Several students attended the FBI recruitment session on Wednesday at the Texas Tech University Career Center, and many of them raised their hands to become a future special agent. 

“I’ve had experience with the FBI before going to the teen academy, so I hope to at least be in the resident agencies here in Lubbock and I can use that degree towards counseling or possibly negotiating or something along those lines,” Brianna Harris, a junior at Texas Tech studying social work, said. “To help along or with the troubled youth who are involved in the FBI or have some run-ins with the FBI, I’d like to be that voice for them, help them out.”

With all the new investigative shows like FBI on CBS, and so many others, many may watch those shows and think that their career could be just as adventurous. But, in reality, FBI special agents and professionals have a different reason to take on the job.

“I tell them that there’s media FBI and there’s reality FBI,” FBI Special Agent Patricia Ortiz said. “Although a lot of it is similar, we do a lot of those things, it’s just not every day. Reality may not be as glamorous as what you see on TV, but it’s wonderful work. Every day is different, and you’re doing good for the American people.”

Ortiz said that when she joined the FBI, it wasn’t as glamorized as it is today in movies and TV.

But the FBI is in search of full-time colleges students and those nearing graduation to begin their careers early. 

“Next year, we’re looking to hire 900 special agents and about 500 professional staff,” Ortiz said. “We like to come to the schools and we want to bring our employees in young, as interns, so that we can train them and it’s a paid internship and they’re exposed to all different parts of the FBI and we pique their interests and hope that after their internship that they want to stay with us, and perhaps long-term goal to be a special agent or not if they want to be a professional staff, that’s fine, we just want them.”

The commitment is significant, beginning with a competitive and in-depth application and interview process. But, the reward is intense training, education and preparation for a long-term career. 

Ortiz explains, “One day, we may have them help us with trial exhibits and watch how we testify in court. The next day we may take them out to the firing range and show them the different guns that we use. Another day we may take them with the bomb tech and show them how our robots work, and if it’s a suspicious package how we may blow it up. we may even let them hit the button.”

“I’m hoping to actually apply this year, so I can get my foot in the door, so I can be at the top of the list, or at least on the list, for the collegiate hiring,” said Harris.

It’s important to remember that there are a number of professions to consider within the FBI, and those who are interested should not hesitate to take a step toward working for the FBI.

“So, first you just have to be a full-time college student, and able to work the 10-week summer internship that goes from June to August. We’re recruiting right here for next summer. And the reason why we do that is because everyone who works for us, including our internships, have top-secret security clearance and it takes a while for us to do a background. So, everybody that works for us has to go through that same process. That’s why we’re starting early. The deadline closes October the 14th, so they’ve got to get their documents in so we can decide who we’re gonna interview. It doesn’t matter what their degree is in as long as they’re full-time students. The FBI can use them in some capacity,” said Ortiz.