Originally Posted by: Decaf 
Hello,
To the IRS-CI 1811s that transfered from an OIG 1811 job:
Why did you decide to leave an OIG and go to IRS-CI? The feedback I've received is that why stress out going through the IRS-specific academy and going to a job with less work/life balance.
Do you like working as an IRS-CI 1811? If so, why? How is the culture? (I understand this will vary by office)
Thanks in advance!
Hi Decaf!
I transferred from an OIG for better cases and advancement opportunities. My agency was tiny, only 75 agents when I left. Twenty percent of those were in management and they never leave, so promotion was near impossible. The cases were specific to that OIG and there was very little variety. I was lucky enough to work a few joint cases with IRS-CI agents and liked their work ethic, intelligence and stories about the diversity in their casework. I won't lie, had I known how challenging the SAIT training was going to be, I likely would not have signed on with IRS-CI. BUT, I had a great attitude in training, awesome instructors and peers and the intelligence to get through the program. And now I am over the moon with joy at my new job.
The work/life balance at IRS-CI is great. Many of my fellow agents have small kids and the agency is great about teleworking and time off (sick or annual leave). We have plenty of opportunities for additional duties and LEAP is easy to earn once you get into the swing of casework (get out of the office). I have done more enforcement operations in the first six months on the job than I did in 14 years at my OIG job. Because we have a different focus for our performance ratings, the job is less cut-throat, agent pinned against agent for stats, and more cohesive. I have never failed to get a go-by, contact, extra set of eyes, volunteers for OPs, etc. Management and your fellow agents want you to succeed as we all represent the IRS and CI.
I am only the second person I have met here that does not have an accounting degree. I didn't have the minimum required hours, but as a lateral transfer with 14+ years of financial investigations (21+ years total as a LEO), and a MBA, once I got invited to the interview, it no longer mattered for me. The agency is pushing those hours currently and I feel very blessed to have transferred when I did. Many 1811's like to end up in an OIG job, and it is not common for a current OIG to transfer to IRS-CI, but my SAIT class had 3 of us who transferred from OIGs (plus one each from USSS and ATF). I hope I was able to answer your questions and I wish you the best of luck!
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