Decision-making is crucial. It can’t be ruled out without in-depth thought. It needs an expert to analyse and interpret all of the data to make strategic calls. They’re intelligence analysts. These days, someone with those skills is much needed, mainly in the government and business sectors. So, are you a great analytical thinker and interested in intelligence analyst jobs? If yes, then this article is for you.
The demand for analysts is rising. One of the main causes is the growth of technology in this era. Sadly, advanced technology is followed by rising threats. As a result, the demand for this job is growing, mostly in the national security, defence, cyber, and finance sectors. In this article, there are explanations about what those are and how you become one.
What are the intelligence analyst jobs?
Intelligence analyst jobs are careers that involve gathering, analysing, evaluating, and interpreting all of the valuable data. Further, that data will be useful as a support for strategy creation or risk mitigation. In addition, all of them must have some basic skills to thrive in every sector, such as these:
- Analytical thinking
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Confidence in your judgement
- Attention to detail
- Mastery of some IT applications
- Strength, sensitivity, and empathy
- Ability to work as a team
- Report drafting with simple writing
Intelligence analyst responsibilities
The role is to help an organisation to gain valuable insight from the important data. Professionals who work in intelligence analyst jobs mostly use many methods and supporting tools to check more findings. In addition, they often worked with other teams to think about strategies. Even though the exact roles of this job differ based on the sector, their daily roles include:
- Data collection: They are tasked to gather all kinds of data from many sources for analysis.
- Data analysis: Once all of the data is gathered and curated, they begin an analysis process to find trends and cycles that might bring threats.
- Validity review: After data has been analysed and interpreted, they need to validate factual accuracy.
- Analytical recommendation: Give practical suggestions to all of the stakeholders with a well-written report.
- Operational support: They keep track of the strategy creation process and contribute with real-time analysis.
Various types of intelligence analyst jobs
As stated before, almost all sectors in this era need analysts. Governments, businesses, the military, cyber agencies, and other organisations often rely on them to give clear insight. For anyone who wants to become an analyst, it’s important to be aware of the types there are. This way, you’ll know which one suits you the most.
The following are some types of intelligence analyst jobs. It’s a field with vast specialisations available, so pick one that piques your interest the most! It’ll keep your motivation up even after working many years on this path.
Government security analyst
As its name implies, this type works with government agencies like MI6, the FBI, or the CIA. Their main focus is to help national security through data analysis from many sources. Government analysts track all of the data and give strategic ideas to prevent national security threats. Normally, these jobs prioritise risk mitigation.
Business analyst
Businesses also need analysts to grow their companies. Far different from the last type, a business analyst is more bound to a company's profit. They are required to monitor trends in the industry, evaluate a list of risks for a company, and analyse competitors. For your record, these types of intelligence analyst jobs are in high demand in varied job portals.
Financial analyst
The financial industry has complex systems and is at risk for fraud. So, it’s not shocking that they need analysts to avoid that matter. They are tasked to find out the wary cycles that show illegal transactions. Plus, they also have to detect money laundering, theft, or other money crimes.
Cyber analyst
As stated before, the growth of technology also brings a negative impact to every part, even cyber security. Hence, now there are analysts that focus on the digital world. They analyse any suspicious activity and counter all cyber attacks. Also, they monitor hacking threats while giving strategic solutions to raise cyber security.
Geospatial analyst
If you're good at geography, maybe this kind of analyst role suits you the most. They are in charge of giving analytics reports using their geographic or regional skills. They use satellite imagery, environmental factors, and the Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyse geographic and spatial data. Normally, this type works with the government to support security and commercial sectors.
Requirements for an intelligence analyst
Now you have learnt about intelligence analyst jobs. The next question is: How do you become one? No matter what kind of analyst you choose, the standards in this field are mostly the same. You must have a degree, and then go with getting professional qualifications, and after that, take some specialised training to gain more experience. Scroll down for more details:
1. Get a relevant degree
Education is one of the basic needs that you should have to become an analyst. You must have a relevant degree in criminology, international relations, computer science, political science, or information technology to work in this field. Those degrees themselves have a science field that gives you vital insights about intelligence analyst jobs.
2. Consider taking certifications
Combining a relevant degree with some of the specialised certifications is helpful. It’s no longer a secret that certifications are more needed to show individuals' abilities these days. But you don’t have to worry, as today, you can find many certifications online that are relevant to your interest in having a career as an analyst. There are a few examples of certifications in this field based on Indeed, such as:
- Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)
- Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP)
- Criminal Intelligence Certified Analyst (CICA)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSP)
3. Take training to gain experiences
Bad news, a degree and certifications don’t guarantee you get intelligence analyst jobs. Most of the time, companies still want you to have experience in a similar field or specialisation. Hence, you can try to apply as a volunteer first or take training in courses that give real-world experiences in this field.
4. Get a postgraduate degree
Once you have a career in this field, sooner or later, you will need a master's degree. Not only will it boost your skills and knowledge, but a master's degree can also advance your career. So, consider getting postgraduate education to make it easier for you to get high-level spots in the future.
Final Thoughts
Intelligence analyst jobs are in high demand in this technology era. For anyone keen on the pursuit of this career, taking the time to get ready is ideal. More than that, there are many types in this field that you can pick to align with your interests. Don’t forget that you still need certifications and online courses to prove your skills in some way.
If you are unsure where to start, the College of Contract Management is the perfect place. The CCM has a lot of courses that can help grow your skills as an analyst, directly from the experts. As a result, you will gain qualifications and real-world experiences in certain fields. So, why wait any longer? Explore the CCM site now!
