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There are so many reasons to apply for a linguist
career at GCHQ… you want the chance to use your language abilities
to their full extent and challenge yourself… to learn exotic
new languages, to travel… to shape UK government policy at
the highest level… to become part of a modern, forward-thinking
government department facing up to the challenges of the 21st century.
OK, we've all read the blurb, but what can you really expect when
you get through the gate and sign the Official Secrets Act?
Some good reasons to apply…
- GCHQ really is one of the few employers to give you the chance
to use your talent for language every day.
- You will have the chance to learn more languages, if you want
to, including some pretty unusual ones. (In fact, you'll be encouraged
to learn the pretty unusual ones!).
- GCHQ is the only place I can think of where you have the opportunity
to work with so many other skilled linguists (some of whom speak
an astonishing number of languages).
- As a linguist, you will be the first to find, and appreciate
the value of, key items of intelligence. You may write the intelligence
reports yourself, or pass what you've found onto a reporter, depending
on your precise role. Either way finding and piecing together
items that present an intelligence story - and which no non-linguist
can understand - can be very satisfying.
- There are opportunities both to visit customers in Whitehall
and elsewhere.
- GCHQ is a large organisation, so there are always lots of people
on hand to give advice, either general or language specific. GCHQ
also covers lots of different subjects, so you will get plenty
of opportunities to try different kinds of work.
- You can’t talk about the details of your work when you
go home which (a) makes the job seem very glamorous and secretive
to friends and family and (b) leaves you plenty of time to work
on your social life.
- Flexi Time! This allows you to avoid rush hour traffic and
lets you make that appointment at the dentist or hairdressers
without eating into your leave.
- Even though Cheltenham may feel small, earning money now means
that you can afford that trip to Leeds/London/wherever to visit
friends to be reminded about hectic city living (although to be
honest, my friends have all come here to visit me and I have yet
to find the time to go to London).
And some not to…
- The vetting process can take a long time, so you may have to
be patient.
- As already mentioned, you won't be able to tell anyone about
your work. Even when something exciting is going on and you know
all about it.
- Producing intelligence takes a lot of effort and persistence
sometimes. You may have to wade through a lot of dross to find
the really good items and some topics need months or even years
of work to piece together the necessary parts of the puzzle. If
you want instant success and lots of glory, try elsewhere.
- GCHQ is not an academic institution. You'll have to work with
all kinds of people, including some who don't really understand
languages all that well. And mathematicians, technologists, business
managers and others, in order to produce the goods. That can be
fun, but also frustrating sometimes.
- Cheltenham is quite a small town, although it does have its
fair share of decent pubs and wine bars, as well as all the usual
high street shops.
- GCHQ is a large organisation. Like any large employer, GCHQ
can be bureaucratic…but the powers that be are trying to
change that and there are plenty of opportunities to voice your
own opinions on everything from how linguists are managed to how
you feel your own progress is going.
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