The Security Service: MI5

MI5 is responsible for countering threats to national security, including terrorism, espionage, cyber threats and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. MI5 has played a vital and secret role in countering the activities of spies and terrorists for over a century. Since the late 1990s we have been releasing historical files to the National Archives Link to external website.. These files provide an insight into the work of MI5 and a behind-the-scenes look at famous spy cases from the 20th century.

A career at MI5 is like no other. Not only is it rewarding and unique but the variety here is like nowhere else. Depending on your job on joining you will find yourself either classed as a specialist or a generalist and belong to a specific capability area. Staff are given significant autonomy to manage their own careers and typically move jobs every two to three years with the option to move across areas. Therefore it is not unusual for someone to have worked in counter-terrorism, recruitment, counter-espionage and corporate communications in the first few years of their career.

This variety means that most people stay at MI5 as they are able to fulfil all their career ambitions here and apply for promotion whilst doing so. Your career options can be further enhanced by opportunities to work in regional stations across the UK and secondment opportunities to our partner agencies SIS and GCHQ.

Don’t forget to cite Bright Network on your MI5 application form, they’re keen to hear from our members.