Pros
- get to work with the most awesome tools in the trade - get an insider's perspective on some of the most interesting "cyber" events in the world - coworkers are almost always incredibly kind, generous, and helpful. Put simply, I was blown away by how nice everyone was. I think the clearance helps to select for really decent people, and people who are motivated more by mission than money. - lots of ability to move around once you've finished your time in an office. There are always opportunities to try new areas of work. - tons of opportunity for personal development and training - great job security and benefits
Cons
- salary will never match what many of the people there deserve - you will encounter bureaucrats who will try to make things difficult, but that's just the nature of public sector. - you may be frustrated at times because you'll hear things on the outside that you know to be false, but you have to keep your mouth shut (again, the nature of classified work)