Shannon Friedlander
Supervisory Special Agent
FBI
Manassas, VA USA
“Everybody has to start somewhere.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationShannon Friedlander
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I had an interest in forensics and psychology, so I ended up majoring in psychology with a minor in criminal justice.
One of my friends applied to the FBI, so I decided to also start looking into the hiring process—the more I looked into it, the more interested I became.
During my senior year of college, I got a supervisor job at an adult care facility—the experience made me a more desirable candidate to the Bureau when I decided to apply.
After a lengthy hiring process, I joined the FBI as a special agent.
When the FBI decided to build up the cyber division, I was working in white collar and environmental crimes—cybersecurity sounded interesting to me, so I volunteered to transition into that division.
I’ve transferred through a few different offices throughout my career with the FBI, depending on how much balance I needed between work and my personal life.
I’ve been with the FBI for almost two decades now and currently work to investigate national security cyber intrusions stemming from the Middle East region.
Education
High School
Career
Supervisory Special Agent
I investigate national security cyber intrusions stemming from the Middle East Region.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Government
Technology
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
There is no typical work day in the FBI. For the most part, I review large amounts of data from many different sources in furtherance of the investigations I am conducting. I work with the public and other government agencies regarding national security cyber matters. I make decisions about how to address certain cyber security threats and then act on those decisions accordingly. In cases that I can work towards criminal prosecution, I routinely work with the United States Attorney Office.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
If you're interested in joining the FBI, I recommend living a clean life: no drugs, no criminal activity, and don't make poor choices on social media sites. Make good decisions. Focus on making good grades and being a good person. Become educated on the core requirements to become an FBI Special Agent sooner rather than later.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I won't get hired because I'm not good enough."
Challenges I Overcame
Work Stress
Interviewed By
At Your Fingertips
Computer science from new perspectives
