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The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency that has been around since 1908 and has been responsible for catching some of the most dangerous and violent criminals in American history. They have also been responsible for keeping our country safe from foreign and domestic threats, as well as protecting our nation’s leaders, infrastructure, and businesses. The FBI is comprised of more than 35,000 employees who work out of 56 field offices throughout the United States and its territories.
Becoming part of the FBI is not easy–it takes hard work and dedication to become an agent. However, if you have what it takes to be part of this prestigious organization then keep reading! We’ll give you all the information you need about becoming an agent with the FBI and how to get started today!
How To Become Part Of The Fbi
Working as an agent for the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a highly skilled position that requires physical endurance, mental acuity and strong logical reasoning skills. In order to pursue a career as an FBI agent, you must meet certain federal requirements, then complete a series of screenings, tests and training.
In this article, we explain what an FBI agent does on the job, the requirements you need in order to become an FBI agent and the training involved with earning a position as an agent.
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What does an FBI agent do?
An FBI agent is responsible for gathering intelligence and enforcing the laws of the United States to protect the nation’s citizens and property against internal and external criminal activity. They work in many capacities all over the world, where they conduct investigations and sometimes act as law enforcement to uphold federal statutes. As an agent of the FBI, it is difficult to summarize any routine daily duties, but regardless of your niche as an agent, you should be willing to do any of the following as part of your regular job:
- Be willing to travel or relocate
- Carry a firearm and be willing to use deadly force
- Work a 50-hour week and always be on-call
- Be willing to testify in court
- Enforce the law with compassion
Read more: Complete Guide to FBI Agent Training Requirements
Requirements to work for the FBI
To work for the FBI, you must complete an arduous and competitive process where only a small percentage of applicants actually become FBI agents. Regardless of your specialized field of focus, to be an FBI agent in any capacity, you must meet these requirements:
- Be a US citizen
- Be 23- to 36-years old (special age waivers may apply to veterans)
- Pass a drug test and extensive background check
- Be in good economic standing
- Maintain peak physical fitness and be in excellent health
- Have a bachelor’s degree
- Have a valid driver’s license and six months of driving experience
- Have two years of full-time work experience
- Pass the FBI physical fitness test, which consists of a 300-meter sprint, pushups and a 1.5-mile run
Related: 5 Types of FBI Agents
How do you become an FBI agent?
Assuming you are already a college graduate and physically fit, you must get through the following steps to become an FBI agent:
- Begin the application process. Your first step is to submit a federal resume and college transcript to a recruiter at a local FBI field office or the official FBI website.
- Pass phase one and two testing. There are two tests you must pass to further in the selection process—the first in logic, reasoning and judgment and the second consisting of written research reports and a panel interview with three special agents. Official practice tests with sample questions and answers are available on the FBI’s website.
- Pass the physical fitness test (PFT). Passing the PFT requires exceptional physical fitness, so training should begin by the onset of the application process. The FBI offers an app called “Fit Test” to help agent trainees prepare for this rigorous test.
- Receive a conditional appointment offer. Once you pass the physical fitness test, you’ll be extended a conditional appointment offer of unemployment, at which point you’ll have one week to submit your acceptance.
- Pass a background check. This extensive background test required to gain top secret clearance will include drug testing, medical testing, polygraph testing and interviews with friends and family. This process can take up to 18 months.
- Complete the Basic Field Training Course (BFTC) training at the FBI Academy. This is the final phase of the application for FBI agents. All prospective agents must pass 20 weeks of intensive training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
- Accept an assignment to an FBI field office. New agents need to be willing to relocate to the field office where they’re assigned—either within the United States or overseas.
Related: Government Jobs Explained (And Rewarding Roles To Consider)
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What is the training process for an FBI agent?
To train as an FBI agent, you must first pass a rigorous nine-phase application process. The final phase of your application process (the Special Agent Selection Process) is the 20-week Basic Field Training Course (BFTC) at the FBI academy. Here is an overview of the training you’ll receive as a new agent recruit:
Academic training
In order to prepare trainees for intelligence reporting and research, BFTC students learn the fundamentals in law, ethics, behavioral science, interviewing, report writing, investigative and intelligence techniques, interrogation and forensic science.
Trainees also learn how to run investigations in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, weapons of mass destruction, cybercrime and criminal activity.
New agent trainees also visit the Holocaust Museum and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. to gain perspective on an agent’s responsibility to maintain justice and civil equality.
Operational skills training
Operational skills training involves physical exercises in defensive techniques, surveillance and tactical driving. Agent trainees are taught to protect themselves and others against dangerous suspects through physical combat methods. They learn to handle vehicles in defensive conditions and practice survival training. FBI agent trainees also practice real-world scenarios in over 90 hours of focused instruction on tactical operations. In these sessions, recruits role-play in dangerous situations, using simulated weapons and environments to resolve the scene and practice field tactics. This includes situations like nighttime surveillance, robbery, kidnapping and investigative interviews.
Firearms training
Firearms training takes recruits through 110 hours of practical weapons experience using FBI protocols. Trainees practice the fundamentals of marksmanship, which includes weapons safety, handling and practical firing techniques. Recruits use a variety of weapons and must show they are proficient in each type of firearm by the end of the 28 training sessions.
Case exercise training
Case training exercises are in-depth, real-life scenarios that take agent trainees through the investigative process of receiving a tip to culminating a case.
