The U.S. Secret Service is a national security organization protecting our country’s leaders, foreign heads of state, the nation’s financial infrastructure. They also patrol and secure national events. Becoming a member of the Service requires long hours of hard work and lots of dedication. These distinguished government jobs are taken very seriously. The Service’s rigorous application and training process will separate the not-so-interested from the committed! Are you look for a rewarding career in public service? Perhaps you want to travel and represent your country. Or, maybe you’re physically active, a natural-born leader, and enjoy investigative work. If so, read on to learn more! Careers in the Secret Service Special Agents / Criminal Investigators – The Secret Service offers 1-5 field office position options. As a Special Agent, you are doing investigative and protective work, and rotating locations across the country throughout your career (most of the time, including Washington, D.C.). Uniform Division Officers – This job is all about protecting government buildings in the nation’s capital. Officers enforce code, control access points, and provide support to President. Applicants would ideally live in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Internships – Along with full-time roles, the Service maintains a robust internship program each year. Some application requirements include being a U.S. Citizen, being currently enrolled at a university, and maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA. Students with diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply; no specific major is sought-after. Here are some tricks of the trade for being stand-out candidate, right from Secret Service recruiting officers themselves:
- Apply at least 6 months in advance (the background check takes a while to process)
- Research the history of the Secret Service at secretservice.gov
- Make sure the role is a match for you! Get good grades and have relevant work experiences. Government positions is favored, but volunteering, part-time jobs, clubs, and experiences that build a diverse background are looked highly upon too. Strong computer skills and speaking another language increase your visibility as an applicant as well.
- For the interview, DRESS PROFESSIONALLY and show up early! Bring neatly printed copies of your resume.
Interested in applying? Find these positions under “Jobs” in Handshake. For more information on this career and others in government, schedule an appointment with your career coach! Reach out to Samantha Karpiloff (skarpiloff@mercy.edu) or Allen Rossetti (arossetti1@mercy.edu).
