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Everything I know about spies I learned from the media. I grew up watching TV's Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin on "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and received their official spy attaché case from Santa. I laughed at Agent 86 and had a major crush on Agent 99 on "Get Smart." I read John le Carre's "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" novel and every "Spy Vs. Spy" cartoon in Mad Magazine. I even watched the James Bond movie that starred George Lazenby.

But I am unprepared for the radio commercial that starts with a ringing phone. Not the impressive "Hail to the Chief" ringtone you might expect. Not the thrilling composition for James Bond movies. Not the theme song from a television show such as "24" or even "Inspector Gadget." Just one of those wimpy chirps that only comes from the phones of people without the know-how to change the default ringtone.

It chirps a second time.

"Understood," says a stern-sounding man who apparently gets what he needs the second he answers the phone and immediately hangs up.

Who is this guy?

"My working hours can change - instantly," he says. "The mission is a constant, but every day is different."

He explains that his job is "important" and something for which "an entire nation will be grateful."

I've deduced from the clues that he's a newspaper columnist, but the swell of dramatic violin music in the background seems a bit much for a newspaper columnist.

"Don't just watch the news," he says. "Live it 24-7."

Then a woman steps in to explain.

"Be a part of history in the making. Become a National Clandestine Service officer, in a Washington, D.C.-area career at the Central Intelligence Agency," she says earnestly. "This is no ordinary assignment. You can make a difference for the nation."

It's a recruitment pitch for spies.

As unemployed people across the suburbs look for new careers in this recession, the CIA is hiring.

Are we running low of spies? How many spies do we need?

"Information on the overall number of Clandestine Service officers is classified," explains Todd Ebitz, CIA spokesman, in an email that arrives Monday afternoon in the pressure-packed moment minutes before my deadline. Employing a very undramatic and not-at-all secret solution to finding answers to most of my questions, Ebitz directs me to www.cia.gov.

A college undergraduate internship program for the summer of 2013 pays $39,752. The starting pay for most CIA job openings is between $51,630 and $94,837. Being a spy is, in some ways, just another government job with many of the same benefits and paid federal holidays. "Unless the mission requires that we work on a holiday," Ebitz notes.

"The CIA's Clandestine Service is the Intelligence Community's front-line source of clandestine information on critical international developments, from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction to military and political issues," Ebitz says. Many of the job recipients are in their 20s or at least younger than 35. All face extensive background checks and polygraph tests before they are hired. Many live and work overseas.

"We are looking for individuals with diverse backgrounds and life experiences, professional and educational histories, language capabilities, and other skills to help fill critical mission needs in several job categories in the NCS," Ebitz says, noting that the service has "a good mix of single and married officers" and "many female officers serving within its senior ranks."

So why does the CIA need to advertise?

"The most important reason is that the demands on CIA are intense and constant, and we are always looking for the best and brightest applicants, with new ideas and new points of view, to help ensure we have a workforce with the broadest possible range of skills and backgrounds to mirror the nation we serve," Ebitz says.

"We can't give any specific numbers on how many people apply or are hired, but I can tell you that interest is high - in the neighborhood of 150 people apply for every applicant who comes through the door at CIA as an employee."

If you do apply, keep it to yourself. Telling people you are even thinking about applying for a spy job is one of the infractions that could eliminate you from consideration. Nobody wants a chatty spy.