General Information | General Information | Your Guide to Getting Started | Preparing to Take the Tests | | Phase 1 Testing | Phase 2 Testing | | Tips on Completing the Application for Employment (FD-140) | Desirable Weight Ranges Chart | | Closing | FBI Employment Homepage | Are you seeking a career that is not
only challenging and exciting but personally rewarding as well?
Are you interested in a career with one of the most respected
and sophisticated law enforcement agencies in the world? If your
answers to these questions are yes, then the FBI may have a place
for you. CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INFORMATION This information is being provided to give you specific details concerning the Special Agent applicant process. The first chapter gives you general information about the FBI, minimum qualifications for the job, various important policies, and information for those applicants with disabilities. The second chapter is your guide to getting started in the applicant process: what to do and how to do it. The third chapter prepares you for taking the tests. The fourth and fifth chapters give you insight on what Phase I and Phase II testing is all about. By the time you finish reading this booklet, you will be able to answer the following questions:
Keep this booklet handy for referral during
the applicant process. It may not answer all the questions you
may have about the applicant process but feel free to contact
the Applicant Coordinator in the office nearest you for assistance. About the FBI The FBI is a law enforcement agency, one of the six Bureaus of the Department of Justice. It is the primary criminal investigative agency in the federal government and is one of the most respected throughout the world. The FBI plays a central role in national law enforcement in the proper administration of justice in the United States. Special Agents carry out the responsibilities of the FBI by enforcing more than 260 federal statutes. This involves conducting investigations in organized crime, white-collar crime, financial crime, civil rights violations, bank robbery, kidnaping, terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, fugitive and drug trafficking matters, and many other violations of federal statutes. Special Agents also work with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in investigative matters of joint interest. FBI Headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. There are 56 FBI field offices located throughout the country, each containing an additional number of satellite offices (resident agencies) that together conduct the day-to-day operations of the FBI. The work performed by our Special Agents and support employees has a daily impact on the country's security and the quality of life for all United States citizens. For more information about the FBI, you can visit our web site on the Internet at http://www.fbi.gov. Minimum Qualifications for the Special Agent Position Special Agent applicants must meet the following MINIMUM qualifications to be considered for the position:
In addition to the above minimum qualifications, Special Agent candidates must qualify under one or more of the following four entrance programs: Law, Accounting, Language, and Diversified. Law: To qualify under the Law Program, you must have a J.D. degree from an accredited resident law school. Accounting: To qualify under the Accounting Program, you must have a bachelor's degree with a major in accounting or a related discipline, and be academically eligible to take the CPA examination. Candidates who have not passed the CPA exam will be required to pass the FBI's accounting test. Language: To qualify under the Language Program, you must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline plus proficiency in a language that meets the needs of the FBI. Candidates will be required to pass a foreign language proficiency test. Diversified: To qualify under the Diversified Program, you must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline accompanied by three years of full-time work experience, or an advanced degree in any discipline accompanied by two years of full-time work experience. Special Agent candidates must commit to serving the FBI as a Special Agent for three years. Disqualifiers There are specific things that will automatically disqualify you from consideration for the Special Agent position. They are:
FBI Employment Drug Policy The FBI is firmly committed to a drug-free
society and workplace. Therefore, the unlawful use of drugs by
FBI employees will not be tolerated. Furthermore, applicants
for employment with the FBI who currently are using illegal drugs
will be found unsuitable for employment. The FBI does not condone
any prior unlawful drug use by applicants. The FBI realizes,
however, some otherwise qualified applicants may have used drugs
at some point in their past. The following policy sets forth
the criteria for determining whether any prior drug use makes
an applicant unsuitable for employment, balancing the needs of
the FBI to maintain a drug-free workplace and the public integrity
necessary to accomplish its law enforcement CRITERIA A. An applicant who has used any illegal drug while employed in any law enforcement or prosecutorial position, or while employed in a position which carries with it a high level of responsibility or public trust, will be found unsuitable for employment. B. An applicant who is discovered to have misrepresented his/her drug history in completing the application will be found unsuitable for employment. C. An applicant who has sold any illegal drug for profit at any time will be found unsuitable for employment. D. An applicant who has used any illegal drug (including anabolic steroids after February 27, 1991), other than marijuana, within the last ten years or more than five times in one's life will be found unsuitable for employment. E. An applicant who has used marijuana within the past three years or more than a total of 15 times in one's life will be found unsuitable for employment. To determine whether you meet the FBI's
drug policy, please answer the following 1) Have you used marijuana at all within the last three years? 2) Have you used marijuana more than a total of 15 times in your life? 3) Have you used any other illegal drug (including anabolic steroids after February 27, 1991) at all in the past 10 years? 4) Have you used any other illegal drug (including anabolic steroids after February 27, 1991) more than a total of five times in your life? 5) Have you ever sold any illegal drug for profit? 6) Have you ever used an illegal drug (no
matter how many times or how long ago) while in a law enforcement
or prosecutorial position, or in a position which carries with
it a high level of responsibility or public trust? Special Agent Transfer Policy The Director of the FBI maintains the authority to transfer any FBI employee when it is in the best interest of the United States Government. All Special Agents are subject to transfer at any time to meet the organizational and program needs of the FBI. FBI Special Agents accept the possibility of transfer as a condition of their employment. Special Agents may be transferred where and when the needs of the FBI may dictate. In this regard the overall needs of the Bureau, to include the assurance that investigatory experience levels are appropriately represented in all field offices, along with budgetary considerations, take precedence. The personal needs and preferences of the Special Agents are considered wherever possible in carrying out the transfer policy.
Special Agent Firearms Policy In 1934, Congress authorized Special Agents of the FBI to carry firearms under Title 18, USC, Section 3052. Special Agents are initially trained at the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia, in all aspects of the use and maintenance of firearms and related equipment under their control. It is not necessary to have prior experience with a firearm. The FBI Academy will provide training in this area. Special Agents must be armed or have immediate access to a firearm at all times when on official duty unless good judgment dictates otherwise. Special Agents may be required to utilize deadly force should circumstances dictate.
Physical Training The job description for a Special Agent of the FBI includes, "...a Special Agent must be fit for strenuous exertion." A Special Agent is often placed in situations that make great demands of his/her physical capacity. In these instances, physical fitness is often the factor that spells the difference between success and failure - even life and death . The Special Agent who lacks the muscular strength and endurance necessary to successfully cope with these situations is not prepared to adequately discharge his/her duties. The prime motivating factors for physical
fitness are pride and a desire for Having the physical proficiency to apply defensive tactic holds and being adept in the use of handcuffs on a passive partner in training does not guarantee success on the job. Minimum levels of strength, flexibility, and endurance are necessary to ensure survival in an arrest situation as well as to enhance the safety of fellow Special Agents, other law enforcement officers, and civilians. For these reasons, the FBI fitness philosophy begins when an individual applies for the Special Agent position and continues through New Agents' training and throughout his/her career. Applicants for the Special Agent position should engage in a regular fitness program to develop and maintain their strength, endurance, agility, aerobic capacity, etc. While attending New Agents' training at
the FBI Academy, New Agent trainees (NATs) receive 77 hours of
physical fitness/defensive tactics training. NATs are given a
fitness test upon entry, mid-training cycle and at the conclusion
of the training cycle. The fitness test comprises a height, weight,
and body fat assessment, pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, a 120-yard
Physical fitness requires commitment. In
addition to the emphasis placed on physical fitness/defensive
tactics at the FBI Academy, the Bureau further supports its commitment
to physical fitness by authorizing Special Agents three one-hour
exercise periods
An applicant's medical history will be reviewed thoroughly and a determination will be made whether any medical issue (or condition) could potentially affect the applicant's ability to perform the basic functions of the Special Agent position. This medical review ensures that each candidate's situation is reviewed on an individual basis. If you have undergone a particular surgical procedure (e.g., radial keratotomy) and/or have some preexisting medical condition (e.g., hypertension), this will require careful review during the physical examination process. You should know that issues/conditions that surface concerning medical reviews may delay the final processing for employment. Although your doctor provides information about your medical condition, it is the FBI's Chief Medical Officer who decides if you are physically able to perform the job. This decision is based on the review of your doctor's findings and the FBI's knowledge of the requirements of the job. The FBI is committed to treating all applicants fairly and equitably in all aspects of our hiring/selection practices. Applicants with Disabilities If you have a disability and require an
accommodation to complete the application process, you should
notify the Applicant Coordinator in the FBI office nearest you,
advise Veterans' Preference To receive veterans' preference, you must have served
on active duty, have been honorably discharged from active duty in the
Armed Forces (US Army, Navy, Air Force, Salary The starting grade level for Special Agents is grade GS 10 plus locality pay (where applicable) . Special Agents are also eligible for an additional 25% law enforcement availability pay after graduation from the FBI Academy. See a current Federal Government salary chart for the GS 10 equivalency. Application Checklist for the Special Agent Position The Application Checklist for the Special Agent Position (FD-869) summarizes all of the specific qualifications that you must be willing and able to meet in order to be eligible for the Special Agent position. See Special Agent Employment/Vacancies, Application Process for the Application Checklist, in pdf format. As an applicant, you are asked to verify, on the form, your receipt and understanding of the application process and the requirements of the Special Agent position. Examples of job requirements include engaging in strenuous and potentially dangerous duties; routinely carrying firearms and using them, as appropriate, in a variety of life-threatening situations, etc. All of the functions listed pertain to requirements considered for effective performance of the Special Agent position. You are asked to check "yes"
or "no" for each checklist item, initial the response,
and |