Skills needed for an intelligence analyst

The main skills that are required for intelligence analysts are as follows:

• Critical thinking skills: Intelligence analysts must have much of critical thinking skills as they need to collect pieces of information from different sources and gather them together to form intelligence information which will be necessary for them.

• Strong statistical skills: They must have strong ability to collect information and they must have zeal in finding information from various sources.

• Communication skills: As communication becomes a very important skill in any kind of profession so as intelligence analyst they must be able to read and write effectively. They need to have good communication skills to analyze information and communicate the same with other intelligence professionals to build information structure.

Who is intelligence analyst what is their job?

Intelligence analysts are trained professionals who perform a detailed analysis and find out research techniques on confidential intelligence information for the development of tactical plans. The maximum number of analysts works for public division including police and the armed force. The work is based on the analysis, skills, appraisal, and the evaluation of secret intelligence they mainly come into existence to prevent crime and protecting public from any threat. They usually gather criminal activity data; gather public records and communication researchers. It is the most respected profession in all over the country and it is one of the important fields in criminal justice. It’s a proven profession that it is quite risky to handle criminal cases without intervene of intelligence analyst.

Their main job is to get a clear picture of the crime that has taken place finding the best appropriate methods to close the issue. While building intelligence images of the crime they need to identify the potential targets and the agents. They need to collect and analyze the information provided by the team members and also work with security of the country to safeguard the nation. They connect pieces of information that is available from different sources like field agents and form reliable reports on criminal activity, anti-terrorism and national security to deal with potential threats. They are usually found working for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies their main duties may range from using digital mapping technology to studying neighborhood patterns in criminal behavior to connecting various data sources that are available and assist investigators in arresting violent criminals and suspected terrorists. Those working for government agencies need security clearance.

Their main responsibility is to create security intelligence from information and data gathered from various foreign sources. With the help of this information they will alert the government and military about the potential threats that may arise in the nation.

• They main responsibility is to build up intelligence pictures and identify prospective targets.
• They need to develop relationship with the customers to perceive and know their intelligence activity requirements.
• They need to assess the believability of the information from the reliable sources collect it and validate intelligence to protect the nation.
• They get together with the team members and their colleagues to get the other piece of information to develop the image.
• They deliver the information to the customers in the form of presentations or in formal reports and brief it to the customers.
• They tend to utilize different analytical techniques and functions to realize and decipher the wide range of information.
• They are required to produce specified analytical materials like crime maps, association charts.
• They gather, distribute and use the intelligence materials in accordance with classification restrictions, policies and procedures, and law.
• They tend to develop a quality of having great facility in a particular area.
• They are required to maintain good working relationships with the public, officers and staff of law enforcement agency.
• They need to have creative mind while developing intelligence images and brief to the customers in the form of presentations.
• They are responsible for keeping track of information in the computer systems.
• They need to keep themselves updated with the latest crime related news.
• It is the responsibility of intelligence analysts to take each and every update from the staff members though they don’t visit criminal scenes.
• They serve as an advisors and train newly hired employees.
• They try to discover new ideas and plans and make the easiest way in finding best solutions for the problems.

Depending on various factors like years of experience, geographical location the salary of intelligence analyst differs according to rules and regulations of each state. Many employers look for the candidates who have three levels of certifications which is considered very important.

• The median average annual income of intelligence analyst is between $50,066 and $74,735 per annum.

• The starting salary of intelligence analyst who is with less than one year of experience is between $40,511 and $59,089 per annum

• Intelligence analyst who are with one to four years of experience earned an average salary of $39,925 and $68,718 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst with five to nine years of experience earned between $53,091and $82,698 per annum.

• The income of Intelligence analyst who are with ten to nineteen years of experience earn between $66,327 and $94,393per annum.

• Intelligence analyst with more than twenty years of experience will get an average income of $75,337 and $104,309 per annum.

The type of employer they work also plays an important role in determining salaries as it mostly depends on the company size and the industry type

Salaries according to employer type and industries

• Intelligence analyst working for information system where they will be dealing with hardware and software information earns the highest salary of $62,902 and $94,356 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working law enforcements earn an average income of $44,815 and $83,390 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working for government makes an average income of $54,955 and $88,413 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working for producers of intelligence and surveillance devices earns an average income of $45,721 and $81,247 per annum.

Salaries according to different states in United States:

• Intelligence analyst working in The District of Columbia can earn an average income of $57,891 and $91,857 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working in Maryland can earn an average income of $49,550 and $89,652 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working in California can earn an average income of $39,210 and $74,117 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working in Texas can earn an average income of $41,050 and $72,619 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working in Washington DC can earn an average income of $57,662 and $91,865 per annum.

• Intelligence analyst working in Virginia can earn an average income of $60,375 and $91,862 per annum.

Educational requirements for intelligence analysts

Intelligence analysts work for public services to keep the law in order to keep the nation safe they acquire, assess and evaluate the secrets of an agencies data. They are expected to understand the needs of the customers regarding intelligence data.

• The minimum educational requirement for becoming intelligence analyst is bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university.

• As most of the employers look for master’s degree they need to complete post-secondary education in any discipline like history, world politics, geography, or any related subjects.

• It is an added advantage if they do degree in criminal psychology, or criminology from an accredited college.

• As most of the times intelligence analysts work for government defense and security or private international security firm’s background checks are very important as a part of application process to become an intelligence analyst.

• Once the candidate has cleared major rounds they will check background including criminal, political, family and psychological.

• Drug tests are also performed as a standard part of application processes both legal and illegal drug test is done.

• Those with undergraduate degree are hired at GS-7 level.

• These professionals help with implementing criminal laws using different scientific tools.

• The common fields for intelligence analysts are electronic surveillance, biometrics, and forensics.

Certifications for intelligence analysts

Certifications and licenses differ for intelligence analysts. These certifications are given based on their level of experience and knowledge and how they can analyze their surroundings.

In most of the state’s employers look for the analysts who have these certifications.

• Entry level certificate in intelligence analysis is given for those who wish to enter into this field, a very broad scope of learning techniques for analyzing raw intelligence, evaluating source believability etc… should be understood by the student and they should be able to differentiate between signal and noise.
• The main objective students will be understanding after completion of this entry level certificate are, they need to prove a systematic approach to critical thinking, differentiate between good and bad arguments, making the differences and resemblances between intelligence writing and intellectual professions etc…
• Courses covered in this certification program are, Introduction to critical thinking and logic, writing for intelligence professionals, introduction to analysis, open source research etc…
• The second level of certification is the mid-level certificate in intelligence analysis, this is given for the students who have experience and already through with entry level certification here the matters covered are intelligence ethics, privacy issues, and the changes in intelligence community.
• The main objective students will be understanding after completion of this certification are they compare and differentiate intelligence disciplines and demonstrate the tradecraft used for each operation, they need to describe and contract analytical products and their value to policy makers in public and private sectors.
• The courses covered in the certification program are advanced intelligence operations, advanced intelligence practicum, advanced open source intelligence, counterterrorism analysis.
• The third level of certification is the senior level certificate in intelligence analysis. This is given to those who want to understand the finer points of advanced analysis. Here students will learn how to weigh a variety of factors influencing how a political situation will develop.
• The main objective students will be understanding after completion of this certification are applying analytical tools, analyze propaganda for intelligence content, defining leadership factors and principles of organizational behavior , recognizing different analytical paradigms in modern political science.