It's who you blow more than it's who you know. But knowing people in a HR position helps. For Strzok, Page, and a lot of others, they were probably hired thru their respective sorority/fraternity network.
Case in point: When I was in college (94-95) I was a member of ATO fraternity. We had a guy who we nicknamed Vodka God. I don't know how he even managed to graduate, but he did. We had a few brothers who had gotten on with FBI, CIA, NSA, IRS, Treasury Dept, the Fed Reserve, and U.S. Army (there's an Army ROTC unit there). VG was intent on joining the FBI. Dude graduated with a 2.(something) GPA. FBI ALWAYS has a 6+ mth wait list to get hired and usually requires either 5-10+ yrs former military or LEO experience PLUS a B.A./B.S. degree or a finance, or psychology degree (preferably Master's level or above), or a Juris Doctorate, or some private govt contractor security (PMC) experience plus B.A./B.S. degree. Education in lieu of experience usually requires a 3.0+ GPA with favorable endorsements from professors and advisers and a Master's level or above degree. This knucklehead had none of that, had been on academic probation a couple times, and was dumber than shit. And yet, because we had fraternity brothers who were already Feds, he was "somehow" hired and fast tracked and had a spot waiting for him at Quantico for the next training class before graduation. Those of us who knew him best we're flabbergasted.
The university I attended here in FL is what I like to call a "pipeline school" for every Alphabet Agency and the military in the Fed apparatus. Every agency the Feds have comes down here twice a year to hold hiring expos, and almost everyone they send are alumni or somehow associated with this university. Dude's been an agent for almost 30 yrs now.
Conversely, I have another friend who went into the USMC right after H.S., did 4 yrs and got out to get his B.S. in Business Mgt, applied for the FBI and was denied. So, he went back in The Corps as an Officer and is now a full bird Colonel. He graduated university with a 3.65 GPA, and now has a couple other Master's degrees and is working on his Doctorate at the Navy War College so he can hopefully get promoted to Brigadier General before he retires. One of the smartest people I know. Yet, he didn't know anyone at the FBI at the time he applied, so he was denied. FBI told him to go back to school to get a Master's or J.D. and they would "consider" his application. Dude was as damn near a 5.0 Marine as I've ever seen, never had so much as a speeding ticket, has a relatively high I.Q. and is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, but because he didn't already have connections to the FBI, he wasn't even considered.
After catching up with him at our 20th H.S. Reunion (almost 10 yrs ago) and hearing all this, I knew beyond doubt that the Fed apparatus is more about being a "fraternity" than most people realize and is the #1 issue we have with it's inconsistency in applying our legal code properly and effectively. He's not the only person I know who was denied a job in a 3-letter agency becusse of this, either.
"It's a big old club and you and I are not in it."
It's who you blow more than it's who you know. But knowing people in a HR position helps. For Strzok, Page, and a lot of others, they were probably hired thru their respective sorority/fraternity network.
Case in point: When I was in college (94-95) I was a member of ATO fraternity. We had a guy who we nicknamed Vodka God. I don't know how he even managed to graduate, but he did. We had a few brothers who had gotten on with FBI, CIA, NSA, IRS, Treasury Dept, the Fed Reserve, and U.S. Army (there's an Army ROTC unit there). VG was intent on joining the FBI. Dude graduated with a 2.(something) GPA. FBI ALWAYS has a 6+ mth wait list to get hired and usually requires either 5-10+ yrs former military or LEO experience PLUS a B.A./B.S. degree or a finance, or psychology degree (preferably Master's level or above), or a Juris Doctorate, or some private govt contractor security (PMC) experience plus B.A./B.S. degree. Education in lieu of experience usually requires a 3.0+ GPA with favorable endorsements from professors and advisers and a Master's level or above degree. This knucklehead had none of that, had been on academic probation a couple times, and was dumber than shit. And yet, because we had fraternity brothers who were already Feds, he was "somehow" hired and fast tracked and had a spot waiting for him at Quantico for the next training class before graduation. Those of us who knew him best we're flabbergasted.
The university I attended here in FL is what I like to call a "pipeline school" for every Alphabet Agency and the military in the Fed apparatus. Every agency the Feds have comes down here twice a year to hold hiring expos, and almost everyone they send are alumni or somehow associated with this university. Dude's been an agent for almost 30 yrs now.
Conversely, I have another friend who went into the USMC right after H.S., did 4 yrs and got out to get his B.S. in Business Mgt, applied for the FBI and was denied. So, he went back in The Corps as an Officer and is now a full bird Colonel. He graduated university with a 3.65 GPA, and now has a couple other Master's degrees and is working on his Doctorate at the Navy War College so he can hopefully get promoted to Brigadier General before he retires. One of the smartest people I know. Yet, he didn't know anyone at the FBI at the time he applied, so he was denied. FBI told him to go back to school to get a Master's or J.D. and they would "consider" his application. Dude was as damn near a 5.0 Marine as I've ever seen, never had so much as a speeding ticket, has a relatively high I.Q. and is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, but because he didn't already have connections to the FBI, he wasn't even considered.
After catching up with him at our 20th H.S. Reunion (almost 10 yrs ago) and hearing all this, I knew beyond doubt that the Fed apparatus is more about being a "fraternity" than most people realize and is the #1 issue we have with it's inconsistency in applying out legal code properly and effectively.
"It's a big old club and you and I are not in it."
It's who you blow more than it's who you know. But knowing people in a HR position helps. For Strzok, Page, and a lot of others, they were probably hired thru their respective sorority/fraternity network.
Case in point: When I was in college (94-95) I was a member of ATO fraternity. We had a guy who we nicknamed Vodka God. I don't know how he even managed to graduate, but he did. We had a few brothers who had gotten on with FBI, CIA, and NSA, and U.S. Army. VG was intent on joining the FBI. Dude graduated with a 2.(something) GPA. FBI ALWAYS has a 6+ mth wait list to get hired and usually requires either 5-10+ yrs former military or LEO experience, a law, finance, or psychology degree (preferably Master's level or above), or some private govt contractor security experience (PMC). Education in lieu of experience usually requires a 3.0+ GPA with favorable endorsements from professors and advisers. This knucklehead had none of that, had been on academic probation a couple times, and was dumber than shit. And yet, because we had fraternity brothers who were already Feds, he was fast tracked and had a spot waiting for him at Quantico for the next training class. Dude's been an agent for almost 30 yrs now.
Conversely, I have another friend who went into the USMC right after H.S., got his B.S. in Business Mgt, applied for the FBI and was denied. So he went back in The Corps as an Officer and is now a full bird Colonel. He graduated university with a 3.65 GPA, and now has a couple other Master's degrees and is working on his Doctorate at the Navy War College so he can hopefully get promoted to Brigadier General before he retires. One of the smartest people I know. Yet, he didn't know anyone at the FBI at the time he applied, so he got denied.