How to Build an Intelligence Career

Careers in public safety, law enforcement, and intelligence are often perceived as the most complicated to build. How do you get started? Which career path should you take? Is starting with fieldwork necessary?

There are many questions surrounding a career in intelligence and public safety. The fact that these fields are not the most open in terms of the distribution of the information doesn’t help either. The challenges can be tough.

Worry not, because you can still set up and pursue a career in intelligence with some preparations. We spoke to several experts in this field and collected the top tips and tricks to help you get started. Let’s have a look, shall we?

The Starting Point

A career in intelligence can start from multiple jobs in different fields. You can be a law enforcement officer or a member of the military, and then pursue an intelligence career through personal development and achievement. You can also start from information technology or even data science before jumping right into the field.

The starting point you choose is not important. What’s important is making sure that you meet the requirements for the starting job, and that you know how to plan your personal development to further your career in the right place.

As an example, becoming an intelligence analyst means you have to meet certain requirements, including:

• A bachelor’s degree, usually in political science, international relations, intelligence studies, or national security
• Experience in intelligence collection
• Several key skills, including critical thinking, communication, and decision-making
• Familiarity with intelligence and data analysis tools

These requirements are easy to meet, but that doesn’t mean you should take them lightly. Be sure to document the requirements of other, higher positions that you want to fill, so you can improve yourself as you go along.

The Selection Process

Keep in mind that you will have to go through a selection process before you can enter a role in intelligence. The process starts with a thorough background check. There are three main things you need to know about a background check.

• You just need to be truthful. A background check is not meant to check if you have a squeaky clean personally. It is just meant to check if there are things in your past that can be used as leverage. Lying about a past debt or a personal issue is not what you want to do here.
• It can be quite intrusive. Make sure you notify those closest to you to speed up the process.
• All information is kept private. You really have nothing to worry about when it comes to completing background checks.

Of course, the background check is only the first of many selection steps that you have to take (and complete) in order to enter the field of intelligence. Sticking with an intelligence analyst as an example, you have to go through two tests before you reach the interview stage.

The first test challenges your critical thinking ability. The second focuses more on reporting and your ability to convey information. Pass both tests and you’ll have the opportunity to sit in for an interview. At this point, the only thing in the way is field training.

The Field Training

Yes, even when you have non-law enforcement background and you don’t plan on working in the field, you still have to go through field training as a requirement. Field training is not always about boosting your physical abilities too.

In fact, field training is designed to improve some crucial skills, including:

• Information analysis
• Empathy
• The ability to read people
• Active listening
• Communication
• Data collection
• Information technology

You will go through a series of tests to see if you have mastered these skills – and several others – and whether your mastery meets the required standards. Fortunately, you can retake the field training program and the exam that comes afterward if you don’t succeed on your first try.

There are independent programs that will prepare you for the actual field training. That actually brings us to the next tip.

The Degree

If you are going down the analyst route from a law enforcement career, one of the best ways to build a career in intelligence is by getting a master’s degree in fields such as public safety. A master’s degree in public safety gives you the perfect transition to a career in intelligence.

This article by Wilfrid Laurier Online details how an MPS degree can help you transition from working in a uniform as a law enforcement officer to becoming a policy leader. The degree opens up new doors and allows you to access opportunities in intelligence.

Laurier’s MPS degree in particular lets you access four major career paths: national security, border security, countering crime, and emergency management. Regardless of the career path you choose, you can find detailed information on how to get there on Laurier’s site.

The Challenges

The last thing you want to do before pursuing a career in intelligence is preparing yourself. This means knowing when to invest in personal development. It also means understanding the risks and rewards associated with the jobs you want to pursue.

You can expect a median salary of around $100,000 when you fill a role as an intelligence analyst. That reward goes up by large margins as you go further along with your intelligence career. However, you also have to get significantly better at what you do.

To speed up your career progression, there are several things you can do.

• Focus on a specific field, region, or type of intelligence. As a specialist, you are more likely to be involved in larger projects and important decision-making processes.
• Be involved. Whenever you see an opportunity, don’t hesitate to seize it and perform your best. There will be a lot of opportunities to shine.
• Write independent reports. In intelligence, the reports you make on specific subjects are invaluable to the future of your career.

Now that you have these tips and information in mind, a career in intelligence and public safety is no longer a big black box. You know how to prepare for your first analyst job and how to land that job without jumping through hoops.