What Skills Should An Intelligence Analyst Have?

1. Research and collect relevant information. A large amount of information does not mean that the information is useful or correct. Intelligence analysts must assess and prioritize which are necessary.

2. Always stay up to date on events related to his field of interest.

3. Assess the validity, reliability and importance of a piece of information.

4. Think outside the box and think in unique ways. If all analysts thought the same way, the results of the analysis would always be the same. When an analyst considers the interpretation of missing or contradictory data, he must exercise rigor and imagination.

5. Draw analytical and factual conclusions without being biased by past experience and previous judgments on the subject. The analyst must be able to distinguish what he knows from his personal opinion.

6. Able to judge himself and doubt his own findings. Intelligence analysts must be able to question their own assumptions. According to Professor Immelman, "evidence that confirms or strengthens is no less valuable than evidence that denies or refutes it".

7. Communicate findings through detailed reports or presentations to keep clients fully informed.

8. Speak languages other than English. This is not strictly necessary, but it will be an advantage, as it will allow the analyst to gather information from a wider variety of sources, understanding different environments and contexts.