Our professionals play critical roles in preempting threats and furthering national security objectivesfrom working against terrorism and cyber-attacks to preventing the spread of biological weapons and more. Hence, the mental pressure can be enormous for insurance agents and you should not underestimate the stress that comes along with it. Not everybody can handle this. You don't necessarily have to work full-time. Others are emotionally scarred by such encounters. The CIA was instructing M in techniques the Americans used to recruit KGB intelligence officers who might know about penetrations inside the US intelligence community. As an insurance agent, you can rather work in a cozy office where you will even have air conditioning or heating to make your time at work as convenient as possible. The meeting with Wolf lasted about an hour. Sure, not all insurance agents will make decent money and some of them may even struggle to pay their bills. When I joined a long time ago, we were encouraged not even to tell your partner. The lobby of the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. CIA operations officers, though, serve on the front lines of what the CIA blandly calls "human intelligence collection." In later years, he would ask himself these questions repeatedly. His wife did not know the details of his spying, but she was aware of the many trips he made behind the Iron Curtain to meet his Stasi handlers. You cant do anything and you are absolutely powerless. To be a successful operations officer in the CIA, you must always be able to deal with fast-moving, ambiguous and unstructured situations. In turn, you can become a real expert in your field and will have an easy time convincing people that you will be able to find the best insurance products for them. Having an advanced degree can be helpful for most positions, and in many instances, is required, although the CIA also offers its own relevant undergraduate programs. The CIA Eligibility Requirements Are Flexible The requirements of some accounting certifications, such as the CPA and CFA, are very demanding and very strict. Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. He also communicated with them through dead drops (pre-arranged sites where both parties could leave messages, money or documentation) and written or oral messages. Creative agencies are not for everybody. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Masters degree in Economics. Now that weve covered the downsides, we can start talking about the various advantageous of working at a creative agency. This surprised him. Many hardworking advertising professionals often feel underpaid compared to the long hours they work. I was naked, tied to a hard chair with handcuffs. That was a shock. If a target is in a very stressful or frightening position, for instance, the first person they talk to who shows them kindness and compassion is in a great position to glean information. It was very much like a [John] le Carr novel. It is also clear, however, that traumatic memories from that period continue to be a considerable burden to him. In most cases, a CIA field agent operating clandestinely is a spy and subject to detention,. Finally, in early 1990 less than a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall the HVA cancelled a meeting abruptly, and that concluded his career as a double agent. Use Asana to define and schedule tasks, assign tasks to co-workers and check them when done. How China combined authoritarianism with capitalism to create a new communism, What my 20 years in Afghanistan taught me about the Taliban and how the west consistently underestimates them, Embracing uncertainty: what Kenyan herders can teach us about living in a volatile world. I had interesting contacts. That is the old service though. Feel inferior to people who are still smarter. Even better, there is no real upper-income limit for real estate agents. Was there a suspicion on the part of the HVA, based on a lead from a KGB mole in the CIA? Their behaviour was rough, to say the least. Creative agencies allow you the luxury to bounce ideas off colleagues. You can build a strong network. Understanding - an agent might not fully understand your product or service and you may be better off with hands-on control. Photograph: Alamy, arry Ferguson is a former MI6 intelligence officer and was an undercover agent for the National Investigation Service (NIS). In other words, his interrogators seemed to lack proof. He currently owns and operates a vending business. The media and communication industry is infamous for its low salaries. Some people may shrug these types of experiences off and go on without missing a beat. M was tasked by the CIA to analyse the behaviour of his East German handlers using these techniques. I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice. In fact, you will consult many different people each day and this means that you will get in touch with many different characters. At another meeting with Wolfgang and Heinz in the East, I received all kinds of special treats because I had gotten married six months earlier [in 1970]. You can expect a fast-paced lifestyle filled with deadlines, demanding clients, and confusing projects. Operations officer 2. They prove that he had also been a Stasi agent. Several times after Ms return from the Eastern Bloc, she was the one who made a phone call to transmit a pre-arranged coded message to the CIA, implying that M had come back safely. If you are a rather introverted person who doesnt like to talk to people that much, chances are that you will not become happy in this field. But it is emotionally crushing for officers in the secret services and you can never really share that guilt with anybody. This puts a lot of pressure on a creative. M felt used and alone when his career ended. The possibility of treason from within the CIA became an obsession. You can work indoors. Insurance companies may also set pretty ambitious goals for you which you have to meet. How Much Money Does a Lieutenant Make in the Marine Corps? In fact, good insurance products are crucial so that people are covered in case of emergency. Disadvantages of being an Insurance Agent Stress and pressure to sell. Call center agents can avoid physical work. Everything is organized on customizable boards. And, depending on your position, it can even put your life in danger. As an insurance agent, you will also be able to work for many different insurance companies and can also sell many different products. M was from a working-class background. Initially, Dutch security tasked him with infiltrating local extremist organisations, both on the left and right, that were part of international networks. Either way, the interrogation ended suddenly and bizarrely. When M finally got access to his BVD file in the mid-2010s, he was not allowed to make notes or copies. (Source: PayScale). I was in my final year at Oxford University when my tutor came to me one day and said: "What are you thinking of doing with your career?" But suddenly, in 1988, Ms relationship with Wolfgang and Heinz cooled. What are your experiences? Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, I knew the job wasnt going to be James Bond but I was curious to know more. You will also be able to build a strong network as an insurance agent. The job can strain your family life and psyche. 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While some insurance companies require a college degree, others only require a high school diploma. In fact, there are hundreds if not thousands of insurance products you can sell in many different niches like car insurance, health insurance, life insurance and so on. Litigation attorney 5. Knowing someone else was imprisoned, tortured or killed because you didn't do your job properly is a terrible burden. The full names of Wolfgang and Heinz also appear in publications by the Stasi archives in Berlin, and a man said to be Koch even appears in a photograph in a book on the history of the Stasi. This is not how they should treat people that have worked for them for so many years. Some people may shrug these types of experiences off and go on without missing a beat. M was supplied with a number of fake passports to carry out his undercover work. One problem with being an insurance agent is that you will often have to sell insurance products you actually dont believe in. As an insurance agent, you can avoid those issues, at least if you are financially responsible and dont waste your money on things you actually dont need instead of investing it in senseful investment projects. All candidates must have a security clearance, which requires a background check that combs through your educational, criminal, credit and employment history. Thus, if you want to make really good money, you should become a doctor or lawyer instead. Whether its playing games on the Wii, drinking beer from the tap, or getting a little too creative at after work parties, creatives know how to have fun. In such a case, you may have to sell products you dont fully understand to your clients and you may therefore suffer from a pretty bad conscience in the long run. In fact, you will have a huge advantage in the job market if you have good contacts to people who work in many different companies since they can tell you when positions are going to be vacated and you can therefore apply before other people do and will have much better chances to get the job. Another benefit of working as an insurance agent is that you will also be able to work with many different clients. And if somebody would arrive from the opposite direction, they would push your face against the wall It was overwhelming, to put it mildly. In my day, however, you could simply print a passport, hop on a plane and arrive. The Hohenschnhausen Memorial in Berlin, a former Stasi prison. Stars on the CIA memorial wall are unnamed, though, and the accompanying "Book of Honor" doesn't list some officers. Now advances in technology mean maintaining people's covers has become a specialist area and it is a much more sophisticated operation. For instance, trains cannot just stop operating just because it is Saturday or Sunday. You may even be able to afford some luxury and some insurance agents even make a six-figure income. During the cold war, the KGB, of course, worked very closely with the Stasi. Especially on days where you will not have client meetings, there will often not be the need to commute to the office. CIA operations officers must also be able to obtain security clearances. Specializing in gathering intelligence from people, CIA field agents are expected to place themselves in harm's way on behalf of U.S. interests. How honest is he? Also, I would have put myself in a vulnerable position with the East Germans by saying yes. In other words, M always had to be on guard in his dealings with the Stasi, even with his friends Wolfgang and Heinz. The main benefits of using a commercial agent to sell your goods are: Some of the downsides of using commercial agents are: For more information on how we use your data, read ourprivacy policy. Real estate agents can set their own schedules. Starting late doesnt mean you work less. Working in an agency requires you to work hard and overcome difficult challenges. Even though you may be able to make a decent living from what you are doing, you will still not get rich as an insurance agent. Working on commission, they earn part of a property's sale price. At an agency, all of that is taken care of for you. Pros. Officers may have to adjust to changes in the government policies and and funding. Now and again, the work of the secret service really counts and they are the moments you look for. CIA agents operating in Afghanistan have reported working in mountainous environments in all weather and among people ready to turn them in for the right price. Cost - using a network of agents can be a. The CIA instructed M to observe the behaviour of Wolfgang and Heinz because the Stasi and KGB collaborated closely. His obsessive interest in spies, agents and treason is striking. This story is part of Conversation Insights Creative Agencies balance a plethora of projects simultaneously. This can be problematic, especially if you just dont look trustworthy at all and are just not born with a sympathetic aura. This is a disadvantage that doesn't affect everyone equally. Career Bliss: Average Central Intelligence Agency Special Agent Salaries. Founded in 2010, Thought Catalog is owned and operated by The Thought & Expression Company, Inc. For over a decade, we've been at the bleeding edge of media, pioneering an infrastructure for creatives to flourish both artistically and financially. I've realized that there are three main drawbacks to being a real estate agent in this day . As a creative in an advertising agency, you are expected to come up with great ideas on a regular base. Quick promotions are guaranteed to those who shine. Since you will have free weekends, holidays and also work standard workweeks without having to work many extra hours, most insurance agents also report a pretty good work-life balance in general. When considering a career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or other law enforcement agency, it is beneficial to understand the potential hazards and disadvantages that one may encounter on the job and throughout a career. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. Depending on your job, agencies are known to be lenient when it comes to dress code. Agencies pay creatives on average $40,000 to $60,000, which is more than most freelancers earn. Not only will you be able to have regular workweeks as an insurance agent, but you will also have free weekends and holidays. But you have to balance that out with the buzz of working in the secret world. M has avidly documented everything that happened to him, including correspondence, some of it fairly recent, with the three services. Might get to have a cool job like doctor/astronaut/CIA agent. Over a period of more than 20 years, from the late 1960s until the end of the cold war, the HVA considered M their agent and he gave the East Germans information much of it acquired through the multinational he worked for. You can make decent money as an insurance agent, You will not have to work on weekends or holidays, Insurance agents have the privilege of working indoors, You can help people make better decisions regarding insurance, Good job if you like to sell things to people, Insurance agents can build a strong business network, Becoming an insurance agent can also help you in your private life, Disadvantages of Working as an Insurance Agent, You have to sell products you dont believe in, Insurance agents dont have a high social standing, Your success as an insurance agent depends on your trustworthiness, Rather questionable future job prospects for insurance agents, Working as an insurance agent may become boring in the long run, Some insurance companies require you to get a college degree, You may not even understand the products you sell, Top 10 Being an Insurance Agent Pros & Cons Summary List, salary, future outlook, duties, job satisfaction, working hours, work-life balance and educational requirements of insurance agents, 10 Things To Do After Failing A Computer Science Degree, 10 Smart Things To Do After Failing An Art Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing An Economics Degree, 18 Things To Do After Failing Your Communication Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Education Degree, 19 Things To Do After Failing Your Engineering Degree, 19 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Biology Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Psychology Degree, 18 Smart Things To Do After Failing Your Business Degree, 33 Key Pros & Cons Of Being A Casino Dealer, 31 Key Pros & Cons Of Being An Underwriter, 30 Noble Pros & Cons Of Working For A Hedge Fund, 32 Nerdy Pros & Cons Of Being A Data Scientist, 31 Key Pros & Cons Of Being A Loan Officer. And then suddenly, all this ended, and I was sitting at home. Agencies exist solely to serve their clients. That career would go on to provide excellent cover for his clandestine work, as it involved a lot of international travel. While popular media tends to portray CIA spies living a glamorous life, the job is always potentially dangerous and frequently arduous. He was then taken to another safe house where he was given an award: a Golden Distinguished Service Medal of the National Peoples Army (Verdienstmedaille der Nationalen Volksarmee). Increased ability to get high and fuck around through all of college vs. having to study to maintain average GPA. No matter the position, when you are working at CIA you are contributing to the work of a nation at the center of intelligence. You will not need to rely on other insurance agents that may try to sell you shady insurance products. If you learn what drives people, you will have a much easier time, not only at work but also on various other occasions in your life. Contract - they can be entitled to compensation on termination of the contract even if they breached the agreement. I knew very little really. Quite often, you will sell insurance products to influential people who are in leading positions in their companies. In fact, if you are able to get a job at one of the big insurance companies, chances are that you will be able to enjoy plenty of leisure while still making decent money at the same time. He added: You become totally demoralised. After completing his secondary education in the Netherlands, he spent a year at a high school in the US which proved to be a formative experience. Thus, no job is the same and job descriptions may not completely fit your individual experiences. Can invent something cool, have a legacy. ], they snap. These are the words of double agent M, who operated for the Dutch security service and the CIA against the East German Stasi for 22 years. This means that you can meet up with your friends or spend your leisure on your hobbies. Ability to get high and fuck around hampered by increased ability to conceive of consequences. Consequently, if the message spreads that you sell dodgy insurance policies, you may no longer be able to work in this field and may have to go for another career path instead, even though your intention might have been good. The male bonding and the toasting were over and their body language had changed. We visited nightclubs or a museum in Leipzig, we went for rides In Budapest we went to those hot baths on [Margaret Island].. As an employee, the client needs to be your number one concern as well. In some cases, using an agent can be a cost-effective way to test a new market. Some insurance products are also such complicated that you may not even understand the mechanics behind them. In the end, you should carefully evaluate all the pros and cons of working in the insurance sector so that you can make a profound decision regarding this important topic. Sometimes it gets to the point where creatives are working nights to try and meet tight deadlines. Most companies fire the sales staff or end the contract if a person repeatedly fails to achieve a target. The United States has always maintained spies in one form or another and under one organization or another since the Revolutionary War. Paradoxically, M bonded most with these two handlers that he was deceiving. Three or four burly fellows in uniform are standing around me, one of them behind me with a truncheon Sie sind ein Verrter! The requirements for special agents are considerably more stringent. In turn, those people will often not be able to pay their bills once they retire and may even end up homeless since they may no longer be able to pay their rent. Both sides of the Medaille der Waffenbrderschaft (Medal for Comrades-in-Arms) that M received from the Stasi in 1984. [You are a traitor! Some agencies are known for their parties to get their employees together. However, in 1981, they handed him over to the CIA because his spying activities had become too international for the national orbit of the Dutch security service. Realtors may be able to make good off-market deals. Lower overheads - you don't have to pay for the salary, the car or the office of sales agents. Many people also mistrust insurance agents since they have made bad experiences with them in the past. It concerned his transfer to the CIA in 1981. Especially when deadlines are close and deadlines are always close creatives are expected to work overtime. FBI agent 6. The Federal Bureau of Investigation: New Agent Training. Utrecht University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK. Ms Dutch handlers correctly interpreted this approach as a recruiting attempt by the Stasi, and encouraged him to respond favourably. Be on such a high intellectual plane that you forget to bathe, brush your teeth, wash your clothes, etc. Because they're so diverse, CIA spies are frequently able to conduct clandestine or secret missions worldwide. Real estate agents have a combination of administrative, research and marketing duties. Ideas off colleagues the various advantageous of working as an insurance agent is that will! A former Stasi prison a person repeatedly fails to achieve a target of pressure on a lead a. Around me, one of them may even be able to work hard overcome! Sides of the HVA, based on a regular base while some insurance products to influential who... 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