However justified, the lengthy process is not attractive to many Harvard students who want to hit the ground running--whether it is for a summer internship or a permanent job. With promises of international travel and lucrative compensation, the likes of Goldman Sachs and McKinsey overshadow the CIA in terms of commercial appeal. Two things that the CIA relied on to stay competitive--the recruit's commitment to public service and ambition to impact the world--are eroding fast as disillusionment with the recruiting process fills the void.
According to Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet, this is the Agency's "biggest recruiting drive since the end of the Cold War." Thus, it would serve the CIA well to review its practice of the polygraph (a 30-year CIA veteran expressed to me his dismay over its use) and find ways to efficiently conduct the security clearance process (a new recruit even had to postpone his wedding due to uncertain timeline).
It would be pity to let procedural hurdles discourage Harvard students from what could be an exciting career--whether it be under the Directorate of Intelligence (the analytical arm of the CIA) or Operations (clandestine services). Unlike other intelligence organizations under departmental bias, the CIA prides itself on being an independent agency free to provide accurate analysis and intelligence to policymakers. It has a mission unlike any other organization in the world and many in the Agency are indeed top talents, sharing a deep sense of camaraderie and pride.
The future of any organization is largely based on the talent it can attract. If helping to prevent a nuclear crisis or stabilizing a new democracy sounds attractive for a day's work, Harvard students may help themselves and the rest of the free world by finding out whether there's something they can do for the CIA.
Steve Woo-Sung Chung '01 is a government and East Asian Studies concentrator in Kirkland House. He is currently working as a foreign affairs intern for Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) in Washington, D.C.
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