CORE

COMPETENCIES

The FBI is an equal opportunity employer.

Last revised May 2022.
FBI CORE COMPETENCIES 2

FBI CORE COMPETENCIES

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identifies the following Core Competencies as
true indicators of skills necessary to be successful not only as a special agent, but in all
roles at the FBI. These eight specialized traits represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities
that all of our employees are expected to cultivate and apply to their important work in
fulfilling our mission.

Collaboration Communication
As an employee with the FBI, you are Each day, and in any assignment or
expected to work with your team to develop meeting, you should express your oral
ideas, solve problems, and achieve a and written thoughts and ideas clearly,
common goal while leveraging each others’ concisely, persuasively, and effectively.
expertise and various perspectives. You You should be able to interpret
should establish rapport with the community and understand verbal or written
and internal FBI partners; maintain communications, tailor communications
composure and display professionalism; to the recipient experience, exposure,
and share information with others you deem or expertise, and proactively share
appropriate when needed. information with others when appropriate.
Liaise — Establish contacts and interact effectively Persuade — Influence others to accept an idea or
with federal, state, and local agencies; government point of view; provide compelling reasons to accept
officials; the community; internal FBI contacts; and a change or course of action.
other organizations and agencies.
Listen and Interpret — Understand and identify
Demonstrate Political Savvy — Navigate effectively key spoken information; be sensitive to verbal
within the organization’s social, political, and and nonverbal cues from others; ask probing
technological systems. questions to collect additional information or
clarify a message; respond appropriately to
Show Respect — Interact with others in a courteous
questions; and paraphrase what has been said to
manner; display composure; firmly maintain position
confirm understanding.
without becoming defensive; and confront others
with tact. Speak Clearly — Express yourself concisely and
clearly; use appropriate tone in conversation; present
Share Information — Express yourself concisely
information in a well-organized manner; and provide
and clearly; use appropriate tone in conversation;
sufficient detail to ensure communication
present information in a well-organized manner;
is understood.
provide sufficient detail to ensure communication
is understood; write in a clear, concise manner Write Clearly — Write in a clear, concise manner
appropriate for the audience; and proactively identify appropriate for the audience.
who needs information and share when appropriate.
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Flexibility and Interpersonal

Adaptability Ability
As a part of the FBI, you are expected to As an FBI employee, you are expected
adapt rapidly to changing circumstances, to maintain professionalism with
anticipate problems, and work proactively others, establish and maintain rapport
to solve them. You should also accept new with management, colleagues, and
direction eagerly and positively consider subordinates, and recognize the necessity
varying perspectives when offered. to show sensitivity to the differences in the
needs and concerns of others. You should
Adapt — Adapt to unanticipated problems or
conflicts; respond positively and productively to also have the ability to mediate concerns
work challenges. between individuals and groups, as well as
settle disputes when needed.
Manage Change — Respond positively to and
successfully manage change at work; support Establish Rapport — Put others at ease; engage
organizational change in a positive and productive others in conversation; and express empathy and
manner; and willingly accept new priorities, genuine interest.
procedures, or goals.
Be Sensitive to Differences — Keep an open mind;
understand and appreciate the opinions of others;
Initiative see things from a different point of view.

In all capacities, you are expected to Resolve and Manage Conflict — Successfully
display a willingness to begin or participate mediate concerns between individuals and groups
while considering organizational objectives; develop
in new projects, anticipate and plan for
agreements and settle disputes equitably; find
additional workloads, show interest common ground; and obtain cooperation with
and positivity despite setbacks, and minimum disruption.
eagerly accept or respond to problems or
Work with Others — Collaborate to identify and
subsequent tasks.
achieve common goals.
Be Proactive — Take action in anticipation of future
needs or opportunities; initiate activity to accomplish
a task or goal; pursue participation in activities; and
volunteer ideas, resources, or efforts.

Develop Self — Continually strive to develop skills and

abilities; learn from others.

Follow Through — Persist at a task despite setbacks;

plan for and accomplish follow-up activities
necessary to accomplish goals.
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Leadership recognize consequences to actions; and establish

necessary follow-up steps.
Even if you are not in a leadership role, Prioritize — Determine the relative importance of
you should be able to motivate and inspire tasks or goals; take time and effort in relation to task
those around you, help to develop and importance; use time and resources efficiently; and
mentor other teammates, and gain the avoid being distracted by irrelevant issues.
respect, confidence, and loyalty of others.
You must also be able to articulate a vision, Problem Solving and
give guidance when needed, and provide
direction to accomplish goals.
Judgment
As an FBI employee, you must be able to
Mentor — Recognize positive and negative
performance in others; provide objective, direct, and critically evaluate conditions, events, and
timely feedback; and provide guidance to others on alternatives; identify problems, causes,
how to develop skills and abilities. and relationships; and base your decisions,
objective opinions, or recommendations on
Direct — Take a leadership role with others; provide
clear objectives and goals; demonstrate calm and data or sound reasoning.
confidence when dealing with others; and clearly Identify Problems and Opportunities — Recognize
articulate responsibilities. when and where problems and opportunities exist;
Inspire — Motivate others to work toward a determine the causes of problems; accurately
common goal or objective; influence others by define and understand the nature of a problem; and
articulating a vision. capitalize on opportunities to solve them together
when possible.
Presence — Engender respect and loyalty from
others by demonstrating credibility, professionalism, Make Decisions — Solve problems effectively; use
and integrity. appropriate information in determining solutions to
problems; and evaluate strengths and weaknesses
Set Strategic Direction — Conceptualize, develop of potential solutions to problems.
and articulate the vision, strategy, and goals to
set direction; integrate the vision into daily work Manage Risks — Identify and mitigate risk; take
activities. calculated and innovative risks.

Accept Responsibility — Take ownership of

Organizing and Planning problems and the need to solve them; weigh risks
of potential solutions and determine if appropriate;
In all of your responsibilities, you must be make decisions in a timely manner; and defend
able to establish priorities, timetables, and decisions when challenged.
goals; structure a plan of action for yourself Evaluate and Analyze — Evaluate data, conditions,
and others; and develop both strategic and and events to support conclusions.
tactical plans.
Plan — Identify a goal and the resources necessary
to achieve it by attending to detail; identify potential
problems and ways to avoid or overcome them;