Spies wanted

Great Britain's spy agency, MI6, is known to movie fans as the employer of secretive Agent 007, James Bond. However, the Associated Press reported the agency has begun a not-so-secretive open recruiting campaign. MI6's head of human resources told the news agency that the terrorist threat is prompting the agency to reach out. The agency's campaign includes outreach to women and minorities.

People interested in security occupations are also in demand in the United States. The labor market in protective services occupations has been steadily tightening, according to the Trends in Unemployment by Occupation Insight by Staffing Industry Analysts. The jobless rate in protective service occupations was only 2.5% in the first quarter of 2008 -- down from 3.7% in 2007, 3.4% in 2006 and 4.0% in 2005. The current 2.5% level of unemployment in protective services puts it on par with that in computer and math, which occupational category also scores a 2.5% unemployment.

Protective services has historically been only lightly penetrated by staffing. Maybe the growing shortage of such talent is an opening for staffing firms to get a foot in the door? Does anyone know of any prospective 007s? MI6 is hiring.