Recruitment for MI5/MI6 - AIBU to think that they find you, you can't apply?

[DoTheHop]

Does anyone know how this happens?
They appear to have an application process, but I'm not sure what they're looking for.
An ex of mine was contacted by them after his degree, in Computers and Maths I think, but according to him (not sure if true or bullshit) he'd have had to meet them in a field and never bothered.
I've a ds who is interested in this field. It's not really something you see discussed. I'm not sure what area of it he is interested in - he just finds it fascinating really.
Do they really take applications or is it a case of them hunting you down lol?

DoTheHop the recruitment process is explicitly outlined in the Kingsman film. The best kept secrets are always hidden in plain sight.

My nan was a history teacher and used to take her 6th form class to Russia (long before the collapse of the Soviet union). After she'd retired and moved to rural Somerset she was visited by 2 blokes from "the civil service" who spoke to her for hours about one particular trip and one of the boys who came with her. She had to account for every minute this lad had spent while in Russia and it had been 20 years ago. They didn't say why but she assumes he was either already a spy and they suspected he was a double agent or he was applying. She had a lovely time showing these very official chaps her slides from that year and feeding them lots of cake and told A LOT of people all about it. She would've been a shit spy....

I know someone who worked for them (he wasn't a spy as such!). He applied for the job. They interviewed me as part of the vetting process as he was an ex house mate from university. Its a very rigourous process indeed.

I had 3 friends from university who went on to become cryptographers at GCHQ. Again they just applied for the job.

there is one person who I suspect works for them - she's got a double first class in Arabic from Cambridge and the official line is she is a statistician in the civil service - I've always thought there is more to it myself

We joke that actually he got taken on and his current life of sitting in his mums living room, in his PJs, playing x box, is just very deep cover

Perhaps it is 😎😎

My colleagues son just applied like any normal job. It was an extensive process, involving all of his extended family being interviewed.

They do both targeted recruiting as well as accept people via application process.

All of those saying "dd applied but did not get recruited" or similar, you shouldn't know! The applicant is not supposed to discuss the application or the outcome with anybody! Perhaps why they didn't get accepted into the role.

My DD1 went and applied she was told that as shes very tall, slim good looking she'd stand out in a crowd too much and wouldnt blend in which is true!.

They advertise on Civil Service Jobs the same as every other department.

You are discouraged from taking about your applications.

Well if you know as the colleague of his Mum, he's going to be a shit spy lol.

I often wonder about my brother. He's so cagey about his work. Similarly I've an uncle in London.

I got about three assessments/interviews into the recruitment process about ten years ago when I graduated but then didn’t get invited to the next stage.

Even then I remember thinking how crap the salary was.

I applied through an online ad and the process began with an online assessment.

All of those saying "dd applied but did not get recruited" or similar, you shouldn't know! The applicant is not supposed to discuss the application or the outcome with anybody!

Another reason why I didn’t really want a job there - I would never have been able to keep my mouth shut!

You can apply. But if your mum has to ask on mumsnet for you you may not be what they are looking for

Also think about this: Anyone who applies and tells you they're doing so, then gets the job, is obviously going to tell you they didn't!

Then, when they get some other boring job a few weeks/months later, you won't suspect a thing.

They advertise pretty openly for a lot of the non glamour roles on Civil Service Jobs- I keep an eye on anything popping up that might suit me although it wouldn't be for anything special- as well as ads elsewhere & approaching possible talent.

The super probing security is interesting. I have 2nd highest level I think for a v routine, unimportant MoD desk job. They were pretty nosy & probably nosier than I know, tbh- but I just had to fill in forms & provide ID. It was routine but a bit more intense. All my referees had to be my former line managers and people who'd worked with me personally & all my dates had to be bang on. They wouldn't accept an HR reference. They check on your finances etc too, and on your family but I never had to go in for an interviews or get a visit at home. The only person I know who did had complications on his paperwork. MoD not MI/SIS/GCHQ outright though.

@DoTheHop

Possibly meeting in "the field" rather than a field?

My OH applied for this type of job a few years ago and, as a PP said, they investigate everybody you're vaguely connected or related to. One of the guys in the HMO he lived in at the time apparently had some skeletons in his closet so OH didn't get chosen.

Seems a bit shit as he had nothing to do with the guy apart from exchanging pleasantries in the kitchen

I've seen them advertise openly. As a huge Spooks fan (because that is obviously the reality) I was all in - until I remembered my 2 children and my mediocre qualifications and my getting done for late car tax and my inability to keep any secrets.

The dream was nice whilst it lasted.

My husband best friend does something like this but we aren't supposed to know and we don't ask. When he was applying two men turned up randomly at the tesco where my husband worked during college and got the store manager to lend them a meeting room so they could interview him about his friend!!! Then off they went...

GCHQ have run anon competitions before and used that to approach folk - but that is for specific roles

Admin etc all go the usual route

My husband applied a few years ago but he was to tall to be considered, he’s also built like a brick shit house so he’d stick out like a sore thumb to be fair

My OH applied for this type of job a few years ago and, as a PP said, they investigate everybody you're vaguely connected or related to

Yep, my uncle by marriage got a job with the British Embassy - a manual job, but one which meant travel... All investigated.