tribble0001

Much like the process with MI5 & MI6, but they advertise in the likes of The Times & The Guardian. They like people with university background to apply. I have a friend who works at GCHQ, they didn't mind people knowing you work there. Just don't tell them what you do.

Bit late to the party but how secretive do you need to be to friends & family about being in the CIA?

I have a friend who used to be in MI5. Now he's similarly an analyst for the Metropolitan Police he can be more open about where he works, just not what he's doing.

I dated a stripper for quite a few months many years ago. It didn't bother me but she began to develop a problem with being in a committed relationship and taking her clothes off for other men. One night I turned up at a club she had been booked to work at. I knew she had a job that night, but not where.

One of the bouncers gave a guy a slap for trying to chat her up at the bar. I walk over and she's like "Oh my god! What are you doing here? He was just.." I told her not to worry, guys will be guys.

Eventually she realised for her it would either mean giving up work or giving up me and the job paid really well so we parted ways on good terms.

Grenadier or Coldstream Guards?

When MI5/6 advertise in the The Times it always says "do not tell anyone your are applying for this job" which always struck me as being slightly difficult, "I'm just travelling to London, 100s of miles away for a random reason".

I am very good at keeping secrets though. I know two people who work at GCHQ, I know they work there but no idea (sort of do) what they do exactly.

I suppose as a "spy" lying and keeping secrets is par of the course.