Joe, welcome to the vicious cycle example...

You can only get government security clearance if the position you currently hold (usually working for a DoD contractor) requires it... a security officer within the company will initiate the review process with the government, who will then do a background check on you.

You can not initiate these types of background checks. The division of the government that does these checks can only accept investigative requests from military or civilian organizations under DoD or from contractor facilities that are cleared under the defense portion of the NISP

So.... in order to get a security clearance for that job you want... you first need to have a job that requires a security clearance. Clear as mud?
(In a previous life I worked for a military and aerospace subcontractor.)

Hope this helps,

Tony

posted 9 months ago

I asked this very same question a couple weeks ago. The easiest way that
was suggested is to join the reserves with a rate/designation in something
that requires a clearance.

While you do your 1 weekend/mo, 2 weeks/yr, you can then apply and hold
those jobs that require the clearances - once you've been cleared.

However, my own editorial on this strategy is that you should make
darn sure that you're able to pass the background investigation. Otherwise
you're stuck.

posted 9 months ago

The two answers above are very good. The only other way I can think of is through military service (that's where I got my Secret Clearance)...

Good luck!

//Marc

Links:

• http://www.military.com/Careers/Content1?file=careersArticlesSecurityCleara...

posted 9 months ago

A company has to sponsor you to get a clearance; you just cannot fill out a form on your own and send it in. For a company to have that ability they must be vetted by the government, and keep up their security requirements to send people in for clearances. So unless you have or had one... you won't be able to get it. The last time I had one completed it took about 6-8 months

posted 9 months ago

Joe - many good answers so far. To further elaborate, the clearance process is pretty intrusive, so you might want to decide if its for you to begin with. The background investigation spans 10 years of your life and your references as well as theirs may be interviewed. The key is to not lie on the investigation. The government doesn't expect everyone to be an angel, but also be careful of what you put in paper. Kind of a catch 22. I have hear of instance where an individual admitted to committing a crime and hence arrested for it, but at the same time, it is common for folks to put on the form they have used drugs, you just don't want to be an abuser and user while applying for the clearance. To further elaborate, during my investigtion for a "secret," I had talked to folks who said they where interviewed for jobs I had many years ago and haven't talked to that person or put them on paper.

A clearance requires sponsorship, not necessarily a need. As long as you are working with or applying for a job with a company that is willing to sponsor a clearance you should be good to go. Typically, sponsorship and or clearance is good for a 5 year cycle, background investigation (CF86) is good for 10 years. A company can issue a clearance for many reasons. At the end of the day, its more of a question of if the company wants to pay (about $30K for investigation) and or adopt the requirements for managing the clearances, etc.

As was already recommended, you have a couple of options:
1) Join the reserves or national guard. Most positions do require some type of compartmentalized clearance, especially a job related to IT or communications.
2) Apply for a job that requires a clearance. Some may be willing to accept you. If you are a good fit, then the company may be willing to sponsor and pay for the investigation, however, I will caveat that by saying that some government related jobs require that you have a clearance and not just an interim. An interim is where you have completed all necessary requirements (completed sf86 and background, drug screeing) but the detailed investigation has not been completed.
3) Convince the company you have a need. Examples may be access to government related incident data such as FBI or DHS, etc. The Federal government has a few appliations that let individual submit and view cyber incident data but you must have a clearance.

If you have a specific question down the road, let me know. I have experience with just about every clearance you can imagine.

Just hope you never have to obtain a clearance the requires a lifestyles investigation.

posted 9 months ago

Joe,

Tony Chryseliou is on the spot. I have worked for various federal agencies and once you land the job people authorized to begin the process will advise you. Because it does take a period of time to acquire the clearance depending upon the level, most prime vendors and large sub contracting companies that employ security people want individuals who already have an active clearance. It does sound like the government wants anyone who has the clearance and can sharpen a pencil over someone who doesn't have the clearance but is well qualified to do the job.

That is what makes it tough is you need to have the clearance to qualify or be considered for the job particularly the TS/SCI. The screening process is demanding and time consuming and because of that a candidate without the clearance is not productive until they receive it. One must have a very clean background, in other words if you ever bounced a check you can forget it at the top clearances. Some federal agencies allow what is called an interim clearance (mostly the civilian agencies with lower level clearance requirements, MBIs to Confidential) until the clearance is granted.

Hope this adds addition help for you and best of luck!

George Moraetes, CISM, CGEIT

posted 9 months ago

I have a TS/SCI which I obtained in the Navy as a Cryptologist, if and once you do get a security clearance, it's not a once you have it it's good for life type deal. Depending on the level of clearance, you are read into and out of programs depending on what level of information you need to have access to for your job, as soon as you leave a position or a project is finished with that particular clearance then it is revoked. Also if you leave either the military or position that required you to have that clearance and you no longer use if in a position for 24month then you lose it and have to re-apply again.

Additionally when you initially apply, if you've never had a clearance before it can take a long time, depending on the level required. We had people in our Reserve Unit that were prior military but their clearance had lapsed and that took around 18 months each.

posted 9 months ago