How to Become a Spy

The world of spies appears exciting with lots of glamor and adventure, which is a contradiction from reality. A spy works in a world filled with danger at every step, by working against the enemies of his country.

They provide a great service to their countrymen, but are never openly acknowledged by the governments. People who are inspired of becoming a spy, think of it as a career opportunity, filled with adventure and a thrilling life.

A spy basically obtains valuable information (related to blackmail, bribery, or enticement through other forms of coercion, etc.) that is considered as confidential or a 'secret', through unfair means, which are generally illegal. The risk of the information being changed or countermeasures taken before the information is used, is very high.

Spies are employed by a government department known as an intelligence agency, which is involved in gathering information or intelligence, for the purpose of protecting national security against its enemies.

Spies are involved in uncountable dangerous activities. They provide intelligence analysis with the help of spy cameras, and propagation of data related to national security. A spy provides a warning or an alert, in advance, of impending crises against the country, and helps in managing the crisis by detecting the bad designs of opponents.

This is not actually different from entering any state departmental jobs. A person has to be a citizen of the country, and pass through a selection process, which is tough and rigorous. After clearing it and having good experience and proper educational background, a person can still be rejected for many reasons.

Some basic requirements are:

• The person needs to be a citizen of the country to which the spying agency belongs.
• A background without any criminal or bad debts record is a must, and other qualities includes being trustworthy, ethical, dependable, and responsible.
• There should be no illegal drug record for the last 12 months, and having no record is even better.

• A good academic record with a graduate degree, and a score of at least 3.0 GPA or 4.0, with subjects like international relations, economics, etc., are preferred.
• Fluency in a foreign language as a native, especially languages that are spoken in many of the world's political and military hot spots, is necessary.

A medical exam designed according to the need of the job will be conducted, followed by a psychological exam to assess the level of intelligence, judgment, and mental stability. An extremely thorough and lengthy background check will be conducted, checking the character and the loyalty quotient.

There also will be a polygraph test done, which is considerably thorough, and borders on the side of caution, if there is any scope of lies. After clearing the selection process, the job is offered, and the training process starts with rigorous practice for using spy gadgets, spy phones, and other equipment.

Training is also given for maintaining full composure at the time of crisis, and surviving in extreme conditions. A newly recruited spy is placed under a controller, who provides some training in spying methods, with instructions for obtaining and transmitting information. A spy has contacts only with the controller, and no one else.

Anonymity is maintained for secrecy and for keeping the nationality hidden. Spies work under compartmentalization; they work with the help of their own teams. This helps in situations when a spy is captured and interrogated. He is sworn to keep all vital information to himself at all costs.