GCHQ recruiting via Xbox Live

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 23rd November 2009
Comments (21) Stumble
GCHQ recruiting via Xbox Live

Intelligence organisation GCHQ is now advertising on Xbox Live in a bid to attract recruits in the UK, it seems.

Microsoft's Xbox Live is now being targeted by the UK government as a likely location to recruit new spies and agents for the security services, according to The Guardian.

Government Communications Headquarters, better known as GCHQ, provides intelligence and analysis to MI5, MI6 and various government departments. A six-week advertising campaign is about to begin on Xbox Live as a way for GCHQ to try and attract new recruits from within the target demographic. Apparently, hardcore gamers are highly likely to fit criteria for spy training.

Hardcore Xbox gamers are desirable for their "quick thinking, problem solving and team work" skills, said a mysterious spokesperson for GCHQ who refused to step out of the shadows and wouldn't confirm whether only play as Team Fortress 2's Spy class was a training requirement.

"As well as tackling 'traditional threats' GCHQ's work is also about helping government departments, such as the Ministry of Defence, to protect their information and communication systems," the trilby-wearing agent said.

"We can offer excellent training and careers for people with specialist technical skills. However, the fact remains that many potential candidates remain unaware of GCHQ and what we do. Using video on Xbox Live helps carry our message to the right people in a creative and innovative manner," she added.

The ad campaign will run on the Xbox Live dashboard and will include banners, videos, free themes and gamer pics - though you'll be required to download them without being seen.

Let us know your thoughts in the forums and don't be surprised if your posts self-destruct within ten seconds.
Quote Landy_Ed 23rd November 2009, 12:39
Odd that they are only targetting one platform. It's also a little odd that it's so public - they are supposed to be a secretive organisation.

But if they had offices & facilities across a broader geography, they might get some more applicants, this way or indeed any other.
Quote p3n 23rd November 2009, 12:47
Quote:
Originally Posted by Landy_Ed
Odd that they are only targetting one platform. It's also a little odd that it's so public - they are supposed to be a secretive organisation.

But if they had offices & facilities across a broader geography, they might get some more applicants, this way or indeed any other.

You think its odd they advertise then claim to know where they are all based bar the publicly accepted 'HQ' :)
Quote liratheal 23rd November 2009, 12:57
Lawl.

What a load of crap.
Quote mi1ez 23rd November 2009, 13:23
I want to join! (Money's gotta be better than education!)
Quote Abhorsen 23rd November 2009, 13:33
So i thought it'd be interesting to look at their careers. First thing i noticed, what a horrible website...
Quote storm20200 23rd November 2009, 13:39
'The ad campaign will run on the Xbox Live dashboard and will include banners, videos, free themes and gamer pics - though you'll be required to download them without being seen.' ROFL, so basically you have to do it all without being seen to be seen? How does that work then? They can see the unseen or something?
Quote Abhorsen 23rd November 2009, 13:52
Might have been a little joke on behalf of Bit-tech :P
Quote liratheal 23rd November 2009, 14:37
Quote:
Originally Posted by storm20200
'The ad campaign will run on the Xbox Live dashboard and will include banners, videos, free themes and gamer pics - though you'll be required to download them without being seen.' ROFL, so basically you have to do it all without being seen to be seen? How does that work then? They can see the unseen or something?

If they invented the technology to unsee things, then those damned cats would be out of a job.

And so would 4chan. And shock sites.
Quote Ending Credits 23rd November 2009, 16:47
Cept 4chan is full of people who like those things.
Quote Gunsmith 23rd November 2009, 18:27
wont find real gamers on an xbox.
Quote SMIFFYDUDE 23rd November 2009, 19:29
LOL, UK is f*cked if its recruiting console tards to defend the realm. "quick thinking, problem solving and team work" are they sure they have properly thought this through.
Quote specofdust 23rd November 2009, 19:36
Firstly, GCHQ isn't a spy agency. It's an intelligence agency. They're the ones who get information for the other agencies, and who process the information that other agencies give to them. There aren't going to be spies recruited through this advertising campaign. In all honesty, having looked into GCHQ a tiny bit (I'm a mathematician in training, you have to plan ahead to find a job) it seems terribly boring and mundane sort of stuff. More Dilbert than James Bond.

Secondly, if you're wanting people who're technology fluent who are going to be able to pay close attention to detail on a screen and react to new information fast, as well as being able to focus intensely for hours at a time, geeks are a good target market.

Thirdly, geeks being the good target market is precisely why they should advertise on PC gaming servers, and not on Xbox 360 ones. I doubt they'll have much success recruiting from a casual gamers platform which allows no programming, wikipedia-ing, etc.
Quote storm20200 23rd November 2009, 19:40
Quote:
Originally Posted by specofdust
Firstly, GCHQ isn't a spy agency. It's an intelligence agency. They're the ones who get information for the other agencies, and who process the information that other agencies give to them. There aren't going to be spies recruited through this advertising campaign. In all honesty, having looked into GCHQ a tiny bit (I'm a mathematician in training, you have to plan ahead to find a job) it seems terribly boring and mundane sort of stuff. More Dilbert than James Bond.

Secondly, if you're wanting people who're technology fluent who are going to be able to pay close attention to detail on a screen and react to new information fast, as well as being able to focus intensely for hours at a time, geeks are a good target market.

Thirdly, geeks being the good target market is precisely why they should advertise on PC gaming servers, and not on Xbox 360 ones. I doubt they'll have much success recruiting from a casual gamers platform which allows no programming, wikipedia-ing, etc.

Yes....but you turn your xbox on and you're at your dashboard with all the new highlights from xbox live, whereas on your PC we all HATE anything getting in the way of our gaming so advertising by third party software via GFWL or Steam would have people screaming "LEAVE US BE!"
Quote fathazza 23rd November 2009, 21:09
Im looking forward to the next james bond now , with classic lines like "stfu noob" and telling the baddy that he's "gay"
Quote SMIFFYDUDE 23rd November 2009, 22:14
Well, baddies do hate being called gay.
Quote dark_avenger 23rd November 2009, 22:38
just watch out for the rofl copter!
Quote Silver51 23rd November 2009, 23:46
As I'm writing this on a Wii* the news might go some way to explain why there are some shifty looking miis in my MiiPlaza enquiring if I'd like to join them in Moscow. Guess the KGB doesn't have the same funds as it's British counterpart these days.

* I'm in bed watching Black Books, and Wiiing on the Internet, so there.
Quote Landy_Ed 24th November 2009, 09:21
Quote:
Originally Posted by p3n
Quote:
Originally Posted by Landy_Ed
Odd that they are only targetting one platform. It's also a little odd that it's so public - they are supposed to be a secretive organisation.

But if they had offices & facilities across a broader geography, they might get some more applicants, this way or indeed any other.

You think its odd they advertise then claim to know where they are all based bar the publicly accepted 'HQ' :)

umm, yes. make no assumptions about who I am or where I've been, what I've done, and I'll make none about you.
Quote sear 24th November 2009, 12:36
The image confuses me. What does Team Fortress 2 have to do with the Xbox 360?
Quote mrplow 24th November 2009, 13:51
Quote:
Originally Posted by sear
The image confuses me. What does Team Fortress 2 have to do with the Xbox 360?

You can get the orange box on xbox 360 and thus indeed can play TF2 to your hearts content
Quote hrtz_Junkie 3rd December 2009, 13:56
I totally agree with "spec o dust" Older more intelligent gamer's tend to prefer the pc.

They have more available funds to pay for hardware, and probably prefer games that make you think as apposed to "blockbuster run and gun" shooter's that offer little more challenge than being able to headshot quickly.

Also the pc is far superior for stratagy games (due to it's mouse and keyboard)

And finnanlly pc gamer's are constantly having to "fix" games that have been released with buggy code. So a pc gamer is going to have much more "technical knowlege" and know how to get arround restrictive DRM....

As far as I can see it the only advantage off x box live is that you're going to reach more people.
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