XP: Anyone have gov. security clearance?

louisvillebride21

So this might be a long shot...I'm starting to apply for jobs here (I'm currently in KY, moving to Huntsville in June) A lot of the jobs I'm applying for require that I already have security clerances. I'm wondering if anyone has any idea how I go about this? Yes, I've googled, but some of the official websites are way over my head at this point. I'm just looking for a starting point...

MadeOfAwesome

Hi!!  I got mine through my contractor company.  Technically, I'm not a government employee, but I still had to get my security clearance.  I was hired first and then had to go through the LONG process of getting clearance.  It wasn't fun and it took a while, but I believe that once they offer you the job, THEN you get your clearance through security. 

Ok, just talked to my immediate supervisor.  He said that basically once they want to bring you in for the job, you have to start the process to get an Interim Security Clearance.  That's basically just a quick background check.  Once you get that, you can start working (kind of like on a probationary period).  Then the full background check will take place and depending on the results of that, you could possibly be terminated if you have anything that shows up.  I'm pretty sure that the government jobs all say "requires security clearance" but you don't have to get that on your own.

liv2tell

What all do you have to do to get a security clearance? Do they do any medical tests or screening? Or is it basically just a long background check?

I work in the area too and have always wondered what you have to go through. Right now the company (contractor) I work for has a security clearance as a whole so we haven't had to get individual clearances.

MadeOfAwesome

It's a time consuming process, but nothing like you're imagining.  They ask you a bunch of questions online about your background.  You have to know all of the addresses you've lived at for the past ten years and you have to list references (name, phone number, addresses) that can verify that you actually lived at that address.  You have to list all your immediate family members and if any of them were born outside of the US.  You have to list if you've been outside of the US.  Your employment history, if you've ever been fired, arrests, illegal drug involvement, financial info, if you've ever gone to a shrink.  They ask a bunch of stuff.  I can't really remember what else was on there.  I got  mine like a year and a half ago.  They don't do any medical tests.  No drug screening unless you're going to be working with top secret classified information.  It's a fairly painless process, but it takes awhile.

liv2tell

Good to know!

Thanks!

FutureWashburn

Ditto PP, you have to have a company sponsor your to get the clearance.  I would put something on your resume about being "eligible for security clearance".  That way they know that you haven't been rejected a security clearance in the past. 

stacey.taylor

You can't get one until you have a job that you need one for. You have to have a reason for it and your employer gives you that/initiates the process. Once you have a job, you go through the application (lots of info).  You'll normally get an interim pretty quickly while they do the more thorough investigation.  Not sure what to tell you about the jobs.  Pretty much everything in Huntsville requires one, but a lot of employers will still hire you on the condition that you get one.  Are you applying for gov't or contractor positions?  What kind of position are you looking at?