This is the CIA's guide to what women want

Since the CIA wants more women within its ranks, the spy agency had to figure out what women really want.

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And as it turns out, they want flexible work arrangements and good benefits, according to the CIA's internal recruiting guidelines, which were recently released on MuckRock due to a Freedom of Information request from Runa Sandvik.

That's just one of the conclusions the CIA has of its "target segment — women" demographic.

john brennan CIA
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan during a rare news conference at CIA headquarters in Virginia, December 11, 2014. Reuters

Here's what else we found.

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The CIA says it only did one study on women it targets for recruiting, so there's probably plenty of work to be done.

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Matt Cardy / Getty

But in the overview of its research, the CIA says the internet is the first place women go to when searching for jobs. They look on company websites and job boards like Monster, or find stuff on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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When choosing positions, the CIA says the most important aspect for women is salary. Other factors are healthcare benefits, vacation and sick leave, and education benefits.

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Dell Inc./flickr

There are other intangibles cited, like flexible work schedules, work/life balance, and collaborative environments. "The CIA should communicate that it offers flexible work arrangements and good benefits," the guide says. "Two of the most important factors to women searching for employment."

The lobby of the CIA Headquarters Building in McLean, Virginia, August 14, 2008.
Reuters
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But the CIA has some perception problems to deal with. Since most women (and probably men) have an understanding of the agency from movies and books, the guide says, "in general, women believe the CIA is full of spies and white men in suits who are reserved, but intelligent."

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Universal Pictures

But, the guide says, women positively view the government as "a more equitable employer" than the private sector, since women and men are paid the same and are "offered the same opportunities for advancement."

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The guide gave two advantages women see for working at CIA: Being at a prestigious and challenging workplace, and having the opportunity to travel. There were eight negative aspects listed, however.

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Baigal Byamba/Flickr

Chief among them was "fear that it will be intrusive on employee's family life" and that working at CIA would be a "lifetime commitment." Women also didn't like having to relocate to Washington, D.C. into what they think is a very male-dominated culture.

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To counter this, the CIA guide says the agency should go to more professional women's events, reach out to women in college, and consider using female recruiters whenever possible.

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It also says ads should speak to working mothers and emphasize work/life balance issues, "which are particularly important to many women." The ads also should use "regular" looking women as opposed to "women who look like models."

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GSCSNJ / Flickr
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Here's what they use these days.

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CIA

CIA Women recruiting
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CIA Women recruiting
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