Law enforcement, private companies and intelligence agencies all deal with secrets; whether that means analyzing satellite imagery, monitoring bugged communications or writing intelligence assessments.
Applying to one of the UK's three national intelligence agencies GCHQ, MI5 or MI6 requires adhering to stringent confidentiality rules as well as passing several situational judgment tests and case studies.
Research
Intelligence professionals must possess an immense level of research skills. From working for the CIA, MI5, SIS or any other intelligence agencies, professional intelligence researchers must possess the ability to quickly locate vital information when needed - this requires mastering various data sources as well as possessing different analytical tools.
Intelligence professionals often find their job requires them to move around from department to department in order to gain new experiences, which allows them to stay intellectually stimulated while honing skills that allow them to face emerging threats effectively.
Intelligence community careers are typically transitional careers; most new hires typically come from other industries or sectors. Experience in law enforcement, the military or information technology are highly sought after by hiring managers; knowing specific languages and cultures helps expedite onboarding processes for newcomers as well as reduce training times required to onboard newcomers.
Analysis
Strong analytical skills enable you to research, examine and interpret information and data effectively. Your ability to make fast decisions under pressure allows you to thrive under any situation; and you delight in turning raw information into intelligence reports which reveal the intentions of foreign governments or non-state entities worldwide.
An undergraduate degree in areas like philosophy, history, political science or international relations can serve as an excellent basis for an intelligence career. You may even gain valuable hands-on experience through internships and military service.
Experience in law enforcement or information technology is also invaluable for entering an intelligence career. Being aware of chain of command issues in certain geographical regions will come in handy too. In order to gain entry to intelligence community jobs, one must obtain security clearance through polygraph examination, drug screening and credit checks; furthermore it's also crucial that previous jobs provide experience of keeping confidentiality.
Communication
Intelligence analysis spans many fields and disciplines. While each career area offers its own set of skills and responsibilities, all intelligence analysts share a set of core values which include honesty, sound judgment and discretion - these should all be emphasized during both your education and working experiences.
Entry-level positions at GCHQ, MI5, and MI6 typically begin with salaries between PS30,000 to PS35,000 plus benefits. Your salary will increase as you accrue more years of service and meet eligibility requirements for promotion.
Intelligence profession is highly-competitive, demanding an expansive set of versatile skills. Expanding and honing these abilities will increase marketability as an intelligence professional; invest in additional certifications or seek work experience related to intelligence work. In addition to professional qualifications, intelligence professionals must collaborate well with their peers and stakeholders by possessing excellent communication and interpersonal skills as well as being open-minded enough to learn new things while taking on challenges.
Decision-Making
Working as an analyst requires strong character, extensive education and the knowledge of multiple languages and cultures. Professional analysts possessing these attributes are adept at quickly turning information into reports to assess global intelligence issues; with experience may include prioritizing requests under pressure while prioritizing assessments.
Decision intelligence utilizes engineering disciplines to combine data science with social sciences theory and decision theory theory, while taking advantage of engineering disciplines for monitoring approaches such as business dashboards and assumption-based planning. Furthermore, this approach employs emotional, motivational and experiential skills necessary for decision making competence.
Companies can utilize decision intelligence a combination of data analytics and artificial intelligence to optimize their processes and deliver customized customer experiences. One such company was Loan Market Group - an Australian loan aggregator which implemented decision intelligence to enhance their customer experience by streamlining reporting system for easier customer use - leading to improved lending practices, more accurate lending decisions and personalized experiences for its users.
