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Security Clearance Question

S

sully127

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 17, 2005
Messages
188
As I've been looking at job postings in my area, I'm seeing more and more employers asking for candidates to have security clearance. From the research that I've done, it seems that you can only start the clearance adjudicative process when it is sponsored by an employer with a connection to the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO). If that is the case, how are companies asking for clearance as a prerequisite for a job? That's like credit card companies denying you for not having established credit...
 
Number of government jobs have security clearance requirements, once you go through the interview process and they want to hire you, then you go through the clearance process. Usually takes another 3 months depending on how extensive a background check they do and if you need a polygraph.

So when they advertise these positions, a lot of time a government employee will leave their job and take a contracting position that requires a clearance and pays twice as much as they were making. You can also get hired onto a contract that requires a clearance and get sponsered to get one through the hiring company but they usually have to pay out of pocket to clear you and it runs 15-30k.
 
Security clearances take a long time and are expensive; thus, companies prefer to avoid going through the hassle of getting them for new employees whenever possible.
 
If they need you for a job "right now" they can't wait around for 6mos-3years for your investigation to go through. That and it costs money which they'd rather not pay.

And yes, to have a current one they'd have to be poaching you from a competitor.

Example job postings i have seen usually require you to be capable of getting a certain level, a current one is just a bonus.
 
If they need you for a job "right now" they can't wait around for 6mos-3years for your investigation to go through.
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6mos would be lucky depending on fy ou need Secret or Top Secret.
It's also an extensive background check for the latter. Usually 10+ years these days.

Very few employers will fork over the costs as a TS can cost upwards of $350k + if you've moved around a lot. Not to mention the extremely high backlog of adjudications.

Like stated above Many interested in working for the government or contracting positions look into terms of service in the military. If you take a poll of everyone working in these clearance required position most were military and transitioned.

(please no anti military thread bashing, merely pointing out the facts)

Also keep in mind that once you have a clearance there are subsequent investigations that cost money as well.

Either way good luck
 
does anyone know how it works if you were former military, i had a secret clearance when i was in the military but i was told it is deactivated once you get out, would having one in the military be worth anything to employers or do you need a active clearance?
 
Yes it means something to the employer. It means you are clearable, and also means that you most likely can be cleared faster depending on how long your clearance has been deactivated.

For people looking for clearance the biggest red mark will most likely come from your financial status, unless you have been convicted of something ;). By financial I do not mean how much money you have, but how good your credit standing is, pay taxes on time, and do not have a large amount of debt.
 
Okay, then, let's use me as a case study of someone who'd be in a rough spot for a job from an employer seeking sec. clearance.

I've never had any military service, went to college, and immediately went private sector IT right away and have been working in the field since. No credit problems, 2 residences lifetime, and a relatively local existence.

Would I be more-or-less screwed and on a 10 year waiting period IF i were to find an employer willing to sponsor? The system just seems really flawed to me.
 
sully127 said:
Okay, then, let's use me as a case study of someone who'd be in a rough spot for a job from an employer seeking sec. clearance.

I've never had any military service, went to college, and immediately went private sector IT right away and have been working in the field since. No credit problems, 2 residences lifetime, and a relatively local existence.

Would I be more-or-less screwed and on a 10 year waiting period IF i were to find an employer willing to sponsor? The system just seems really flawed to me.
Click to expand...

The 10+ years mentioned previously is the period of time they require you to submit information on for an investigation. I mentioned that the investigations can take a couple years of waiting. I haven't heard of anyone having to wait 10 years, but 2+ is not uncommon depending on what you are submitted for.
 
Also they can issue an interim clearance usually within a month or two for most people while you wait on full clearance. Course if they need TS level clearance an interim will not work. TS requires a polygraph and requires interviews of people who know you, so TS is much more involved to obtain.
 
ambientZ said:
The 10+ years mentioned previously is the period of time they require you to submit information on for an investigation. I mentioned that the investigations can take a couple years of waiting. I haven't heard of anyone having to wait 10 years, but 2+ is not uncommon depending on what you are submitted for.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't have to wait 2+ years for a TS clearance. Most of the time it should take around 6 months to do the investigation and then polygraph.
 
I joined the service in 2003. I got my Secret clearance in about a six months and TS in about 2 years.

When I got out of the service I still had my clearance and that's how I landed my job now being a contractor for the Army.
 
My TS took extra long (probably 2 years or more) because they changed the system while i sent in my first one. after they got the new one, it maybe took about 6-9 months total.
 
I wouldn't be looking for a job where they already require one. Look for a job where they will take you through the process of gaining the security clearance while hiring in. That is the way I went and it was pain free where they handle everything for you. Once you already get your foot in the door like that, it really opens up the places you can do work and the amount of money you want to make. You can be a consultant or independent contractor and move from job to job anywhere around the world, really.
 
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