CONSIDERED
A CAREER AS AN FBI FINANCIAL
ANALYST?
Here's What It's Like: Up Close and Personal
10/15/04
Please meet Chris
Poulos, who works in our Terrorist Financing Operations Section in
the Washington, DC, area. He came to the FBI just over a year ago following
a 25-year career as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud
Examiner--and did he ever bring a lot to the table. Strong educational
background, with a B.S. and M.S. in accounting and auditing. Wide experience,
to include working in national and regional firms and his own local
firm...and also interesting experience, building up 10 years of civil
and criminal case forensic accounting and litigation work. It was in
this latter work that he rubbed elbows with retired FBI Agents and
was encouraged to apply for a fascinating career as an FBI Financial
Analyst. Here's what he says about it.
Q: Chris,
can you tell me what you like most about the job?
Chris: You know, I don't view what I do as a job; I view it as a career
path choice. A job is something you do for money; a career is something you
do because you want your life to have purpose and meaning, you want to make
a difference. That's why I'm here, and that's how I feel about my work. It
directly helps agents and professional support employees detect, prevent, disrupt,
and dismantle terrorist organizations and the people that operate and support
them. What could be more meaningful than that?
Q: What's
a typical working day like?
Chris: Case work on a daily basis involves close financial analysis
for alleged terrorist financing cases, to determine where suspects get their
money and how they spend it. In addition, you can be sent on "special
assignments" to specific field offices to examine accounting, auditing,
and tax records of a subject organization and offer investigative analysis
and strategies. Investigations are always a team effort, which is very satisfying
to me.
Q: Any advice
for prospective FBI recruits?
Chris: This is a great job for anyone who has accounting skills, and
a desire to make a difference in the safety of our communities, America as
a whole, as well as the safety of our Allies. Your work will directly help
the FBI solve cases, and it will also strengthen cooperative ventures--sharing
crucial information--with federal, state, local, and international law enforcement
that will help prevent terrorist attacks. Once you become part of the FBI,
you can find the area that gives you the most personal satisfaction, whether
that be counterterrorism cases, intelligence work, counterintelligence, cyber,
or criminal investigations. It's a great place--a place to grow personally
and professionally.
Q: What about
that growth? Any career development plans for your future?
Chris: In fact, yes. I discovered as a Financial Analyst that I have
the skill and desire to work with intelligence, and I have just recently accepted
an Intelligence Analyst position in my same Terrorist Financing Operations
Section. I love it--I can't believe that I'm getting paid to do such fascinating
work.
Link: Interested in applying? Go straight to www.fbijobs.gov.
