Cleared Hot: Security Clearances are in Demand
Posted by Eric Pecinovsky on 06 May 2010 at 03:03 pm | Tagged as: Cleared Career Advice, Security Clearance Jobs
The MilitaryTimes Edge recently published a great article on security clearance jobs. Yes, we were mentioned and the Director of ClearanceJobs, Evan Lesser, was interviewed; so there is a bit of self promotion here. 
Honestly, though, it is a very thorough, informative article on security clearance jobs. A very good read. Here’s an excerpt.
Engineers and IT specialists are in top demand, but clearance jobs run the gamut. Any position that’s needed in a big corporation — from the board room to the mail room — may require clearance.
“People think about security clearance jobs and the first thing they think about is espionage, people doing covert work,” said Evan Lesser, director of the job-search Web site ClearanceJobs.com. But he once placed a highly cleared individual in the White House kitchen. That’s “Yankee White” status: Cleared to serve the president.
How marvy it would be if my security clearance were worth the paper it’s printed on. I accepted a clearance position last June, but it went away after some component of the FCS was canceled. Since that time, I have received not the slightest interest from a cleared shop. Waited all fall for the new year to arrive, at which time, I was assured, the floodgates would open and funding would be available at long last. It’s now May 11 and I cannot get anyone’s attention.
I wish that were true, but just having a security clearance is not enough. I have TS/SCI with CI poly and every time I have applied for a government position, it’s the same ol’ story. Impressive resume, but we chose someone with more experience.
If you want to be hired by Uncle Sam, you have to have somehing that Uncle Sam wants, and not just clearance.
I wish it wansn’t the case, but unfortunately, it IS the case.
I am an American citizen. I was employed for DOD work for one year in Iraq as a translator and adviser. The reason I was send back was reduction of force.
I feel for you guys. The govt is not and has not been in the business of hiring anyone on experience alone. I don’t believe I know more than 2-3 people who have gotten a govt job on their own merit–everyone else simply knew the hiring official or had a friend of a friend….etc….. This is sad and I have been around the cleared world for 26 years.
I too was recently not selected for a position even though I have 26 years experience and lost out to a person with 4.5 years. Had nothing to do with fairness, simply who ya know. My disbabled vet status did nothing nor did the campaigns I had been involved in.
Keep your head up as history is simply repeating itself. I foresee a govt RIF coming fairly soon as the govt cannot sustain the pace of conversions from contractors to GS.
I have an Active Security Clearance, with 32 + years of Experience working for Various Defense Contractors in Avionics Systems Engineering and have been unable to find any Employment for 19 Months. Soo I feel just being Cleared is not enough.
Can anyone explain what’s causing the dearth of cleared positions? A friend insists it’s the administration, but since he detests the President, I don’t give his words much weight. Still, the clearance gigs just don’t seem to be out there.
Also, can anyone confirm or deny the rumor I heard that a certain shop is trying to get US citizenship requirements eased, presumably so they can hire H1Bs?
KEN,
Alot of jobs have been lost due to budget cuts in Defense. But, many of the jobs once held have been converted to Govt Service employees. This has alot to do with administrations and the increase in government. I’m not partisan on this as I don’t like too many politicians on either side of the aisle. Government seems to grow continually, but this will collapse as it did throughout the early to mid 1990’s when they run out of money. The government will also realize it owns no technology and we will see a decrease in govt employees, who will transition back to fed contractors. Vicious cycle we are in now, but it will come around eventually. Just my .02
Hard to say when you refer to it as a “Certain Shop.” What agency are you referring to?
BW,
Thanks for the explanation, as discouraging as it is.
The “shop” is General Dynamics.
Ken,
Sorry to be such a “Bummer.” Gen Dynamics has no ability to have an effect on clearance policy, so wouldn’t take too much stock in the rumor.
BW,
Good to know.