I went to work there as retired military. I recall being told once the Agency is as close to a military unit as any other agency which was true. You felt you were accomplishing something every day for your country. In my job I had the distinct feeling that I was protecting those I worked with. This gave me a great deal of satisfaction. Traveling the world was a plus, and the people you met & worked with has been a great memory.

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Central Intelligence Agency insights

Based on 48 survey responses

What people like

Fair pay for job
Clear sense of purpose
Ability to learn new things

Challenging but life-changing position

Agent Intern (Former Employee) - New Orleans, LA - May 23, 2022

It was an amazing internship. I started out doing odd errands and that expanded into office desk work. While, I CANNOT give more details into my assignments than this, I am grateful for the opportunity. Unfortunately, there's not much career advancement unless you're a legacy hire.

Pros

Great benefits, plenty of assignments, attentive supervisors, free lunches

Cons

Nepotism

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Learn and grow professionally

Program Manager (Current Employee) - Hqs - April 30, 2022

Great benefits and job security. Opportunity for advancement and training. Benefits package is great and many opportunities to travel if you want to travel.

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Mission driven orgq

Chief, Public Communications Branch - Office of Public Affairs (Current Employee) - Langley, VA - January 19, 2022

Had great experiences here supporting a mission I believed in. If you're an analyst or passionate about supporting US gov't mission, you'll be happy here.

Pros

Strong focus on mission, opportunities to travel and grow professionally

Cons

Rigid, archaic government thinking, the old guard needs to retire so that new perspectives and culture can take shape.

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Great place to work.

Procurement Officer (Former Employee) - Washington, DC - January 7, 2022

Worked there for 37 years. Loved the work and people. Proud to support our country. Great opportunity for advancement and travel. Team environment.

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Missing the Agency

Application Engineer (Former Employee) - McLean, VA - November 20, 2021

Wish i had never left. The agency was a place that allowed employees a lot of creative flexibilty and offered much roomnto advance or transfer to otjer positions. Learning languages was promoted as well as continuing education.

Pros

Mission driven and really smart people

Cons

No cell phones in the building

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Stressful; bias

Administrative Assistant (Former Employee) - Langley, VA - October 5, 2021

Stressful environment ; horrible management; bias Does not value the talented experienced employees they haveUnfair promotions / discriminationLarge turnover due to discrimination and payOver worked and under paid

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National security at the highest level

OPERATIONS OFFICER & COLLECTION MANAGEMENT OFFICER (Former Employee) - Washington, DC - September 20, 2021

Dedicated professionals addressing the questions policy makers need answered. Having the trust an confidence to make decisions and learn from honest mistakes.

Pros

Insight to what matters for our government and security.

Cons

Some questions have no answers.

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Interesting Working Environment

Staff Operations Officer (Former Employee) - Washington, DC - February 8, 2021

You build a sense of purpose and pride associating with others in the agency. At the end of the day, it's still a government job with bureaucratic nuance. Hollywood definitely creates an unrealistic stigma surrounding the environment.

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Jobs at Central Intelligence Agency

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Staff Operations Officer

Washington, DC

30+ days ago

Foreign Language Instructor

Collection Management Officer

Washington, DC

30+ days ago

Job security

Special Assistant to the Deputy Director Central Intelligence Agency (Former Employee) - McLean, VA - February 5, 2021

An opportunity to serve your country and provide for your future in great Retirement benefits. The Agency is forward thinking in many ways and strives to advance diversity.

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the job was great they give free coffie and donuts

Protective Agent (Current Employee) - New York, NY - January 17, 2021

the job was great they teach you hand to hand combat and firearms train and it saved my life lots of times and i feel good when i go to work and love

Pros

respect for you

Cons

sort breaks

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they give you the respect you need

Protective Agent (Former Employee) - United States - November 1, 2020

It was a Honor to work here the pay is great. they treat you with respect and love. I think this is the best intelligence agency. they teach us combat combat saved my life once.

Pros

they give you respect

Cons

only short breaks

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No And no

Idk (Former Employee) - Paris, TX - October 20, 2020

Work-life balanceWork-life balance at Central Intelligence Agency is goidPay & benefitsMy pay and benefits at Central Intelligence Agency are good

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Great purpose, lousy management

Deputy group chief (Former Employee) - Langley and other locations - June 17, 2020

The goals of the CIA ARE unique and make you proud to serve that being said, management discriminates if you disagree, practices favoritism and discriminates against immigrants — cannot really trust their loyalty The counter intelligence chief briefs this to all incoming operations officers.

Pros

A privilege to serve

Cons

Favoritism is widespread.

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Don't ever say you can't!!

Senior Mission Support Analyst (Former Employee) - Langley, VA - June 3, 2020

From a small town on the Florida Panhandle to the Nation's capital!! If I can do it, ANYBODY can do it.. It's scary to think about being such a small slice of a HUGE pie but being employed to assist in keeping our nation secure has been the most rewarding job I've done so far.. We'll see what the future holds!!

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Great place to work.

Chief of Station (Former Employee) - Lima - March 24, 2020

Great place to work. Excellent mission, always relevant, new challenges everyday. Further information cannot be provided due to privacy/classification issues.

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Very good place to work

Logistics Specialist (Former Employee) - McLean, VA - February 12, 2020

In the agency you are given the opportunity to learn many different things After being accepted into the agency you are allow to apply for all types of jobs

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Depending on your office/location; environment could be very toxic or enjoyable.

Security Specialist (Former Employee) - McLean, VA - January 3, 2020

The agency is one of the most renowned organizations in the world; as such, I felt proud as a staff employee each time I walked through those halls. However, the culture could be very political and lacked diversity in many areas. While one may have fulfilled all of their requirements to reach a certain level; there still remained a hint of "not belonging", given the lack of diversity. The agency offers excellent training, travel, and a plethora of opportunity for advancement as long as you apply yourself. However, be careful whom you trust in terms of management and do not make any mistakes, because if you don't fall within a certain click... it may be your last. The old adage certainly applies with this agency; "Its not what you know, but who you know".

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