The FBI Is Struggling to Hire Hackers Who Don't Smoke Weed. Really??

[Mxylplyx]

I remember answering the pot question honestly on by FBI application when I was right out of college. Never got a call back from them.

 

[Ns1]

I think the issue is finding someone that hasn't smoked in the past three years. Maybe they are not casual smokers but two years ago took a hit of a joint.

Based on that history the fbi won't hire you. You not only need to be clean when you test but you must not have touched it in the last 3 years which I guess is where most people are failing.

this

 

[Fern]

Stupid problem; easy solution.

Just set up the cyber crime division in CO where it's legal.

(This is assuming the FBI's concern is that the candidates are currently breaking the law and therefore it is an ethics problem. If it's some other objection, that's their problem. Either the hackers are qualified and you hire them or not regardless of pot smoking. Either the hackers are responsible employees and show up on time and somber or you fire them. No different than with alcohol.)

Fern

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Stupid problem; easy solution.

Just set up the cyber crime division in CO where it's legal.

(This is assuming the FBI's concern is that the candidates are currently breaking the law and therefore it is an ethics problem. If it's some other objection, that's their problem. Either the hackers are qualified and you hire them or not regardless of pot smoking. Either the hackers are responsible employees and show up on time and somber or you fire them. No different than with alcohol.)

Fern

I think the Federal Bureau of Investigation would still care that marijuana is illegal under Federal law regardless of which state you put the office in.

 

[Jhhnn]

This is truly a sad state of affairs http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marijuana-a-major-cause-of-accidents-what-study-says/ This study states: The study found that nearly 30 percent of fatally injured drivers tested positive for drugs other than alcohol, with marijuana being the main culprit. Although it is a bit dated I would guess the rate of accidents may even be "higher" because of increasing potency of this garbage.
Maybe if the hiring policy changes it would be a good ruse to get more drug heads off the streets.

"Tested positive for drugs" doesn't necessarily mean intoxicated at the time, particularly wrt cannabis.

 

[Jhhnn]

Well I am confused, are they really missing out on hiring super geniuses because of the whole policy on marijuana? Are there really that many programmers, and hackers that smoke weed regularly that are in fact "would be top picks" that they pass up? I always thought pot made a person slow at thinking? Or is this all hype?

It opens alternative avenues of thought by shifting one's perspective. It's also the kind of thing that makes one question the validity of their perceptions in general. Getting high inspires different ways of looking at the world with an occasional flash of brilliance as well. George Carlin & Hunter Thompson were examples of that.

It's totally unsurprising that people who can think outside the box would use methods & do so in ways not necessarily approved in general. Brilliance isn't doctrinaire, at all.

 

[MongGrel]

I think the Federal Bureau of Investigation would still care that marijuana is illegal under Federal law regardless of which state you put the office in.

What he said.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Tradition and corporate culture run deep in the FBI. They wouldn't hire anyone who smoked pot in the last several years if it was legal in all 50 States. It has nothing to do with the law.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Tradition and corporate culture run deep in the FBI. They wouldn't hire anyone who smoked pot in the last several years if it was legal in all 50 States. It has nothing to do with the law.

I think that's kind of the point the FBI director was alluding to.

That the culture is setup to turn away weed smokers but now it seems their culture is impeding their search for computer people. And that if the FBI wants to get those people, it might need to adjust its culture.

 

[Vic]

How does smoking weed once within the last 3 years make someone a pothead? That's like saying if you've had a beer in the last 3 years that you're an alcoholic.

 

[sze5003]

How does smoking weed once within the last 3 years make someone a pothead? That's like saying if you've had a beer in the last 3 years that you're an alcoholic.

CIA has the same standard. It's just part of their culture/rules. It's been like that for a while. Do people do it, probably once they know they are in but I wonder what they would test you with if they wanted to know if you smoked up to 3 years ago.

 

[Jhhnn]

How does smoking weed once within the last 3 years make someone a pothead? That's like saying if you've had a beer in the last 3 years that you're an alcoholic.

At some point in the past, I'm pretty sure that the standard was "never". Like most employers, they really don't care if applicants are alky or not, just so long as it's not late stage. They care about lawbreaking, & applicants dumb enough to admit it.

 

[sze5003]

At some point in the past, I'm pretty sure that the standard was "never". Like most employers, they really don't care if applicants are alky or not, just so long as it's not late stage. They care about lawbreaking, & applicants dumb enough to admit it.

So I guess people should lie on the application? I mean as long as you don't fail the drug test how can they test you for up to 3 years.

 

[surfsatwerk]

So I guess people should lie on the application? I mean as long as you don't fail the drug test how can they test you for up to 3 years.

Pretty sure they hook you up to a lie detector.

 

[sze5003]

Pretty sure they hook you up to a lie detector.

Right but people have been known to pass those if they believe what they are saying is truth.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Right but people have been known to pass those if they believe what they are saying is truth.

I'm curious as to the consequences of getting dinged by the lie detector.

 

[sze5003]

Simple you don't get the job I bet. Or they dig deeper into your past.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I think that's kind of the point the FBI director was alluding to.

That the culture is setup to turn away weed smokers but now it seems their culture is impeding their search for computer people. And that if the FBI wants to get those people, it might need to adjust its culture.

Never going to happen. You lose flexibility when your entire organization is made up of Jack Webb clones.

 

[Fox5]

Well I am confused, are they really missing out on hiring super geniuses because of the whole policy on marijuana? Are there really that many programmers, and hackers that smoke weed regularly that are in fact "would be top picks" that they pass up? I always thought pot made a person slow at thinking? Or is this all hype?

I doubt that they couldn't find enough talented computer type people that have never smoked pot. Either they don't pay enough or their corporate culture sucks and being a police organization they completely push away anyone who's not of a like mindset.

The NSA likely has the same rule, and they hire plenty of hackers.

 

[zanejohnson]

why ya think they just arrested those 100 chinese hackers or whatevs

 

[Anubis]

I didn't realize so many techies were "pot heads"..lol

really? id wager that that techies are one of the largest group of pot smokers of those who actually have jobs and work

 

[Spungo]

Hiring can be a tough game. I tried to filter out all of the people who have consumed caffeine in the last year, but all of the candidates seemed very bored in the interview. It's almost like the idea of sitting at a desk for 8 hours and talking to people you don't like is not exciting enough for some people.

I'm really surprised the FBI can't find programmers who aren't stoners. When I think computer programmer, I think of guys who look like this:

 

[Bitek]

lol pot hardly ever causes accidents. I could be stoned silly and still drive better than most people on the road. Shit, I could smoke 2 joints and still play a good tennis game.

being stoned neq being drunk

In college, my roommate and I used to play racing games and some of our best scores came when we were high of our asses.

The bullshit we had to go to get some, and now it's legal. Damn.

 

[dawheat]

Hiring can be a tough game. I tried to filter out all of the people who have consumed caffeine in the last year, but all of the candidates seemed very bored in the interview. It's almost like the idea of sitting at a desk for 8 hours and talking to people you don't like is not exciting enough for some people.

I'm really surprised the FBI can't find programmers who aren't stoners. When I think computer programmer, I think of guys who look like this:

Heh no way. Most security engineers in SV I know are incredibly laconic and seem zoned out 1/2 the time. But they are damn good at their job.

This overlap doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

 

[Zorkorist]

60 Minutes long ago became an arm of the Government.

Once you give Government unlimited spending, their agents are everywhere.

-John