I've been job hunting since I just got out of Grad School last month. Met with the main DEA recruiter today and things went pretty well. I found out I have the perfect BA degree for them and my MBA puts me at the top of the pack also. Told me I'm pretty much guranteed an interview if I decide to pursue it further.

The recruiter was def gungho but laid back. Talked about agents in afganistan and serving over seas (only 12% of agents are overseas and is a volunteer option but quite an adventure).

He also made a poke at the FBI Basically FBI agents rarely ever pull out their gun. Int he first few weeks on the job you will be pulling out your gun sveral times on cases.

I'm going to do some more research on them before I make the call. I have only heard what he has told me and information online I have found on the DEA. Anyone have any personal experiances on the in and outs and what the typical day is like?

If the interview goes well, it then leads to paper testing, then to physicals and PT tests. The PT tests is where many fail he mentioned. Its very rigourous. I go to the gym and lift weights along with cardio 6 times a week so no probs there. Then you got the huge huge background investigation. No tickets ever for me or arrests or crazy activity in my past so I'm clear there also.

Whole process takes 6 months to 1 year!! Its still very tough to get in. Last year, over 8,500 people applied for 350 vacancies.

Thanks guys!!

 

I worked in Pharmaceutical compliance for about 25 years and dealt with the DEA on a regular basis. I visited their headquarters in Pentagon City about every 3 months to review trends and findings.
What part of the DEA are you looking at? If it is compliance, i.e., audits, that would be the most mind numbing job in the entire world. You visit manufacturers, drug stores, wholesalers, etc. and do a reconciliation of what was received, shipped, and balance to an inventory number. You also get to pick the fly poop from the pepper on the paper work so that you can create cites and generate fine dollars to support the agency.
I do, on the other hand, have a great deal of respect for those agents that are undercover. I have met several and they are a very different group. They look at the compliance section as making "Kiddy Drug Busts:.
You will also have to do several moves if you want to move your career up the ladder. It will require time at headquarters and then time in the field, back to headquarters, back to the field, etc.

There are a number of other areas at DEA from IT support to working with the UN to reduce the international drug trade.

Good Luck!

 

Someone I worked with recently left for a job with the DEA. She is currently at Quantico training.