How hard is it to get into the Secret Service?

Getting a job with the U.S. Secret Service is far from easy, as the selection process is extremely competitive. Candidates must have either a college degree or a combination of college and law enforcement work experience, with a background in criminal investigation.

What percent of applicants get into the Secret Service?

According to the Secret Service, about one in every 100 applicants makes it through the agency's intense vetting process to become a recruit.

What disqualifies you from being a Secret Service agent?

The Secret Service background investigation includes a criminal history check, credit and financial status check, work history verification, and past employer interviews. If you have past-due debts, student loan defaults, prior felony arrests or past drug use, you may be disqualified from the employment process.

Is it easy to become a secret agent?

Getting a job with the U.S. Secret Service can be challenging and positions are often highly competitive. Higher education and training are required.

What are the requirements to be in the Secret Service?

What New Secret Service Recruits Go Through At Boot Camp

Can you have tattoos in Secret Service?

The Secret Service prohibits special agents from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand, and fingers (any area below the wrist bone).

Do Secret Service agents travel a lot?

Not only are the men and women of the Secret Service serving the country by helping to protect the nation's leaders and financial systems, but in the process, agents are required to travel a lot and are exposed to people and places that most people can only dream of.

Is the Secret Service a good job?

The job is pretty good overall and relatively simple. I enjoy the job and the prestige that comes with it. I do feel we are under paid and that overtime should not be the main reason we are "paid well" . We are highly trained and the mission is the most important thing in the world.

How long is the Secret Service hiring process?

Typically, a full background investigation takes approximately six to nine months to complete. During this time, a wide range of information is verified.

Is being a spy a real job?

Although being a spy is not like film or TV depictions, it is a job that dedicated and skilled individuals can pursue if they want to help their country. Several government agencies employ intelligence officers, meaning there are multiple career paths.

At what age do Secret Service agents retire?

Special agents with 20 years of federal law enforcement service are eligible to retire at age 50. Agents with 25 or more years of service are eligible for retirement, regardless of age. Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) includes a basic benefit, thrift savings plan and Social Security.

How old can a Secret Service agent be?

What are the requirements to be considered for the special agent position in the U.S. Secret Service? Must be at least 21 years of age at time of application and younger than 37 at the time of receipt of a conditional offer of employment to continue in the application process.

How long do Secret Service agents serve?

How long do former presidents receive Secret Service protection after they leave office? In 1965, Congress authorized the Secret Service (Public Law 89-186) to protect a former president and his/her spouse during their lifetime, unless they decline protection.

Why do Secret Service wear suits?

Why do some agents wear suits and others wear uniforms? Special agents, the ones you usually see with the President, do not wear uniforms. This helps the agents blend in with crowds so that they are not easily detectable.

Why do Secret Service hold their jackets?

As noted in the Obama- and Hillary-Protect series, their Secret Service candidate-protective agents hold their hands at waist height, particularly in crowds, but also when standing guard. Presumably this allows quick action against hands of attackers or to draw weapons.

How much a Secret Service agent makes?

The salaries of Secret Service Special Agents in the US range from $19,348 to $511,652 , with a median salary of $93,717 . The middle 57% of Secret Service Special Agents makes between $93,727 and $232,721, with the top 86% making $511,652.

Can you have social media in the Secret Service?

The Secret Service has formally adopted new policies on the use of alcohol and social media, banning excessive drinking and the sharing of work-related information on sites including Facebook five months after more than a dozen employees were accused of drunken partying with prostitutes in Colombia.

How do I pass the Secret Service interview?

During the interview, make frequent eye contact with the interviewer, sit up straight and avoid nervous fidgeting. Try to crack a smile once in a while. When you're speaking, keep your voice even and use good grammar and appropriate language.

What happens if you fail Secret Service polygraph?

If he ever wants to apply for another government job, he'll have to admit to failing the Secret Service's polygraph — a black mark that will likely disqualify him from federal employment for life.

Can Secret Service have facial hair?

Facial Hair 1. Sideburns a. will be neatly trimmed to one-half inch in length, not bushy or shaggy in appearance; b. may not extend below the lowest part of the ear; c. will be a constant width of no more than one and one-half inches (not flared); and d. will end with a clean-shaven, horizontal line.

Are Secret Service agents highly trained?

The core curriculum is augmented with extensive training in marksmanship, control tactics, water survival skills and physical fitness. Secret Service agents receive continuous advanced training throughout their careers.

What is life like as a secret agent?

Secret Service agents spend a lot of time together, so sometimes they feel like family members and close friends. In fact, agents may spend more time with colleagues than actual relatives. The men and women who serve occasionally form intimate bonds with the individuals they protect, too.

What is a typical day as a Secret Service agent?

While assigned to field offices, special agents are normally assigned to work a 40-hour (normal business) workweek (e.g., 9:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday. Due to the receipt of LEAP, special agents usually work an average of two additional hours per day.

How many female Secret Service agents are there?

Of those employed, seven of 45 special agents in charge of field offices are women, as are four deputy assistant directors out of 20. The chief of staff is a woman. About 25 percent of the whole workforce is female.

How many Secret Service agents protect the president?

Only about 3,600 of the 7,000-plus USSS employees are the stern-looking bodyguards (known as special agents) that protect the president and other select government officials.