FBI

I applied for the IA 2018 vacancy back in August, but I still haven't heard anything about being able to take Phase 1. Is it possible to just go into the test and take it n pass without studying for it? or is it a test that you MUST study for if you want to pass it?

You can't really "study" for it. The sections include questions on spatial relations and those that require you to order people or objects in a list based on criteria. If you've ever taken a test for other fed analytic jobs they're similar.

Congrats, @motherofdragons!

Thank you, Scootz! Yeah to everyone just starting out, it is a long process, so be prepared!! Don't stop living your life because it will get very frustrating if this is all you are waiting for (I know from firsthand experience)

Hampton,

For me specifically, it took months to have any changes. I don't know how it was for other applicants, but be advised that it is a long process. And by long I mean could take years. Look at motherofdragons who has been in background since January 2017 and she was just now favorably adjudicated! And that isn't even cleared for hire OR in a class. And that's just her background. That is not including the three phases at all.

The key to this whole process is an insane amount of patience. You'll learn soon how patient you can be.

I have embraced patience, it helps.

I first applied for FBI IA in 2016, and again each year after. No luck so far.

But this is my dream job, so I keep trying.

In the meantime I am occupying myself by chasing my masters degree, doing training for my current job, and working on self improvement via open-courseware/moocs. I am also reading about the agency. The FBI books thread has some good links. I especially enjoy Jerri William's podcast. I'm also looking for information about the intel community in general.

The bottom line is that I've found that it helps to stay busy, and self-improvement is still progress...the progress helps with the patience.

I wish you all much patience, progress and luck.

Take care

What has your timeline been so far John?

Oh nice well at least you ahead of a lot of us who haven't even been able to take the first phase testing yet. I applied back in August 2018.

I was an applicant for an FBI position (something to do with surveillance assignments) in 2006. I got to the poly (my first ever) and halfway through the examiner says I'm "showing angst" on the drug use question. I have never used - not even a single joint or pill. I told her that I had been offered mushrooms while walking on a beach in Jamaica in 1993 but didn't buy (I honestly thought he was offering me fungi / pizza topping at first, it didn't "click" until a minute or so later). She had me write it down and we continued. She said at the end it "looked OK" but they'll send it to HQ. A week later I get a call that I've been rejected. I request the poly results through FOIA and it looked like a very steady upward slope indicating increasing anxiety after I had been falsely accused. I appealed and was denied.

So to sum up, yes, they definitely could have used what you said "against you" and rejected you. Sorry.

At the time they had a lifetime ban for anyone failing a poly but have since then fortunately cancelled that draconian policy.