better workplace, etc. I told fiance this and he doesn't believe it and thinks that it's outdated. It might be! It's totally anecdotal, anyway.
Fiance is trying to secure a job in the intelligence community when he graduates this May. He (and I) wants to work abroad, either with State or the CIA, but is leaning more towards State. I know it's a complete apples-and-oranges question, I was just wondering if anyone had any quick and dirty opinions.
Word of advice, even if your fiancee gets picked up during fall recruiting at CIA...he/she will not start in May. The way things are right now, it'll be closer to deep into next fall or jan 2015.
It is wise for he/she to still do private sector recruiting and accept a position that starts in may/june/july and let security processing for CIA proceed in the background. Once you clear and get an EOD date, then your fiancee can quit and join.
It's way better for the resume and you have something you are working on incase security falls through.
Anonymous
08/30/2013 07:00
Subject: Re:CIA or State Dept?
Anonymous wrote:worry about getting a job first - both are extremely competitive due to the economy and the federal gov't fiscal situation. Right now your question is like whether you want to go to Bowdoin or Stanford. Don't sweat the small shit - just apply and see what happens
I find CIA recruiting really random. I.E. I got in but I am NOT impressive at all on paper.
Put it this way...McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Bridgewater, GS, Lazard, Carlyle, TPG etc. would never touch me with a barge pole.
A lot of it is timing and luck if you get pulled in whereas with firms like that I just mentioned are way more easier to predict if someone will land an offer or not.
Anonymous
08/30/2013 06:56
Subject: CIA or State Dept?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:as for the OP, State DOES NOT poly whereas CIA poly's everyone and often.
I suggest you think very long and hard about that and if you want to put your clearance and career in the hands of the knuckle-draggers at DD1.
This is true. Took 9 friggin' months to get my high security clearance and I'm vanilla bland.
check out the latest average time line for CIA...it takes dogs years to get your TS/SCI there these days.