How To Get A Job Working For S.H.E.I.L.D

[Mia]

I tried a Google search but couldn't find the answers.

Can someone tell me how S.H.E.I.L.D agents are hired?

I am specifically referring to the book version not the tv version. Thanks

[Digifiend]

They're scouted from law enforcement and the superhero community. Silk, for example, did Mockingbird a favour by pretending to work for Black Cat. After it was all over - and after Clone Conspiracy - she got recruited formally. In All-New Invaders, Jim Hammond, the android golden age Human Torch, had been living in hiding, disguised as an ordinary civilian. After revealing himself, he soon accepted a job with the agency. In Deadpool, Scott Adsit mentions that he had 15 years law enforcement experience, 10 with SHIELD. Presumably his first five were with the police. He's since left to join the Nova Corps.

[Mia]

Perfect. Thanks for the response.

[AngelJD]

I also think it's not just law enforcement. Possible from the arm forces to SHIELD would make sense. They also scout for talent and who might be a good team player (if you don't have powers then usually you would be apart of a team to work together to take on larger then life threats). You also have training and teamwork exercises by experienced agents of certain fields (one issue had Melinda May take a bunch of young rookies and put them in a gauntlet training)

Plus they don't just have field agents and forces. They have head scientists who might not have field training but spelieze or talented in other fields. Like Jemma and Fitz were who was hired due to their different science skills and gained field training by experience. Plus other handlers that isn't acknowledged as much but needed for any organization such as accountants, lawyers, and the one's who help file the paperwork and much more. It's a huge operation with tons of individuals that must work together for the world and had been around for some time to have the resources and talents usually for many different jobs. Some of those people might have families and other matters outside of SHIELD. Some might be classified as supers and some on the teams might not be. There are public teams as SHIELD is known but their are also black op teams, secret avengers, and such. Plus rotating bosses like any organization which can affect how it all runs from a small team within SHIELD to the whole organization.
Lastly differences of options that can also affect the organization in some way (like Coulson as fired from SHIELD when he didn't agree how both Tony and Danvers (whom publicly Shield/Marie Hill sided with) was handling the whole CW2 situation and he had his own views and later after he refused to stand down he was placed in a holding cell only later for him and some that also left who was on his team to be rehired by Sharon Carter and resume operations once the 2nd Civil War ended).

It an organization with tons of different people and skills many who must work on a team to achieve something great and not very simple but all hired to try making the world a safe and better place or at least to have a job to support themselves and possibly others (but who is on top leading them has a big impact on the directions and the turnaround or the hiring/firing/quitting rates).

During this Secret Empire some agents sided with Steve Rogers (due to: mind control, beliefs, disbelief, fear, and/or families or whatever) but I'm also sure many didn't (part of the underground/hiding, dead, or in a prison). Wouldn't be to unexpected that many agents now are in some prison made just from them (separate between non-powered and powered individuals) just like we have seem dedicated prisons for: Inhumans, other non Inhuman but still powered individuals, a mutant prison inside New Tiam, and other camps for prisoners (as part of Steve's 'job growth' by having American's built tons of prisons and weapons) all shown in different books.

[Michael Watkins]

Eric O'Grady signed up after graduating high school. kind of depends on what position you are applying for. he was entry level; mostly monitor duty. from there, he was studying to be a security agent.

[ViewtifulJC]

the bigger question is why get a job with SHIELD. They seem to almost exclusively get their helicarriers shot down, invaded, killed off in dozens by various supervillians, etc.

Then again they do have dope Steranko-esque jumpsuits and flying cars...

[Michael Watkins]

the bigger question is why get a job with SHIELD. They seem to almost exclusively get their helicarriers shot down, invaded, killed off in dozens by various supervillians, etc.

Then again they do have dope Steranko-esque jumpsuits and flying cars...

I imagine that they get the same pitch that members of the armed forces do. they'd don't lead with the job being dangerous. a lot of them operate outside of the helicarrier, as well.

[AngelJD]

Plus considering the fact of "Why get a job at SHIELD". The same applies to 'Why live in New York' or any job in the Marvel universe that involves protection or security or armed forces related. The Marvel universe is a giant death trap and war zone all the time (some times worse than others). But in the end people need to get paid plus some people want to protect and serve just like this Earth. Many don't have powers so being apart of a team that is well trained and/or funded to achieve that end.
But I agree the department that handles PR and public job fairs probably has to give a pitch similar to the armed forces many times.

[whiterabbit]

I think SHIELD agents are recruited similar to how the CIA recruit, but with more advanced gadgets, metahumans, and all that. Do you want to get a job at Marvel? Start a Tumbler account. (Ba-da-dum!)

[Mia]

When I inquired about how to get a job at S.H.E.I.L.D. I was talking about the law enforcement agency part of it, sort of what we see Maria Hill do in the books. I know that Hill is ex army so I guess she came up that way. But I was wondering if that was the same for everyone.

I should also ask, which government body runs S.H.E.I.L.D? Does it fall under the auspices of the US government or is under the U.N?