CIA spy recruitment process | Andrew Bustamante and Lex Fridman

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[airbornranger]

I love that everyone makes fun of Lex for always wearing a suit and looking like a CIA spy and he finally has a real one on and the guy looks like he just got back from a music festival 😂

[BosleyBeats]

Listening to this story, it feels the best way to proceed through the recruitment process is just be yourself. Instead of thinking about how well to perform, is you just perform. Meaning it’s not about you wanting the job it’s about the job wanting what you are.

Pretty dope.

[Pimpjit]

Agree with the guest. The faster you are in learning about yourself, the faster you double down. The only sad thing is whether society has deemed your natural skills as valuable.

[snail]

I’m 43. I underwent a barrage of tests a year ago and learned practically everything I always wanted to know. High-functioning autism, decided before birth. Underdeveloped right-brain, same. Anxiety and depression tied to sensory/processing/perception challenges (and millions of misunderstandings through interaction).

Such information is really hard to swallow. Even harder as a husband and father. But the man is right: Long-term, I have a lot more headspace to focus on my irrefutable strengths and weaknesses. It’s just a shame I learned so late in life. I encourage anyone to get an examination by a qualified neuropsychologist.
It’s expensive, but it changed my life in unimaginable ways.

[matt]

When I was out of college I directly applied to be a CIA officer. My then wife was totally against it because we’d have to move. She though we’d move to DC but I explained we’d likely be overseas and then she really freaked. So the interview was going well and the interviewer asked what position I’d want, case officer or operations officer. I said operations officer “because I wouldn’t have to travel as much.” The guy’s face froze and asked further why. Then I brought up my wife and that was it. I got a letter weeks later saying the did not have a position “commensurate” with my experience. Still happy that I got to do that interview.

[MLJay]

“Human beings love being told what to do” never felt so true as it does now

[marks]

I love the way Andrew corrects instantly and confidently without anger or judgement. Feels so natural and as though it comes from a place of genuinely wanting him and his interlocutor to be on the same page.

[thomasthemarstrain]

I’m a little insulted that I have not been recruited.

[ireviewdopesht]

This guy is so articulate. Its makes this interview so deep and interesting

[darren]

"by the end, basic training was really comforting." And this, my friends, is the difference between the USAF and the USMC.

[AudioFileZ]

I feel Andrew's strong suit is his ability to adapt no matter what. I'd say going from a romantic view of serving in The Peace Corps to loving the idea of serving within the espionage realm speaks volumes. The interesting part is having an innate baseline that allows both. I want to see the entire interview now. Very interesting subject and person. Another brilliant Lex interview.

[alloy]

“It’s not hard to tell a lie to an interviewer.”

[chevelle]

When my daughter was in college, the letter agencies were recruiting. Her friend, who’s mom was a psychologist, filled out the form for the CIA. But he filled it out like he was a complete psychopath. Next day, two guys were at his dorm door telling him he had to be with them because he was “everything they look for in an agent”. He was terrified because it was a joke to him. They wouldn’t leave him alone! He had to get his parents to intervene. This is real. It’s definitely crazy stuff. So remember that when you listen to CIA people talk.

[sonofsarek]

CIA recruitment process:
“Do you have ethics?”
No? You’re hired.

[hermes_logios]

The “small steps along the way” method is for security, mainly. Which I suppose is a form of “control, ” in the sense that they’re preventing you from talking too much.

[danielllewellyn]

Tiger Woods in a wig. Can’t fool me, CIA.

[HeresMrIsaac]

Andrew was a really engaging guest, enjoyed this a lot!

[sean]

When he mentions the pad from the polygraph I imagine a control room with a bunch of dudes peering at a screen, one points and squints over his glasses and says “he flexed his butthole he’s lyin”

[abyszero]

Sounds similar to the USSR hiring process the last spy described. Just keep doing the next thing without complaint, and before you know it you're a spy.

[LandofOzOfficial]

This would be a pretty genius way to promote a huge influx of applications for the Peace Corp.🤔