b' Entering the Work Force Private industry can be more agile, not only in recruiting, but in business processes. Intelligence agencies are governed by the many laws and regulations designed to keep them from intruding into the lives of American citizens. There is plenty of room for innovation in the national security arena, but activities are regulated by government statutes rather than by industrial or company policies. Those who choose national security work will often spend a career in one agency. Assignments in other agencies are more and more frequent, since the Director of National Intelligence (DNIsee below) has strongly encouraged rotations between agencies. These include, for example, details to various command and operational centers in the Intelligence Community staffed by personnel from a variety of agencies. These assignments are generally career-enhancing, though many officers may prefer to stay close to home, where they are more visible to the superiors who write their annual evaluation. Those who choose private industry, on the other hand, are likely, today, to have multiple employers over the course of a career. Entry into a national security agency will entail a lengthy background investigation, possibly a polygraph, and sometimes rejection results from prior experimentation or use of illegal drugs and other lifestyle issues. The various agencies have differing policies on prior drug use so it is not feasible to explain here what would be acceptable in each one. This investigation will delve into lifestyle issues (drug use, drinking, gambling, shoplifting, credit-worthiness and unpaid debts, illegal or criminal activities, etc.) as well as counterintelligence issues (family members or friends with foreign backgrounds or questionable relationships with foreign governments). If you are considering a career in a national security agency, think twice about what you post on social networking sites. Going into national security work means that family, friends, teachers, neighbors, etc., are likely to be questioned during the background investigation about your suitability for positions of significant responsibility. This does not apply to jobs in private industry for the most part, althoughit does for employees of those companies that do classified work for the government. 15'