How to get security clearance?

I recently had to pass on applying for a job that I really would have liked because it required having security clearance. My understanding is that you cant just go and apply for security clearance, it must be sponsored buy an employer. Is this correct? Or is there another way to get a security clearance?

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jvrlopez

You can join the military in a job that it is needed, become a federal employee that requires it, or have your employer sponsor you for it. I've seen very few of the last option, though I have seen some recent college interns get theirs and then brought on full time at a later date.

thegreatbelow

I had the exact same thing happen today. Amazing job offer: 5 year contract, great pay.. but the company was a non profit and was currently not sponsoring for security clearance. After google searching it seems that a person cannot simply apply for a clearance. You just have to find a company that is willing to put for the money/time to get it done for you. I may be wrong..

jvrlopez

If you do come across a posting that mentions a security clearance, see if it says "current" or "ability to achieve" (or something along those lines). You can take current as meaning you are already in possession of one and read the other as them possibly being willing to sponsor you for a security clearance.

OfWolfAndMan

Clearances are difficult to achieve if you didn't join the military or ended up in a federal job. Anything above a secret is even more difficult to get as they find out everything they need to about you. My advice, if you ever go for anything above a secret, when they ask you questions about anything, don't lie. They will find out one way or another

anhtran35

I have a TOP Secret clearance. SF 86 is the form that we filled out and it goes back 10 years. Basically, it's a credit, criminal background, job history and housing history check. There are also other variations including SCI and POLY that requires more in-depth checks. Here are companies that I know sponsor clearances:

Wyle
Siemens
CACI
Lockheed
Mantech

There are plenty of others. However, they usually prefer that you have a clearance to save them time and money of processing yours.

JohnnyUtah41

anhtran35 wrote: »

I have a TOP Secret clearance. SF 86 is the form that we filled out and it goes back 10 years. Basically, it's a credit, criminal background, job history and housing history check. There are also other variations including SCI and POLY that requires more in-depth checks. Here are companies that I know sponsor clearances:

Wyle
Siemens
CACI
Lockheed
Mantech

There are plenty of others. However, they usually prefer that you have a clearance to save them time and money of processing yours.

yeah, it is a real problem looking for jobs for me in VA/DC because most of the jobs that i want require a clearance. It's annoying. I'm actually considering enlisting in the air force reserves to get a security clearance and then in like a year apply for other jobs that i could get with said clearance. (while still being in the reserves)

also being in VA, i've had to be interviewed a few times by friends of mine that have clearances. Just did one last month for a buddy that is a special agent in the FBI..

MeanDrunkR2D2

Myself, I had a secret clearance and it was sponsored by a government contractor. It really all depends on how quickly they need to fill the position and if they are willing to get you hired and cleared for the position. It is possible to get one if you find an employer to sponsor you for one, and that may be most of the problem you may run into with companies that have an immediate need and cannot wait to get you even an interim clearance while the full clearance is processed. And true, you can't just go and get one yourself on your own to find one of those jobs.

I'm not ex-military or had worked in the government prior to that job. That said, my god was that job boring. I quickly found that there is alot of truth in the whole "Government speed" which was far slower and poorly paced. I had never seen so many people who would spend 4 hours of their shift just shooting the bull with others all day long. And those 4 hours that they did "work" was something I would expect out of a person asleep at their desk randomly tapping keys on a keyboard to keep the PC from locking.

MTciscoguy

JohnnyUtah41 wrote: »

yeah, it is a real problem looking for jobs for me in VA/DC because most of the jobs that i want require a clearance. It's annoying. I'm actually considering enlisting in the air force reserves to get a security clearance and then in like a year apply for other jobs that i could get with said clearance. (while still being in the reserves)

also being in VA, i've had to be interviewed a few times by friends of mine that have clearances. Just did one last month for a buddy that is a special agent in the FBI..

The Air Force reserve is a great way to get a security clearance as well as be on the path to a heck of a good job for those that already have IT experience. When I did my stint in Military Intelligence I had quite a few Air Force personal working for me, they were very good to work with, knew there stuff, easy to work with.

I spent 30 in the Army and I hold a very high clearance, but I will state I believe the government needs to revamp their procedures for granting clearances. The IT field is booming and there are many jobs that require a clearance, as stated, they are not easy to get unless you have an employer willing to sponsor or join the Military. They need to come up with a civilian program that you can pay the fees and go through the process so that requirement is fulfilled when you apply.

JohnnyUtah41

MTciscoguy wrote: »

The Air Force reserve is a great way to get a security clearance as well as be on the path to a heck of a good job for those that already have IT experience. When I did my stint in Military Intelligence I had quite a few Air Force personal working for me, they were very good to work with, knew there stuff, easy to work with.

I spent 30 in the Army and I hold a very high clearance, but I will state I believe the government needs to revamp their procedures for granting clearances. The IT field is booming and there are many jobs that require a clearance, as stated, they are not easy to get unless you have an employer willing to sponsor or join the Military. They need to come up with a civilian program that you can pay the fees and go through the process so that requirement is fulfilled when you apply.

Thanks for the feedback. I can't decide what i want to do. I want to get out of the DC area, and move to an area with a much lower cost of living. I also want to live somewhere warmer, so i'm thinking Dallas or Florida. I've got 8 years in system administration and currently MCSA in 2012 server, which will be a MCSE in a few months. I've got A+, Server+ and i have a expired a CCNA and CCNA-Security, so i feel like my experience will be more advanced than some of the people i will be training with/classmates at tech school. I've heard the new reserves earn a security+ cert during tech school. I may just get that before joining; if i join.

My other conundrum is going in as an officer or enlisting. I have a bachelor's degree in business administration, but the issue is time. I'll be 34 in october, so i dont know if there is enough time to get everything ready and sent off for approval. Then you have to go to officers school, and an extended tech school. I've read the whole thing takes over a year.

So it might just be easier to enlist. Once you enlist, you can be in boot camp in 3 months or less. Would you recommend one way or the other?

anhtran35

Johnny I don't think you need to join the military to get a clearance. I didn't. Apply to the companies I have listed above and they can process a clearance if you get hired.

JamesKurtovich

Apply for work with federal contractors and their sub-contractors.

JohnnyUtah41

anhtran35 wrote: »

Johnny I don't think you need to join the military to get a clearance. I didn't. Apply to the companies I have listed above and they can process a clearance if you get hired.

I know that, and honestly a security clearance may not even be necessary when i move away from the DC area. The air force reserve idea came about for multiple reasons.

1.) getting some student loans paid off - i've been reading about this, and i think the limit is about $3500 a year, which is a let down.
2.) continuing education with military training - i'd be doing the cyber operations job, i figured lots of on going training with the reserves.
3.) extra pay check each month, i know it wouldn't be much, maybe a few hundred bucks.
4.) if i liked it, i could stay on, do 20 years and get retirement which wouldn't be a bad thing.

downside is you have to spend time away from family doing training and there is a real possibility of getting deployed too.

Arysta

I hear you. It's really difficult to find an IT job anywhere in the VA/DC/MD area without it. I actually work for a federal contractor and can't get clearance unless I move into a position that requires it... which is difficult because, even for internal hires, they can't sponsor clearance unless there's money in the budget. I hear that many times they have to settle for lesser employees than they might necessarily want because they're not in a position to sponsor people.

ssnyderu2

Does anyone know what the cost is for these companies to get you security clearance?

anhtran35

About 3k to 10k.

Source: How Much Does It Really Cost to Get a Security Clearance?

aftereffector

Don't join the military just to get a clearance - that's kind of like applying to Subway because their employees get a free sub sandwich after their shift. I am all for joining the military (it worked out really well for me and quite a few people I know) but you have to do it for the right reasons.

MrAgent

Keep in mind that just because you join the reserves doesn't mean you wont see active duty. You can expect to be called up at least once every 5 years or so for a year.

It also does not cost the company any money to get a clearance. The government incurs that cost in the form of having to pay for the investigators time/travel/expenses etc.

Fulcrum45

You can join the Reserves and go for a job that requires a clearance

Just don't fall for that 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks a year non-sense. With the Global War on Terror going on the whole "weekend warrior" idea is a thing of the past.

But I would be remiss to suggest you join the military JUST for that reason.

Jesh

I recently went through the process of obtaining a TS clearance through a sponsorship, the position I was up for didn't end up happening though despite me being granted the clearance.

Now i'm back in the spot of looking for entry-level positions in one worst locations (I imagine) in the country, but now I have an extra filter to help me find better positions. Are there any options for finding like TS required support/help desk positions only?

markulous

anhtran35 wrote: »

I have a TOP Secret clearance. SF 86 is the form that we filled out and it goes back 10 years. Basically, it's a credit, criminal background, job history and housing history check. There are also other variations including SCI and POLY that requires more in-depth checks. Here are companies that I know sponsor clearances:

Wyle
Siemens
CACI
Lockheed
Mantech

There are plenty of others. However, they usually prefer that you have a clearance to save them time and money of processing yours.

So Lockheed does sponsor for most positions? Them and Raytheon are super close to my house but they require security clearance and I figured I was just out of luck for these jobs.

Blackout

Cisco Also Sponsors for their Federal Branch, I will be heading to the Federal Side soon.

Blackout

JohnnyUtah41 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. I can't decide what i want to do. I want to get out of the DC area, and move to an area with a much lower cost of living. I also want to live somewhere warmer, so i'm thinking Dallas or Florida. I've got 8 years in system administration and currently MCSA in 2012 server, which will be a MCSE in a few months. I've got A+, Server+ and i have a expired a CCNA and CCNA-Security, so i feel like my experience will be more advanced than some of the people i will be training with/classmates at tech school. I've heard the new reserves earn a security+ cert during tech school. I may just get that before joining; if i join.

My other conundrum is going in as an officer or enlisting. I have a bachelor's degree in business administration, but the issue is time. I'll be 34 in october, so i dont know if there is enough time to get everything ready and sent off for approval. Then you have to go to officers school, and an extended tech school. I've read the whole thing takes over a year.

So it might just be easier to enlist. Once you enlist, you can be in boot camp in 3 months or less. Would you recommend one way or the other?

Raleigh has a massive IT market, and its Dirt Cheap to live here.

clouder

markulous wrote: »

So Lockheed does sponsor for most positions? Them and Raytheon are super close to my house but they require security clearance and I figured I was just out of luck for these jobs.

Companies will often sponsor the right candidate. I was 22 with no experience or military background and was lucky enough to stumble into a position that sponsored me.

markulous

clouder wrote: »

Companies will often sponsor the right candidate. I was 22 with no experience or military background and was lucky enough to stumble into a position that sponsored me.

I'm definitely going to check that out then. I would like to get into security policies and auditing (maybe a little pen testing) at some point.

Blackout

Ultimately it really depends on where you are a lot of Defense Contractors will sponsor you in Raleigh because of the lack of Cleared individuals. If you go to DC your not going to find anyone to sponsor you that area is highly saturated.

clouder

markulous wrote: »

I'm definitely going to check that out then. I would like to get into security policies and auditing (maybe a little pen testing) at some point.

It definitely doesn't hurt to apply!

Blackout is right about this area in general, though. It also depends on skillset. I get constant emails for SCCM positions, for example (my previous life). Not nearly enough of those guys to go around.