Comment by neilv

I wouldn't be aware of any secretive recruiting, like in the article or the movies, but the first time I bumped into them was actually at an Ivy job fair, where they were publicly recruiting CS nerds.

I went by their table out of curiosity, or to see if they were giving away any schwag. Because who wouldn't want a "CIA" pen, even if it didn't shoot tranquilizer darts.

Since I was a very nerdy kid, I gave the people at the table my resume, while probably forgetting to make eye contact. There was zero indication of them having any interest in talking with me, so I left.

But, maybe because I'd started working very young, my resume looked a lot better than I did, and they must've later glanced at it.

As I was later leaving the job fair, about to enter the elevator, this CIA representative comes bounding across the room at me, shouting to get my attention. Then she asked if I could come in the next day for an interview.

If I did the interview, they must've mind-control drugged me to forget it. But I did retain a nerdy kid story about being chased by a CIA agent. Still no schwag.