CAREER STAFF SELECTION CRITERIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70-00211R000300110022-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 30, 2005
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: November 15, 1954
• Content Type: MF

'321.9.X, IMISICIN
15 November 195h
U.WELT: Carer Staff Selection. Crl oe ri
+, FRO BUaEM a
To determine c ritt rit to be axed b? the }lead, of Care:~r Services,, the
Prtoti of Exaamliers and the 1:m Saloctt ors B +. r:i in c,. nsi.de rir .lxt~7_.ica .ic res for
rae:it: both t1!! re :orar!endirag lava tior o,,* the W o .frirmer and the :porowi
funct1 Gay of t hs .Latter are bed apon the sA et election s ter iardx= t
,~ The Canree r m,?rr1cce Itaf.f i.s axr: nt~l,r csr.ii.ta .nolicaktiovs for member-
ship in the Cc:reer- Staff to :, ;., .rf~;~rzs who be+ w)e r l! i.b.le4 or I Tu.,y 1954
who have tt'ocrmae e"r1 i ;fit>t. a stxl :; rd ~.~ t to that date,
b~ her?+e ly to work off within r:. year the large back log of apolic, tions
that is anticipated Ri. excess of 52C,ert were e].igihin on 1 July 1954), it is
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xznce ;xy fc th,(.1 Pnne1s `c: consider oxa ale gage of:' at least 100 cases per
-ueelc. It is, therefore,) imperative to agree upon selection criteria to be
err-r?l.o red and to convene the Panels as expeditiously as possible in order to
act upon the large volume of returned applications which is expected in the
immediate future?
14o LI CUSSICitd?
as The CIA Career S,sr ricrs Board and. the Profecsionai Sa1ectian Panel
discussed and ccnsidere:d :x or many months 'razious er:i_teria that could be a n-
a aapl.oy+meztt in this
ploy d to select ,tie most suitr:ib:l,e pe.s sons "or- T:ng-rang,
Agency.
Unanimity of cpi.:ilon 1,linld not be eechaed, In effect, the problem
has now 'beer, left to the ier,?ision of the CI:J Selecttion k 3~:wrd pcr4 Regulation
adore
which states, :?.n parts The CIA Selection Board is responsible
tor fornaulating e- a p:arcp.ri.a?4,e criteria for selecti.cra into the Career Staff."
ti, For th* 3t^ried1ct?+i '.'t.t+ Ne.9 tz}nt.ativr selection c riteri.a which can be
employed at once are neecLad so that- action on applicat,in,,s to the Career Staff
can o tra'rsr, -:ithcaut wide delay? In actual, fact, certain assumptions are
basic. to the p i 1oticphy shad procedure by which the Career Staff is bo: r,
csta^j.i.shadL That' are
(1) The Agency assun,cs that each staff employee and Staff agent,
prtsontly on duty is a pro esrE;f . l:r saitabl,e member of the Career Staff,
(2) rJafor^e granting, n-eniboarsh i.p in the Career Staff to those
Jerson:,: V,.io a' o k itt, iaaaxe erg, the Agency re? iaws the record of each candidate
to :Ensure that t hifa assumption is cokrrect r,
(3) 'T?h.e Agency makcr> a sincere eacpres:aion of intent to continue
the employ erit and to develop the career of each employee who miikea a sit. cue
CPT
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expression of intent t:o .:&at his lot on a long-tc.fxn basis with the Agency
and to devote hirself to the furthex ante of its mission. Therefore, the
pre, ent: problem is to seen out those
reen
persons rho, for one mason or another,
do not qualify for rneenhership In the Career Staff. The princip , r+esponsibil-
of the Heads of Career Svrv1cos, the Panels of Examiners and the CIA
Selection Board at pre er-ltt is to look for negative evidence, or for disqualifying
factors, rather than att;Lrnpt at this - ime tao forme::-ate positive criteria with-
out a more adequate research basi.?:3.
co In the fields of security and medicrr t trr'w it or ti , professional
opinion is required. The Security and Medical Offices routinely accc iplish
ouitability detenninetions in their respective fields S or conditions of ea-
ploymenta The Head of the Career Service who has que nti.ons Li regard to
an individual's oacurt..ty and'/or medical performance will refer such questions
to the office concearned.o
do The areas in which Heads of Career $er+rri.ces, Psneirs of Examiners and
the CIA Selection Board should look for disqualifying evidence are as listed
below. These are to be considered as guides rather than as hard and fast
juri.dtc? , criteria.
(1) Job Performance
On the basis of his prior record with the Agency and the
recommendations of his current supeervisorrs, is the job performance of the
individual inadequate to the extent that he should snot be offered career status?
(2) Personal Conduct
Are there any i..ndit*4 ions that the individuals e, on-the-job
conduct (i.,eo .enter personal relationships,, maturity, stability, judgement,
security consciousness a etc,,) in aef ictent or woad be unbefi.tting a member
?f the Career Sta.: f? re there inacations that his off-the-Job eanduct is
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rhlo notice uo pIiraasn i or to the A., ency?
here (r-ridaace of unsetisfactc 7 F -cforxr?a rscA or conndu.ct in
the indl_vidusl s trarin1.n record (including aassessmerzt records) which reflects
adversely v.pon b;",s ,k,.l.t .a';)JJ,1ity for Fm Agency Career?
(Lb) E1r'k da=sar~ ~u: of Intent
Is there any evidence of lack of intent to remain with the
Agency on s long-rang e basis or lack of :sincerity :gin the iridividualOs expressed
willingness to fulfill they obligations of career %irvice?
(5) i(le.noo of In cons ,rtrot
Are there inconsistencies in the record o.! e t.f eiividual or
in the resr:orrmenlations of supervisors th t require c`: r:riflc.atiox and might
load to evidences ~ of t nsuitabillity after the facts art fully developed?
e. The experience of the Career Service-Board au'd the Professional
selection Panel would indicate that positive criteria cannot be formulated solely
on the basis of the opinion of ind.vidualAq even though they are of wide
experience an-4 unquestioned sincerity and motivation, Until a system for des-
cribing the ".ucoesefu1" CIA employee based on resosrch and sound psychological
principles s:an be devisedq the discussion is likely to be endless as well as
futile The new :.Fitness. Report will hel; :.to fill this voids ` It ia 'li ,jrad
that research now being conducted and to be conducted in the future by various
components of the Agency will be productive of a system of criteria that could
be used in future yoars when the problem of selection into the Career Staff
becomes radically altered,,
SECRU
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C014 CLUa'.J:. 01w
In order to implement th:s selection of persons into the Career Staff
xit rja aticceptvble to the CM& Selection board area needed at the ea.ri.iest
xra t Ch1e a wenta
b, The criteria listed under 4 (d) above are considered ror katalc interim
standards pending con
ca Adequate research in this field mt. h,,., dons within CIA under the
Uration of the As-s .start D rector for Personnel.
,CC411 DATiONS
It is recoarsmended
at, that the crttk+ ri a: listed under, !. (d) above a:a ro'wred by the CIA
Selecticn ;3oard for u ,ae by Heads of Career ?ervices nd t: the Panels of
Ex nir trs in arriving at the basis for reccmm ndation to the CIA Selection
Board is to the suitability of Career Staff applicants.
that the Assistant Director for Personnel be asked to coordinate the
necessary research as indicated under 4 (e) ebove9
25X1
rxecuTpive c
CIA Selection Board
SEGRJ,
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