What inspired you to pursue a career as an intelligence analyst?
I've always been drawn to public service as I wanted to feel like I was making a genuine difference when I got to work. I'm also a massive nerd for spy stories having read lots of non-fiction books about the intelligence agencies' history, so working as an intelligence analyst has always felt like a dream job, but one I never took seriously until I plucked up the courage to actually apply.
How did you get your job?
I applied through a jobs portal - it felt like applying for any other job (apart from the fact you feel a bit giddy knowing you're applying to a security agency and having to keep it secret).
What kind of tasks do you complete on a typical day?
In my team our main role is to provide intelligence to help support the decision whether it meets the threshold for a full investigation and poses a risk to UK national security.
One of the biggest things I do is take the limited intelligence we may already have on an unidentified person of interest from a range of sources, piece it all together to create an intelligence picture, and then use those clues to see if I can identify that person. These original bits of intelligence can contain very little information.
However, I've received the training and have the freedom to think creatively and use everything at my disposal to get that next jigsaw piece in the puzzle.
My other main task is to evaluate the extent of someone's intent or the level of threat that they could pose. I have to keep an open mind and make an assessment purely on the intelligence available to me. It's fascinating to see the full variety of thematic areas and mindsets which I come across daily.
What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
Definitely being able to develop intelligence to fully identify the unknown individuals behind some of our leads. It's the part of the job that most feels like I'm finding bad guys who are trying their best to hide in the shadows. The ability to put that name and face against an individual completely opens the investigation up and allows us and our partners to mitigate that (sometimes very imminent) threat.
It's a satisfying feeling to know that attempts to harm us have been stopped, and people have been arrested because I was able to identify who these people actually were.
What are the challenges?
One of the biggest challenges in my role is the ability to work with limited data.
We are often called the 'front door' of my business area, as all investigations begin their lives in my team. I am at the very first stage so it's up to us to help build that intelligence picture from scratch. However, I love having the variety of dealing with lots of different cases and never fully knowing what to expect.
Have you completed specific training/qualifications in your role?
My organisation massively values development and upskilling beyond our core training. Opportunities are always there for those willing to follow them. In my role especially, as we have less data than other teams, I have been trained on additional analytical tools to make sure that we leave no stone unturned.
What three skills are most valuable in your role as intelligence analyst?
- adaptability
- creativity
- inquisitiveness.
What type of person would suit a career in intelligence?
What really counts is the ability to think creatively, piece intelligence together, and to understand people. There isn't a perfect way to prepare yourself for a career in intelligence as all the experience you can bring is valuable to our organisation.
Can you debunk a myth about working in the field?
I thought the organisation would be a lot more closed off, but in reality, it is incredibly open and collaborative. Rather than the stereotypes you think there might be, there's people from all walks of life working here, and our departments are constantly supporting each other and speaking to partner organisations. Even the subject-matter experts are people you get to know on a first-name basis and are always just a phone call away.
What has been your career highlight to date?
One day we had a lead come in where the original intelligence suggested there may be an imminent risk and we only had one piece of information about the interested person. Our entire team pulled together as a unit, created an analysis strategy, and all got to work simultaneously searching through different tools to help find any details we could. I undertook a bespoke enquiry and was able to reveal the key bit of information that generated the intelligence to fully identify the person.
The intelligence was quickly developed into a full investigation, later becoming one of my organisation's highest priorities. The individual has since been arrested. Despite being in the organisation for less than six months, and fresh out of training, I already feel an equal and valued member of the team. I'm given the opportunity to play such an important role as an intelligence analyst.
What are your career ambitions?
I think it's impossible to say at this point. There are so many interesting analysis posts in our organisation, covering many different subject areas, and that's not even including other job roles within the organisation, which could be possible avenues to take in my future career.
I don't know where I want to end up, but I'd like to get a flavour of everything my organisation has to offer, and there are more than enough interesting jobs to keep me busy for a long time.
What advice can you give to other aspiring intelligence analysts?
Never rule yourself out. The recruitment process is long, but each step is achievable, so take it one step at a time. So, if you're interested in protecting the country from some of its adversaries, have a go.
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