To become a defense analyst in the United States, you need to have a bachelor's degree, at a minimum. The majority of employers prefer to hire candidates who have an advanced college degree. In addition, applicants are often required to have previous military experience. In order to be qualified for some of these positions, it may be necessary to have more than 10 or 15 years of direct military experience, and preference may be given to those who served in some type of specialized unit. Some employers specifically look for candidates who are qualified experts on the subject of warfare, weapons, or special operations.
Those interested in this career field should be prepared for a rigorous application and interview process. If you want to become a defense analyst, you may have to successfully pass an intensive background check. In some cases, employers require candidates to have, or be able to obtain, a Top Secret clearance. You should also expect to go through a security check in addition to a standard background check.
You must also be familiar with general military practices, as well as a variety of warfare practices. Preference is normally given to candidates who are quite knowledgeable regarding both of these areas of expertise. To be eligible for the majority of jobs, you should have some familiarity with federal government practices, especially those of the U.S. Department of Defense.
In order to be effective in this job, you need to have exceptional project management skills. If you want to become a defense analyst, you need to be able to make sound decisions regarding matters of critical importance. Often these decisions need to be made quickly. In some situations, you may not have a lot of time to make an important decision, so it is also important that you have the ability to function at high capacity when working under pressure or tight deadlines.
Project management could be a focal point of your job requirements in this career field. If you want to do well in this job, you need to be able to function in a supervisory role. You should be able to appropriately divide assignments among co-workers, and then manage all aspects of those assignments until they have been completed. To become a defense analyst and be successful, you need to have the ability to analyze a variety of problems and find satisfactory solutions for them as quickly as possible.