Are you in the FBI or the Intel Community, and need some advice about transitioning to the private sector? We’re here to help! In our series FBI Transition Tips our members share the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
This tip comes from Sierra Stanczyk, who reminds us that the transition may be hard, but you’ve got the skills to crush it:
“The transition process can be a lot to unpack in terms of shifting your mindset, skills, experiences, and expectations - all while at the same time transitioning to a new organization with a unique culture to navigate, lexicon to learn, modus operandi to get acclimated to, etc. Have faith in yourself that this is a process that does not happen overnight but is so worth it - even if at (many) times you find discomfort or find yourself staring at the learning curve ahead of you. Lean on and build your support network, especially through FBI Association of Intelligence Analysts - we all have been there. Seek out resources and mentors within your new organization. Just like the Bureau, your new professional home will have a spectrum of new and tenured employees who can help you as you increasingly shift your prior experience, develop new skills, and adapt to the next chapter of your professional life. Perseverance and resilience will pay off as you get more and more comfortable in your new role. You'll find yourself having eureka moments when you discover new ways of applying your prior experiences. FBI Intelligence Analysts are exceptionally skilled in tradecraft, communication, writing and briefing, strategy and prioritization, project planning, data analysis and exploitation, identifying gaps and problem solving, finding and evaluating information and sources, working across a range of stakeholders, leading teams and projects - I could go on and on. These skills are highly translatable, and that process is neither immediate nor short lived. Celebrate your progress, plan your development journey, acknowledge the road ahead, and keep going - we're all navigating this post-FBI life together. Just like our time with the Bureau, there is so much to learn and be proud of in this next rewarding chapter.”
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