Most of my friends know I have a long-standing fascination with James Bond films. Many are also aware that, while at Yale, I interviewed for and was offered internships at the CIA and NSA. At the time, as I was running my own company, I was unable to take either job. However, during this first year out of college, I’ve been doing some serious soul-searching, and have realized that my interest in the field of diplomatic intelligence is still quite strong.

Because of that, about three months back, I contacted the CIA’s CST division-head here in New York. He was tremendously helpful in setting up interviews and the battery of tests required, and provided a lot of guidance as to the reality of working in intelligence. Two weeks ago, the time invested paid off, as I was offered the job of Operations Officer, Technology Specialty. On the one hand, I was thrilled, as a field agent job was exactly what I had hoped to qualify for; on the other, I wasn’t entirely sure that I was ready to put my tech and film careers on hold, if even temporarily. Additionally, I’ve really enjoyed living here in New York, and as an Operations Officer I would have to relocate to Washington, D.C., with likely extended periods of stay in foreign countries as well.

After careful consideration and discussion with several of my mentors, I’ve decided to accept the job. While I’ve lost a lot of sleep in the decision, I’m confident that it’s the right choice for me at this point in my life. Most likely, I’ll only be doing it for a two to three year period, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I figure now is the best possible time, before I sink my roots too deeply in any location.

In any case, I’ll continue working in my current jobs through the end of July, with an August 15th start date at the CIA. I’ll be posting additional details over the next few weeks, but look forward to discussing this with friends, family, and any interested online readers in the meantime.