1. Are you a U.S. Citizen? (required for US intel)
2. Are you an older person with some work expereience?
(recent grads have internships but you didn't go to MIT or Georgetown)
3. Have you used illegal drugs in the past 10 years including "pot"? (Some require one year others 10- depends on agency)
4. Do you have technical skills, IT, database, webpage building, signals experience? (No skills, no job)
5. Have you ever lived internationally? (Helpful...if you can't think of why don't consider intel-things to consider: language skills, WHO or WHAT you interacted with abroad, Why'd you go?)
6. Have you ever done any of questionable moral chracter in your life? (Poor integrity makes you a risk- out of 10,000 applicants a day do you think they care about you? Things included are having too many sexual partners, alcoholism, gambling problems, a temper, etc.)
7. Do you suffer from an physical or emotional disability? (Immediate disqualification unless because of your disability you can perform your duties exceptionally well.(e.g., in a wheelchair but type 150 wpm, blind but have super sonic hearing)
8. Do you have at least three people who can "TALK YOU UP?" (Networkings not just for the private sector)
9. Do you have good credit? Have you paid all your debts? (If your in default of loans you're disqualified because your a risk- they don't want someone who would consider selling secrets for cash) Debt shouldn't exceed $5,000.00
10. Any run ins with the law? (Depending on the time and extent of the offense, felonies no are no no's, and again 10,000 applicants- "But it happened because..."They don't care.
11. Do you know someone who currently works for gov't? (There's your foot in the door- even better if you have a relative)
12. Do you have something to fall back on in case you don't make the cut? (Since they prefer millitary backgrounds because they already have their clearance,(your clearance is a very long process depending on the type and how much background they'll cover usually a year or more), there are thousands of others applying, you've seen something above that may be a concern; then have a contingency plan. If you applied once- don't bother reapplying because again, they don't care!
Good Luck!