Career

Security Clearances and Resumes

A blogger recently discussed advantages of listing a security clearance on a resume.

Posted by The Editors on Sep 25, 2008 at 04:23PM | Comments (0)

ODNI Embraces Online Networking

The Office of the Director for National Intelligence (ODNI) reportedly will launch on September 22 what is being called a social networking website serving the Intelligence Community and requiring a security clearance to access.

Unlike venues such as Facebook, however, “A-Space” will facilitate the sharing of ideas on terrorist threats rather than serve mostly as a social forum.

ClearedCommunity.com is pleased to have been the first online networking site catering to the security clearance community when it was launched two years ago August and is thrilled to see the idea catching on in government circles.

News of “A-Space” was also available here.

Posted by The Editors on Sep 07, 2008 at 08:31PM | Comments (0)

Clearance-Holders Continue to Enjoy Premium Pay

The Human Resource Association says that persons who hold a security clearance continue to enjoy salaries higher than those of colleagues without such a clearance, though the differential decreased slightly from a survey last year.

Posted by The Editors on Sep 05, 2008 at 02:59PM | Comments (0)

Review of Basic Procedures to Acquire Clearance

A Washington Post discussion board recently addressed some steps necessary to acquire a preliminary clearance and estimated the number of jobs available requiring clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 11, 2008 at 11:41PM | Comments (0)

Renewing Old Military Clearances

A blogger writes about the prospects of renewing an expired military-issue security clearance and about the benefits to one’s career of having a clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 11, 2008 at 11:28PM | Comments (0)

Bringing Newly-Hired Personnel Aboard Quicker

To avoid newly-hired personnel from changing their minds about taking Federal jobs because of lengthy security clearance processing delays, some Federal agencies reportedly have created interim job centers where employees begin work without their full clearances.

While intelligence agencies still are blessed with tens of thousands of applications each year, the lengthy security clearance process associated with bringing in new hires is still a major obstacle. As a result, agencies have established interim job centers to allow employees awaiting security clearance to perform unclassified work until their background investigation is complete….

Posted by The Editors on Aug 10, 2008 at 05:03PM | Comments (1)

Clearance Applicants Place Personal Info at Risk

One cost of applying for or holding a security clearance is the risk one takes in trusting government officials to protect sensitive, personal information.

According to a Department of Defense Inspector General report, hundreds of computers containing such sensitive information went missing from 1997 to 2005.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 27, 2008 at 06:03PM | Comments (0)

Having a Clearance More Valued Than Skill Set

A recent article in the Washington Post online revealed that, according to one industry analyst, some employers will hire a candidate simply for their security clearance and despite their lacking necessary skills.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:31PM | Comments (0)

Upcoming Security Clearance Job Fairs

Check here for upcoming security-clearance job fairs in your area.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 30, 2008 at 03:49PM | Comments (0)

Army to Require Paralegals Have Clearances

The U.S. Army will soon require that all its paralegals possess a secret-level security clearance, according to Army Times.

Because most of the several hundred soldiers who serve in this specialty already meet the requirement, the restriction primarily applies to paralegal specialists who have had their secret clearance revoked or suspended because of misconduct or derogatory information.

Read more here.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 23, 2008 at 09:31PM | Comments (0)

DUI a Likely Disqualifier for FBI Clearance

An FBI Agent and recruiter discusses security clearance hurdles in this recent article in the University of Nevada at Las Vegas student newspaper.

“A DUI when you’re 19 is going to take you out of the running,” the agent said.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 18, 2008 at 01:53PM | Comments (0)

Upcoming Job Fairs for Cleared Professionals

Several job fairs will be held later this month for professionals holding security clearances. Here is a list of some of the events.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 14, 2008 at 11:20PM | Comments (0)

No Clearance, No Badge

Guidelines issued by the Office of Personnel Management regarding presidential transition teams reportedly state that persons who, for whatever reason, may not be able to acquire a security clearance also cannot be issued a computer-readable security badge by a federal agency.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 14, 2008 at 11:12PM | Comments (0)

Pentagon Grants Require Clearance

The Department of Defense plans to give grants of up to $600,000 to six science or engineering professors but will require that each undergoes a background check and receives security clearance. The story, which appeared in the June 6 Washington Post, highlights how a growing number of professions can benefit from knowing about security clearances and how to acquire them.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 14, 2008 at 10:53PM | Comments (0)

Does a Lack of Friends Hurt One's Clearance Prospects?

In a recent blog, participants discussed whether lacking a large social network makes it more difficult for someone to acquire a security clearance.

Posted by The Editors on May 15, 2008 at 08:07PM | Comments (0)

Defense Sector Worker Shortage Attributed to Clearance Woes

Defense-sector companies say that difficulties acquiring security clearance are partly to blame for an anticipated shortage of qualified workers. These companies are competing with other industries, like high-tech and telecommunications, for math and science talent who can meet qualifications for security clearance. Read more here.

Posted by The Editors on Apr 12, 2008 at 11:39PM | Comments (0)

Cleared Workers Continue to Command Premium Salaries

In late March, a website catering to security-cleared job-seekers released the results of its annual survey of salaries for security-cleared professionals.

Workers with clearances enjoy pay premiums of as much as 12 percent, with “the quantity of qualified candidates in much shorter supply than the number of open jobs.”

Posted by The Editors on Apr 11, 2008 at 12:59PM | Comments (0)

Upcoming Security Clearance Jobs Expos

Several job fairs for security clearance holders are scheduled to occur in locations throughout the U.S. in the coming months. Click here for a list of some of them.

Posted by The Editors on Feb 12, 2008 at 11:13PM | Comments (0)

Having a Clearance Helps Computer Programmers

On this blog, a former military officer says his Department of Defense security clearance helped him land a job as a computer consultant with a major information technology contractor.

...listen up, transitioning service members: Having a security clearance sweetens your appeal in computer-related occupations…

Former Army Sgt. Eric Linzie said his military experience and clearance served him well when he became a Booz Allen Hamilton associate nearly two years ago. He leads systems engineering on a Defense Department contract.

Posted by The Editors on Feb 07, 2008 at 01:06PM | Comments (0)

Blog Discussion on Secret Clearances for Interns

A physics blog carried a discussion recently about whether Secret-level security clearances acquired through an internship can remain active once the internship has ended.

Posted by The Editors on Jan 31, 2008 at 10:43AM | Comments (0)

Legal Training in Security Clearance Procedure

On January 10, the District of Columbia Bar offered its latest course on security clearance procedure, this time on clearance adjudication at the Department of Defense. Click here for the announcement.

Posted by The Editors on Jan 21, 2008 at 07:06PM | Comments (0)

Juggling Job Offers While Awaiting Clearance

A job applicant solicits advice on how to proceed with competing job offers while awaiting a security clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Jan 21, 2008 at 06:57PM | Comments (0)

Offshore Companies' Clearance Woes

Small offshore companies are discouraged from or unable to compete for federal contractors because they often lack or are ineligible for the require security clearances, according to a report by Offshoring Times. As a result, larger companies, such as IBM, EDS, and CSC, remain dominant.

Posted by The Editors on Dec 20, 2007 at 04:19PM | Comments (0)

Lack of Cleared Engineers Hurts National Defense

According to a recent article in Machine Design, a lack of engineers with security clearance puts at risk the nation’s ability to develop and deploy defense systems.

ClearedCommunity.com last reported on this subject here.

Posted by The Editors on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:31PM | Comments (0)

MD Schools to Teach About Security Clearances

In a first-of-its-kind program, the Maryland State education system will teach grade school social studies students about security clearances and the behavioral requirements to acquire them. According to a November 29 article (free registration required) in the Washington Post, schools will warn students that having criminal records, financial difficulties, or other problems make it difficult to get a clearance. The curriculum is intended to prepare students to qualify for one of the many military jobs expected to become available in the state in conjunction with ongoing military base realignment.

[State superintendent of schools] Grasmick intends to create “financial literacy awareness” among students, with a personal resource management course established in all school systems that would teach students how to avoid debt, which also can damage prospects for a security clearance….

She said she wants the security clearance educational programs to be established in all school systems by the start of the next school year.

The Post published a follow-up story on December 2, which should be accessible here.

Posted by The Editors on Dec 06, 2007 at 07:55PM | Comments (0)

Keeping Your Clearance Upon Leaving USG

A recent article in the Washington Post discussed whether to try to keep your security clearance upon deciding to leave work with the U.S. Government (USG).

With clearances, especially high-level ones, you become very marketable and an attractive candidate to many government contractors…

According to the Defense Security Service (DSS), federal workers or military service members with clearances can be reissued a clearance for another position if the date you left prior federal or military service occurred within 24 months…. DSS also says that if your initial investigation or periodic reinvestigation was not completed within the timeframe described, an investigation may have to be requested before you are granted another clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 28, 2007 at 12:53PM | Comments (0)

British Expat Asks His Chances for Clearance

A British expatriate who once worked for the British Defence Ministry and now seeks cleared work as a contractor to the US Government asks what are his chances of acquiring a security clearance. Read here what respondents had to say.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 27, 2007 at 11:05PM | Comments (1)

Wait Times for New Clearances

This article about CIA and DIA job fairs in Florida talks about anticipated wait times for new security clearances.

The biggest drawback to [intelligence] work is the average 440-day waiting period to obtain a security clearance from the government, said Dale Armstrong, a senior partner in the Lucas Group, an Atlanta-based headhunting agency.

A decade ago, the clearance might have taken 150 days.

Armstrong said the private sector frequently raids government ranks, and companies raid each other, for qualified people with a security clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 27, 2007 at 10:28PM | Comments (0)

Training in Acquiring and Managing Clearances

Training was held recently in the Washington, DC, area on how to acquire a security clearance and the roles and responsibilities of a Facility Security Officer (FSO).

Sept. 20 – 21 – Advanced DOD Security Clearance and Facility Security Officer (FSO) Training Workshop, “A 2-Day Workshop on the Methods and Process of Obtaining a Personnel Security Clearance, the roles and responsibilities of a Facility Security Officer and the ‘How to’ of day to day FSO activities,” Market Access Training Center, Arlington, Va.

For more information, go to www.homelanddefensejournal.com.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 26, 2007 at 01:44PM | Comments (0)

Translator With Foreign Links Discusses Clearance

An East Asian national who has provided translation services to the U.S. President discusses (registration required) her work and ability to acquire security clearance despite her unique background.

...as a translator with national security clearance, Abbas has visited Prague, the White House, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in just the past year….

born in East Turkistan, a formerly independent nation populated largely by people of the Uyghur ethnicity now governed by China… [Abbas] is now one of few speakers of the Uyghur language in the United States, and one of very few who possesses security clearance…

“I didn’t want to be in the middle of it,” Abbas said, “but [the U.S. military] told me I was the only qualified person who could get security clearance.”

Posted by The Editors on Oct 26, 2007 at 01:32PM | Comments (0)

Holding TS Clearance Boosts Pay Around DC

According to a survey of compensation in the National Capital area surrounding Washington, DC, employees who hold Top Secret security clearances enjoy a 15 percent pay differential compared to their uncleared counterparts.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 26, 2007 at 01:26PM | Comments (0)

Security Clearances "a Golden Ticket"

This article from the San Antonio Express News talks about how lucrative security clearances can be in the job market.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2007 at 01:51PM | Comments (0)

Security Clearances Spur Corporate Buyouts

CACI, a Washington Beltway contractor, continues to purchase smaller companies whose employees possess lucrative security clearances, according to a September article in the Washington Post.

See also here.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2007 at 01:44PM | Comments (0)

Getting a Clearance Requires a Sponsor

A recent newspaper column mentioned that acquiring a security clearance requires having an employer request that one be issued on your behalf.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2007 at 01:21PM | Comments (0)

Clearance Rules Prevent More Diverse Workforce

An industry professional tells Federal Computer Week that security clearance restrictions hinder the government’s ability to grow a more ethnically-diverse workforce.

“Right now, getting someone cleared who is a first-generation American is really hard. If you are going to improve the representation of various employees, they need to change security clearance requirements.”

This month, the National Academic of Sciences said that a “significant and steady infusion of foreign nationals” was necessary to maintain U.S. scientific research and development talent.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2007 at 01:06PM | Comments (0)

Too Few Techies Are Clearable

According to a June article in National Defense, there is concern in academic and government circles that universities are graduating too few scientists and engineers who have the qualifications necessary to acquire federal security clearances, putting at risk our nation’s technological advantage in sectors such as national defense.

“There is a long-term downward trend in defense-relevant science and engineering degrees at all levels awarded to personnel who could qualify for the security clearances,” says William S. Rees, Jr., deputy undersecretary of defense for laboratories and basic sciences.

A new Department of Defense program awaiting approval by Congress would fund university faculty who pursue military-related research, with participants cleared at the Secret level.

(If the above link to the article does not work, try here.)

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2007 at 11:33AM | Comments (0)

Taking Your Clearance to USG Vs. Private-Sector

A July article in Government Executive discussed why some intelligence analysts with security clearance prefer the private-sector over U.S. government (USG) employment, and vice versa.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2007 at 10:45AM | Comments (0)

New Web Alliance Aims to Match Cleared Personnel With Jobs

Two online job boards reportedly have teamed to help persons with security clearances find jobs.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 24, 2007 at 10:05PM | Comments (0)

Perks for Private-Sector Cleared Personnel

The October 8 Washington Post contained a report about a private contractor who’s been buying up smaller companies whose employees have security clearances, “one of the hottest commodities in the Washington, DC, area.” The contractor sends top-performers on free vacations.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 24, 2007 at 09:43PM | Comments (0)

Job-Hunting Tactics for Clearance-Holders

A recent article in Air Force Times offers job-hunting advice to military personnel holding security clearances.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 06, 2007 at 06:05PM | Comments (0)

Ninety Percent of Contractor's Staff Hold TS Clearances

L-1 Identity Solutions reportedly plans to buy McClendon, a provider of technical and professional services to the intelligence and military communities, 90 percent of whose 200 employees hold top-secret security clearances.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 06, 2007 at 05:51PM | Comments (0)

Cleared Engineers in Short Supply at DOE

Electronic Design discusses the shortage of cleared engineers at the Department of Energy (DOE), where it says cleared professionals often earn higher wages than counterparts at other U.S. intelligence agencies.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 01, 2007 at 08:44PM | Comments (0)

CIA Pressed to Curtail Reliance on Contractors

While it does not discuss security clearances directly, an article in the June 11 Washington Post discusses the reasons for and impact of the Intelligence Community’s over-reliance on hiring contractors. CIA has put in place measures to curtail the revolving door of retirees returning as contractors.

Posted by The Editors on Jun 11, 2007 at 04:43PM | Comments (0)

FBI Intern Clearance Processing

Applicants for internships at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly endure the same type of background checks and polygraph exams as do FBI agents and receive identical clearances. In this case, investigations took eight months. The report appeared in the May 29 Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle.

Posted by The Editors on May 30, 2007 at 05:08PM | Comments (0)

Contractors Said to Pad Cleared Roster

In a May 25 letter to the Washington Post, a reader says that government contractors put in for security clearance more candidates than necessary, clogging the system and causing delays in clearance processing:

All too often, cleared defense contractors pad their access rosters with employees who do not require security clearances to perform their official duties, and this in turn drives up the number of clearances that clog an already inefficient clearance-access process…

Contractors benefit by having a large pool of workers to draw on, but many workers go through the arduous process of getting top-secret clearances and never work a single minute on a top-secret project….

Posted by The Editors on May 28, 2007 at 09:08PM | Comments (0)

Clearance a Ticket to Private Sector

This student blogs about how government has become a means to acquire clearance and then lucrative employment in the private sector.

Posted by The Editors on May 13, 2007 at 05:48AM | Comments (0)

Recruitment and Retention in the IC

An article published Tuesday, May 1, by Government Executive discusses some of the human resource challenges facing Intelligence Community (IC) managers, including the need for security clearance reforms.

Today’s competitive job market is defined not by the institution, but by the free agent. The [IC] has become a place where the millennials learn spying tradecraft, obtain a coveted top-level security clearance and then bolt to contractors for heftier paychecks….[I]t could become the career path of choice – break into the private sector via the government.

Posted by The Editors on May 02, 2007 at 02:16AM | Comments (0)

MD Job Fair Favors Cleared Workers

Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is sponsoring a job fair this Wednesday and is encouraging persons with clearances to attend.

Posted by The Editors on Apr 22, 2007 at 09:23PM | Comments (0)

Blog: Clearance Delays Stifle IC Innovation

A blogger with first-hand experience identifies some of the bureaucratic challenges that threaten innovation in the U.S. Intelligence Community. He points out, for instance, that because new clearances can take so long to approve, mid-career professionals experienced in more efficient and effective private-sector ways of getting things done, often tend not to enter government service. Among other changes, he suggests declassifying some work would help.

Posted by The Editors on Apr 22, 2007 at 02:47PM | Comments (0)

Army Enlistee, Blogger Loses Clearance

A 19-year-old Army enlistee trained as an Intelligence Analyst, issued a top-secret security clearance, and assigned to a base in Georgia had his security clearance suspended and, about seven months later, revoked after it was discovered he started a blog containing criticism of U.S. Government spending policies, according to an anti-war website. He says Army investigators accused him of espionage and of possibly supporting the overthrow of the U.S. Government. He has since left the Army, saying he could no longer do the job he was trained to do and now “want[s] to counter the whole idea that just because you think you might have messed up one area of your life, your life is ruined forever.”

Posted by The Editors on Apr 21, 2007 at 11:45AM | Comments (0)

New Advertising Supplement on Clearances

In March, the Washington Times introduced a new advertising supplement called the Security Clearance Employment Resource Network (SCERN) Report. For the most part, it includes ads by large government information technology and defense contractors soliciting applications for jobs from persons holding active security clearances.

Posted by The Editors on Apr 21, 2007 at 10:50AM | Comments (0)

IC to Ease Entry for Those With Language, Cultural Fluency

An April 5 report in the Baltimore Sun, also carried elsewhere, discusses the Intelligence Community’s interest in hiring more first- and second-generation Americans with critical skills in language and cultural fluency. At the National Security Agency, some applicants are brought onboard and given unclassified work until clearances are approved.

Posted by The Editors on Apr 14, 2007 at 12:32PM | Comments (0)

Results of Intel Community Employee Survey

The Office of the Director for National Intelligence has released the results of the 2007 survey of job satisfaction of Intelligence Community employees. A news report about the survey says that reforms in security clearance procedures include facilitating clearance for first- or second-generation Americans skilled in foreign languages.

Posted by The Editors on Apr 09, 2007 at 10:50AM | Comments (0)

Trade Group Serves Cleared Community

An April 2 news article in the Washington Post highlights the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, or INSA, a “non-profit professional association for members of the Intelligence Community,” located in Ballston, a northern Virginia neighborhood near Washington, DC.

An INSA official describes the group as, “a forum for thoughtful discussion on issues critical to the nation,” including “domestic intelligence, the security clearance process for contractor personnel and ways to highlight the innovation that is taking place across America in smaller companies.”

Posted by The Editors on Apr 03, 2007 at 10:19AM | Comments (0)

Jobs Said Plentiful for Cleared Workers

A recent story in the Washington Post [March 26, 2007, in case the link does not work] discusses employment interest shown in a job-seeker with an information technology background and a security clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Mar 27, 2007 at 01:08PM | Comments (0)

Why Clearances Are Hot Commodities

A recent Associated Press article discusses several reasons why persons holding active security clearances are in such high demand in the labor market. Reasons include increased defense spending and pending retirement of baby boomers. Salaries for cleared work in Iraq average more than $97,000 per year. In the States, most available jobs and some of the highest salaries are in the Washington, DC area.

The AP article may also be available here.

Posted by The Editors on Mar 27, 2007 at 12:59PM | Comments (0)

Workers With Clearance Continue to Enjoy Premium Pay

ClearanceJobs.com has released the results of its annual survey of salaries paid to workers with security clearances. Read more here.

Posted by The Editors on Mar 20, 2007 at 10:50PM | Comments (0)

DOE Clearance Processing; "Q" Clearance

A web blog targeted to workers in the nuclear field recently hosted a series of messages on “Q” and other clearances required at the Department of Energy (DOE). The messages convey experiences common to many security clearance applicants.

Posted by The Editors on Mar 19, 2007 at 06:31AM | Comments (0)

Navy Holds Job Fair for Cleared Personnel

Active-duty and retired military personnel holding a security clearance attended the Military Security Clearance Recruiting Event at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on March 6 to get information on post-service employment, according to a press released posted to a Navy website.

“The value of a security clearance is very significant when transferring from military to civilian life,” said Chief Cryptologic Technician Technical (SW/AW) Mark Jones. “It actually increases your marketability and shows that you are trustworthy”

Posted by The Editors on Mar 18, 2007 at 03:48PM | Comments (0)

Cleared Jobs Supplement in the WashTimes

Yesterday’s Washington Times included a 12-page advertisement soliciting applicants for jobs requiring security clearance. The ad was sponsored by SCERN, the Security Clearance Employment Resource Network, an umbrella group of government contractors in the homeland security market. Page four of the ad was a backgrounder on how to acquire security clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Mar 06, 2007 at 04:15PM | Comments (0)

Feds Held Clearance Despite Faked Creds

A 2004 Government Accountability Office report found that several high-level government officials who listed bogus academic credentials on their resumes nevertheless were able to obtain top-secret security clearances.

Read about it here.

Posted by The Editors on Feb 17, 2007 at 11:03PM | Comments (0)

WH May Ease Checks to Speed Clearances

Yesterday’s USA Today reported that the White House is considering measures intended to hasten the time necessary to process new top-secret security clearances, including easing up on some aspects of background investigations. A committee is deciding whether to no longer require character references and checks with academic institutions for some clearance applicants.

The goal, says Clay Johnson III, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, is to speed up a process that, according to a series of government reports, wastes millions of dollars and endangers public safety by leaving thousands of defense, homeland security and intelligence jobs unfilled for more than a year.

The backlog of incomplete clearance investigations reportedly totals 350,000. Some three million Americans are said to hold varying levels of clearance.

Here is the story covered by UPI.

Posted by The Editors on Feb 15, 2007 at 04:58PM | Comments (0)

University Holds Forum on Cleared Jobs

The Career Center at George Washington University in Washington, DC, recently held a forum where speakers fielded questions from students on work in the Intelligence Community and security clearances. Though little reportedly was discussed about the clearance process specifically, some helpful insights were shared about how best to compete for cleared jobs.

Posted by The Editors on Feb 14, 2007 at 12:17AM | Comments (0)

Jobs Growth Predicted for Cleared Personnel

Citing a surge in new defense contract awards in late 2006, an online employment service for jobs requiring security clearance predicts a boom in demand for cleared personnel. A news article includes statistics on attitudes toward the clearance process and salaries for cleared personnel.

...more than three-fourths of government contractors agreed that the need for cleared employees to work on federal contracts had increased “greatly” (51 percent) or “somewhat” (26 percent) in the past five years…

...But more than half the respondents believed the security clearance process, run by the Defense Security Service and OPM, had worsened (31 percent) or not improved at all (24 percent) in the past year.

Posted by The Editors on Jan 08, 2007 at 04:14PM | Comments (0)

Legal Training in Handling Clearance Cases

The District of Columbia Bar Continuing Legal Education sponsors training on security clearance cases and how to defend against security clearance denials and revocations. The course is intended for both lawyers and persons holding clearances who want to better understand problems surrounding clearances. The next class will be held January 18, 2007.

Posted by The Editors on Jan 07, 2007 at 01:05AM | Comments (0)

Lying on Clearance Application Draws Sentence

A New Jersey man received three years probation after lying on his federal security clearance application for an Air Marshal job. He reportedly withheld information on two previous jobs and outstanding credit debt.

Posted by The Editors on Jan 07, 2007 at 12:56AM | Comments (0)

Court: Certain Probationers Have Rights

Some government agencies use probationary periods, during which employees have limited if any administrative rights, to suspend or revoke clearances. However, two recent federal court cases have yielded decisions permitting some probationary employees certain rights.

According to a report issued by the United States Merit Systems Protection Board, the two cases:

...provide that some individuals who have traditionally been thought of as probationers with limited rights may actually be entitled to the same rights afforded to employees with finalized appointments. [emphasis added]

Posted by The Editors on Jan 03, 2007 at 09:12AM | Comments (0)

Israelis Relinquish Citizenship to Obtain US Clearance

According to an Israeli Interior Ministry official, some Israelis who recently requested to relinquish their citizenship did so in order to obtain jobs requiring security clearance in the U.S. Congress, military, or White House.

In 2006, 775 Israelis asked to relinquish their Israeli citizenship, a slight drop in comparison to 2005, when 808 Israelis chose to forego their citizenship…

According to the Interior Ministry, applicants usually choose to relinquish their Israeli citizenship in order to be granted citizenship in the country where they currently live, or due to their desire to receive security clearance in their place of work….

Posted by The Editors on Dec 29, 2006 at 11:41AM | Comments (0)

GAO Won't Clear Dual Nationals

A recent job announcement for interns at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the GAO will not grant clearances to persons holding dual citizenship.

...CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: United States citizenship is required. Dual citizens (citizens of the U.S. and another country) are eligible for GAO employment. However, GAO conducts some projects that involve classified or otherwise restricted information and a security clearance is required to conduct this work. GAO does not currently grant security clearances to staff that hold dual citizenship.

Posted by The Editors on Dec 24, 2006 at 01:43PM | Comments (0)

Demand for Clearances in the Marketplace

A recent news article mentions demand in the marketplace for workers with security clearances and its impact on wages and government contracting costs.

The backlog of clearances waiting to be processed has been widely publicized, as has the recruiting of federal employees to go to the private sector because they already have their clearances.

But this problem increases costs in two ways….

Posted by The Editors on Dec 12, 2006 at 04:16PM | Comments (0)

Washington Post Cites Clearance Delays

In a November 8 editorial, the Washington Post addressed government delays in processing new security clearances and argued that it should be possible to speed approvals without sacrificing thoroughness.

...the government isn’t filling positions that require security background checks fast enough—and the delay is costing federal agencies money and talent….

...government contractors…are offering bonuses and perks to lure workers who already hold clearances away from direct government employment, significantly increasing the cost of hiring the same people. Long waits for security clearances also drive away talent.

Some of the best reforms the Office of Personnel Management could make would improve both efficiency and quality, such as retraining a crop of inexperienced new investigators….

Posted by The Editors on Dec 09, 2006 at 05:55PM | Comments (0)

For Hill Veteran, Clearance Requirement an Unwelcome Surprise

News that a 21-year veteran attorney at the US Capitol Police will be required to undergo a background investigation to acquire clearance necessary to retain his job is a stark reminder that requirements to hold clearance can be unexpected and pivotal to a career.

John Caufield recently learned that a reorganization by Congress that will shift his position from the US House of Representatives to the Capitol Police will require him to submit to the security check.

Posted by The Editors on Nov 28, 2006 at 05:00PM | Comments (0)

Intel Community May Ease Foreign Links Limits

Ron Sanders, chief human resources officer at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), says that, to faciliate recruitment of qualified and clearance-eligible intelligence professionals, it may be necessary to ease clearance restrictions for those with foreign links.

Intelligence leaders are also looking at loosening security clearance requirements. Cold War-era rules prohibited serving in the intelligence community if you had relatives who lived overseas. Such a requirement is unrealistic in light of new immigration patterns, Sanders said.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 25, 2006 at 10:31AM | Comments (0)

MD Officials Aim to Expand Cleared Personnel Pool

Maryland State officials are contemplating ways to expand the number of new employees who hold lucrative security clearances, to include issuing low-level clearances to interns and recent college graduates to expedite the clearance process and speaking at career fairs of the importance of clearances in the jobs market. Read more here.

Posted by The Editors on Oct 20, 2006 at 02:22PM | Comments (0)

Contractors Sought for Cleared Government Work

A recent article is the latest to discuss the federal government’s increasing reliance on contractors to fill intelligence needs and the salary premium that cleared personnel command.

Ever since 9-11, the intelligence industry has felt understaffed. That’s led to an employment boom in both the public and private sectors. The opportunities have been great for intelligence analysts but there’s a catch. If candidates don’t have “secret” or “top secret” security clearance employers aren’t interested…

We’ve had to resort to contractors because limitations Congress has placed on the number of civilian employees we can hire…

Posted by The Editors on Oct 10, 2006 at 03:26PM | Comments (0)

Salary Differentials for Cleared Personnel

The Human Resources Association of the National Capital Area has issued a press release on a survey of compensation paid in the Washington area in 2005-06. The survey found that holders of top secret security clearances enjoy a pay premium of 7-12 percent.

Posted by The Editors on Sep 07, 2006 at 11:53PM | Comments (0)

Pay Differentials for Cleared Personnel

U.S. News and World Report’s Washington Whispers reports on the pay differential those with various levels of security clearance can expect to earn in the cleared-jobs market.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 24, 2006 at 01:02AM | Comments (0)

Time Abroad, "Foreign Influence" Stymie Recent Grad's Cleared Job Prospects

A recent Newsweek article reports the alleged difficulties an otherwise exceptionally-qualified college grad has experienced securing a clearance to work at key federal agencies.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 24, 2006 at 12:53AM | Comments (0)

Top Grads Say Clearance Delays Necessitate Alternative Careers

In a recent article in Newsweek, graduating college seniors say the prolonged wait for clearance approvals, sometimes due to lengthy overseas student travel, has them considering or accepting other careers.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 24, 2006 at 12:24AM | Comments (0)

Clearance Applicants Advised to Sanitize Online Profiles

A recent online article advises caution when posting online profiles, as potential employers and security clearance investigators may search them for evidence of indiscretions.

A CIA contractor recently lost her security clearance, and job, after posting opinion to a chatroom. Read about it here.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 22, 2006 at 06:01PM | Comments (0)

Cleared-Jobs Market for IT Professionals

In a June 2004 edition of Network World, reporter Carolyn Duffy Marsan introduced Information Technology (IT) professionals to opportunities in cleared work. She also offered a list of items clearance applicants can expect to be asked to provide.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 28, 2006 at 05:39PM | Comments (0)

Growth in Cleared-Jobs Market

The Wall Street Journal, in late 2004, surveyed growth in the cleared-jobs market. The article also discussed security-related jobs not requiring clearance.

...Security-related jobs continue to be among the fastest-growing in the country. The terrorist attacks helped awaken and transform an industry that continues to expand, creating a broad array of jobs to help protect everything from computer networks to people. At many companies, security-related positions have garnered more prestige as well as higher pay.

For people wishing to work for companies that bid on government homeland-security and military contracts, the most coveted credential is a security clearance. But other opportunities for a wide range of positions, from doctors to administrators, are available for people without clearances in security-related fields.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 10, 2006 at 05:29PM | Comments (0)

Advice for Seekers of Cleared Jobs

Read a transcript of the Washington Post’s August 4, 2006, online chat session with a career counselor on how to secure cleared employment.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 10, 2006 at 04:50PM | Comments (0)

Guiding Employers on Clearance Investigations

Washington, DC, attorney Rand Allen teamed with a colleague to pen a thorough review of policies and procedures involved in a security clearance investigation.

In light of the opportunities available to defense contractors and other businesses seeking to obtain contract awards after 9/11 or the post-war Iraq era, a decision to deny or revoke a security clearance of a particular officer or employee can have serious ramifications for that government contractor…

The article cautions employers to seek to identify potential impediments to clearance in the pre-employment process and offers strategy on responding to the government’s Statement of Reasons (SOR) denying or revoking a clearance.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 10, 2006 at 04:09PM | Comments (0)

Cleared Engineers in High Demand

Electronic Design highlights the dramatic increase in demand for engineers who possess security clearances.

It’s no secret there’s a huge demand for technical professionals with security clearances, particularly EEs and computer scientists…

Key government and private-sector employers are identified…

The biggest recruiters are involved in defense or aerospace. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers, SPARTA, SRI International, SAIC, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, Raytheon, General Dynamics, L-3 Communication Systems, and Unisys…

Posted by The Editors on Aug 10, 2006 at 03:37PM | Comments (0)

ABA Review of Clearance Demand, Reform

In a March 2005 article (unavailable online) titled “Security Clearance Backlog Can Result in More Work, More Challenges for Lawyers,” the ABA Journal of the American Bar Association reviewed pending changes in security clearance investigations and their impact.

The backlog of investigations for security clearances had been increasing steadily in past decades, as did work for lawyers helping corporations and individuals get them.

Then came Sept. 11, 2001.

Now, security clearance investigations are more stringent and more numerous, driven by demand from a ramped-up defense industry and the new Department of Homeland Security. Backlogs have ballooned, and workers with the prized clearances are in short supply. But there is no shortage of work for their lawyers…

Posted by The Editors on Aug 10, 2006 at 03:01PM | Comments (0)

Employers Detail Challenges in Recruiting Cleared Personnel

In April 2006, the New York Times carried an article detailing the challenges facing employers seeking sufficient cleared personnel to meet the demands of available work. Creative recruitment techniques are discussed, and the shortage of cleared personnel is credited to the backlog in processing clearance applications.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 08, 2006 at 11:47PM | Comments (0)

Top Secret-Cleared Interns Staff FBI's DC Office

According to a Washington media report, the FBI has processed top secret-level clearances for some dozen area high school interns at its Washington field office.

Posted by The Editors on Aug 07, 2006 at 11:52PM | Comments (0)

Company Cites Cleared Work As Key To Business

July 26, 2006: An emerging technologies company specializing in defense and homeland security attributes its growing business, in part, to its “top security clearance [which has] enabled our company to build strong customer relationships with the Department[s] of Defense and Homeland Security.” This highlights the growing importance of securing classified work to succeed in this industry.

Use the Comments option below to brag about your company’s success in securing cleared work.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 28, 2006 at 10:47PM | Comments (0)

Persons With Clearances Seen As Favored Travelers

July 26, 2006: If policy analysts at a Washington, DC, think-tank have their way, persons holding a federal security clearance will be considered “low-risk passengers” eligible for expedited screening at airports. In a new policy paper, the analysts also argue that little progress has been made toward enhancing aviation security since September 11, 2001.

A similar initiative for the general public has been underway in Orlando since last year.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 28, 2006 at 10:41PM | Comments (0)

Clearance Processing Continues to Generate Big Business

July 10, 2006: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has awarded multi-million dollar contracts to five companies to perform background investigations on current and prospective federal government employees, contractors, and military personnel for the purposes of security clearance determinations. See also this story.

Has outsourcing clearance investigations impacted, positively or negatively, their speed or quality? Are there reasons why outsourcing such work is not in the public interest? Share your thoughts and insights below.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 28, 2006 at 09:25PM | Comments (0)

Opportunities Abound for Cleared, Skilled Personnel

July 6, 2006: The editor of a job search website says that demand for skilled professionals holding security clearance is at an all-time high.

Posted by The Editors on Jul 28, 2006 at 09:13PM | Comments (0)