DENVER, Colorado — The FBI is looking to recruit Special Agents with more varied backgrounds and experiences.
On Aug. 1, 2019, the agency will host an invitation-only event for qualified applicants. The organization will identify the candidates - from those who apply on the FBI’s website by searching for “DAR Denver Talent Network" -and then extend an invitation.
Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips explained it's an "opportunity for serious candidates to come and learn about the FBI."
The event also presents the FBI with an opportunity to practice one of its pillars: diversity. Internal FBI employment statistics obtained by 9Wants to Know shows that less than a quarter of special agents are either minorities or women. From 2015 to 2019, there have been small hiring increases in both categories.
"The FBI is embracing that as one of our core values and making sure that we are able to serve our communities as best we can and we are a reflection of the communities that we serve," Applicant Coordinator Za Smith-Berthe told 9NEWS.
FBI representatives said a gap the organization is trying to fill is the lack of female special agents. In 2019, while women account for half of the country's population, they represent only 20.5% of Special Agents in the FBI.
In 2015, FBI Special Agents were 19.5% female.
"We could definitely use more female agents. They really bring skill sets to the table, different perspective, different mindset," Special Agent in Charge Phillips told 9NEWS. “It’s an incredible career. I wish more women would consider it.”
Smith-Berthe has been with the bureau for 12 years and is raising two children. She credits her “amazing” career to the flexibility of the organization, but that many potential women recruits don’t understand that option.
“I would say that in my experience that’s probably the biggest obstacle for some women is understanding that there’s a way to balance that and still give 100% to your family and 100% to this mission,” she said.
Smith-Berthe said part-time roles could be the answer for those on the fence.
The FBI is also looking to recruit minorities.
According to 2018 data from the US Census Bureau, nearly 40% of the national population fits this description.
But in the FBI, minorities account for only 18.57% of Special Agents in 2019. That’s a bump of more than two percent from 16.5% in 2015.
Phillips told 9NEWS that the Bureau is working to change that and hopes to show through robust recruiting efforts that the FBI is a “great” place to work.
“I think if more people learned about how incredible this organization is to work for, whether you’re male or female, whether you’re Hispanic, African American, white, Asian, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “This is an amazing place to work.”
The FBI said an increased range in backgrounds tends to lead to more successful missions.
Smith-Berthe told 9NEWS that "studies show that the more diverse the population that you have in a room making a decision, the better those decisions turn out to be."
The goal is not to change demographics but "to be reflective and inclusive in our pool of people" Smith-Berthe said.
The FBI is also looking for people with different backgrounds and experiences.
"We’re not just looking for one type of agent. There is no typical agent. We come in all shapes and sizes from all different backgrounds and all different experiences. All of those are very valid when we get into those rooms and we’re making decisions on how to best serve our community," Smith-Berthe told 9NEWS.
To qualify, applicants must be within 23 and 36 years of age and have either a Bachelor's degree with two years of experience or a Master's degree with one year of experience.
The FBI says it is looking to hire over 1,000 agents in the next fiscal year.
Phillips said finding applicants without a history of drug use in Colorado, where marijuana is legal, can be a problem. However, those that apply are usually “serious enough” that the issues become the various vetting tests and not drugs.
“There is a little bit of a challenge to that,” he said. “We want particularly younger folks who haven’t tried it yet to know that message... Most people recognize the drug issue upfront and they probably don’t apply if it’s an issue for them.”
Administrative Specialist in Human Resources & Recruiting Michelle Fehringer told 9NEWS the Bureau expects 30,000 people to apply. That many would account for those that can make it through the background checks and the rigorous physical and mental tests.
Applications go through Smith-Berthe until hopefuls are selected for training in Quantico. She said candidates don’t just need hard skills, they need drive.
“If you are the kind of person [for whom] failure is not an option, who you are bound and determined to get to a resolution, this is absolutely the place for you,” Smith-Berthe said.
She said the difficult application process prepares recruits for the tough job.
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