Central Intelligence Agency

Carl

Economic Analyst

Born and raised in the Washington, DC area, Carl not only had early exposure to Capitol Hill, but the career opportunities the government can provide; he had family members who worked for various government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration and NASA. When it came time for him to choose an employer, he had a desire to travel internationally and knew the CIA would be a good fit. Although he’s only been working at the agency for five years, Carl says he can see himself there for the rest of his career.

Has the job met your expectations?
When I accepted the position I told my family that this would be the last job I’ll ever have. More than five years later, I still feel the same way. Certainly there are frustrations with day-to-day things, like any job. But I love what I do, and I there’s a new challenge around every corner. I’ve had the opportunity to live and work in places that I never would have imagined I’d ever visit.

What are you most proud of in your work?
When there’s a crisis in a foreign country and we have to drop everything and sacrifice our schedules for a week or two, it’s extremely stressful at the time. However, when you get feedback from senior policymakers thanking you for your hard work, or you hear a policymaker using language that you wrote in a speech, it’s a great feeling.

Why is diversity important at the agency?
We like to say that true diversity is diversity of thought. When we analyze a problem or issue, it’s important to look at it from multiple angles. That can be easier if you have people with diverse backgrounds, educational experiences, and worldviews.

Can you share an experience when diversity had a positive impact on your day-to-day work?
There are insights that I was able to offer about the persistent popularity of a world leader, despite a rather poor performance. I was the only one that was able to recognize (or at least verbalize) that the leader’s race played a larger role in the loyalty of the population than the leader’s politics. As analysts, we’re hard-wired to look for rational reasons behind a leader’s popularity, however, as a minority, I think perhaps I was more sensitive to the role demographic factors can play in our political loyalties.

What is your advice to other students who want to work for the CIA?
Demonstrate a desire to work internationally. While I was in graduate school, I learned a foreign language and studied abroad. Obviously there are other ways to demonstrate an international orientation, but the more global exposure you’ve had, the better your case for employment.