Servers bog down "historic" FBI hiring spree

The FBI this week said it was embarking on a major hiring binge [1] - almost 3,000 jobs - but the response to the openings has apparently overwhelmed to agency's servers.

Currently if you go to the FBI's Careers [2] page you get this message: Based on the overwhelming response to our Hiring Initiative, the applicant hiring system is being enhanced to facilitate more efficient processing of your application and will be available shortly. The deadline for applications will be extended to accommodate this brief interruption.

You can get to some of the jobs via the USAJOBS.com [3] Web site.

The FBI [4] said the hiring blitz is one of the largest in its 100 year history and it plans to employ all manner of workers from agents and IT professionals to language specialists and records management workers.  Initially most of the openings would accept applications until Jan. 16 but that deadline has been extended.

According to the FBI all of its positions require at least a Top Secret security clearance and all applicants must undergo a thorough background investigation.

As for agents, the FBI said it will recruit from come from a broad range of educational disciplines and professions; however, it has special needs for candidates with critical skills in the following areas: foreign language (Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Pashto, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, Somali, Vietnamese, etc.), computer science/information technology, engineering, intelligence, law, law enforcement, military, and physical sciences.

The FBI recently expanded [5] Internet access, collaborative e-mail, messaging systems and database sharing to bolster its crime fighting and intelligence gathering techniques of the  future. The technology discussion is part of the  bureau's sometimes controversial plans to become a more advanced intelligence gathering agency. 

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