CONSIDERED
A CAREER AS AN FBI INTELLIGENCE ANALYST?
Here’s What It’s Like: Up Close and Personal
04/15/05
Kyle’s
day started like any other on September 11, 2001. Then planes hit
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and this Intelligence Analyst
found himself on the leading edge of an unprecedented criminal investigation.
Kyle initially spent several days in Pennsylvania analyzing evidence
from the wreckage of Flight 93 and collecting information about the
suspected hijackers. That led to months of wading through records
and intelligence to help paint a clearer picture of the threat against
the U.S. Looking back, Kyle says, “I derived great personal
satisfaction from knowing that I was contributing to our nation’s
security.” He’s been an Intelligence Analyst for almost
six years, and was happy to talk a little about what his job is like
today.
Q. Kyle,
first off, do you have any advice for prospective FBI recruits?
Kyle: Don’t assume that your background or experience is incompatible
with the work of an FBI Intelligence Analyst. My background prior to the FBI
was in classical music and I have found that my training was the very
best preparation for what I do now. Others I’ve met here had backgrounds
in auto mechanics, teaching, insurance, and accounting before joining the Bureau.
If you have developed the ability to devote significant attention to detail,
chances are you have one of the most important skills you’ll need as
an intelligence analyst.
Q. So, what’s
a typical work day like?
Kyle: In one sense, there are no typical days because projects and
cases are always changing. But when I am working on strategic intelligence
assessments or specific investigations I spend a lot of time analyzing records,
trying to spot trends in criminal activity, and developing leads for Special
Agents to follow in their investigations.
Q. Can you
give me a case example?
Kyle: Sure. Soon after becoming an Intelligence Analyst I was asked
to evaluate drug trafficking on Montana’s Native American reservations.
For someone who enjoys learning, research, people, and writing this project
had everything. I researched the issue, traveled to Montana to interview law
enforcement agencies, health services, and tribal representatives and wrote
a report that enabled us to better allocate FBI resources to protect the communities.
Q. Have
you ever traveled overseas on a case?
Kyle: Yes, several times. In 2002, I traveled to Germany to work with
our counterparts there on the investigation of the 9/11 hijackers. A year later
I traveled to Hungary to work with our partners there on international organized
crime matters.
Q. Last,
can you tell me what you like best about the job?
Kyle: For me, the best thing is the variety. I am never stuck doing
the same thing over and over. The subject matter is always changing and I get
to work with interesting people. Much of what I do is like putting together
a puzzle. I get a lot of satisfaction in the process of gathering and evaluating
information in order to see “the big picture.”
Apply today at fbijobs.com!