Arko Banerjee, Editor EMEA Desk
What do you do at Hozint?
Arko: As an editor of the EMEA Desk, my main tasks include supervising the publication of reports on the Hozint platform and writing operational alerts on various security and safety threats that might affect the business continuity or travel of our clients.
What do you like the most about your job?
Arko: The thing that I like most about the job is the fast-paced nature of it. Reports need to be published at the earliest and timeliness is of the essence. The job not only requires you to know where to look for information but also how quickly and accurately you can write the report. Although this is challenging, it is the best thing about the job. It always keeps me on my toes.
What skills do you need to be good at your job?
Arko: There are several skills that you need to be an intelligence analyst but in my opinion, these are the important ones:
1) Attention to detail. Being an intelligence analyst requires you to pay attention to every minute detail. This includes catching every single aspect of a report i.e. the time, the nature and the consequences of an event. Since intelligence analysts consume enormous amounts of information daily, being attentive to the smallest of details can go a long way.
2) The ability to adapt is essential to being a good intelligence analyst. When I had first joined Hozint, I was given Europe as a region to cover which was way out of my comfort zone but I quickly learned to adapt to the region by learning keywords in different languages to help me catch news quicker.
3) The ability to be concise. At Hozint we tend to write brief operational alerts. This means passing on the most important information in the shortest way possible. Being concise also helps cope with the fast-paced nature of the job.
What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Arko: The most challenging aspect of my job would be to maintain the smooth and orderly production of reports on the platform. This includes maintaining a constant flow of reports and checking that every report is accurate in terms of information provided. This has to be done on a near real-time basis and information is mostly published as soon as it becomes available on open sources. Even though this is a challenge, it is exciting nonetheless.
Tell us one thing that you have learnt from your experience at Hozint?
Arko: One of the most important things I have learnt from my experience at Hozint is how different events can affect business continuity based on variable factors. Working at Hozint has helped me develop skills relating not only to open source intelligence but has also expanded my knowledge about different regions and their various geopolitical issues.
How would you describe working at Hozint?
Arko: Fast-paced, interesting, and exciting.
Working at Hozint is a very interesting and exciting experience. Although writing reports is a repetitive task, it is never a boring one. There is something new happening in the world every day, which gives the job an underrated factor of excitement.
What kind of professional do you aspire to become?
Arko: I aspire to be a hardworking and perseverant individual who will always strive towards perfection even under stressful circumstances. After all, hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard enough.
What do you like doing in your free time?
Arko: Reading, playing the guitar, chess, going for walks and working out.
Where can we reach out to you?