New job offer, I can't say no. Opinions?

MJK9550

So I am now a week into my already new job, I had posted a thread about this offer. It is a network engineer position and pays 10k more than my previous job.Now I just had a meeting and have an offer for a security DoD position paying 20k more a year than my current new job and they will get me my clearance.There is no way I can say no to this, am I correct?I would have time to give my new job a long notice so they can find someone and we can train them before I would leave as I would have to wait for my clearance to process so it could be a month or two.Thoughts, opinions?Thanks guys

NetworkNewb

Yea, they willl be pissed and you'll be burning a bridge with them. But as long your ok with that do it. Pretty sure I would do the same!

greg9891

If Security is the road you want to go down then go for it. Its an opportunity for you to move into that role and get valuable experience.

kiki162

So there's a couple of questions you want to ask the DoD position before you accept.

- Is this a contract position, and if so how many years are they into the contract
- Will they let you start before or after you get an interim clearance?
- Is there anything you can think of that may delay you from getting a clearance? (financial issues, loans, debts, etc..)

If this is a contract position there's a couple of things you want to keep in mind. Contracting jobs always pay more and last for a certain amount of time. Ask about benefits for school, training, and other areas that may interest you. Some contracting companies are more generous than others, however many don't provide these benefits as they pay you more instead.

I've personally interviewed for gov't contract positions where the job description was completely different then what I was going to have access to. So if you were excited about learning new technologies in this new position, you really want to ask the hiring manager specific questions before jumping in.

xxxkaliboyxxx

Also be advised on different GS position. Is it Term or Permanent? Big difference

MJK9550

It is a company, but they do government contracts. It is a full time permanent position. No access to the building without an active clearance. They are starting on it Monday for me and said it should be a month maybe two before I have my active secret clearance. Security is what I want to do and was my goal when I started in IT, just didn't think I would get here this fast! The company I work for now will understand, I told them security is what I want to do, they are a smaller private owned company so its not a huge bridge to burn, but since I will be giving them plenty of notice I doubt they'll be upset. This job pays a lot more, is security so I will get experience I need in the field I want to work in for the rest of my life, and the benefits are amazing, not to mention the clearance.

xxxkaliboyxxx

Wait, the job is based on you having a clearance right? Wait until you absolutely have a clearance before you give any kind of notice or start telling your work.

I know you are excited about having a security job with decent pay, but take it from someone who came from the military where I would see all kinds of people lose their security clearance for any little thing. Don't put all your eggs in one basket just yet. Slow down a little, wait until your clearance and you sign a job offer, then start telling your job.

thomas_

By giving them a long notice you are assuming that they just won't let you go immediately. Why would they let you hang around when they know you will be moving on? Why wouldn't they just fet rid of you and fill your position with someone else?

EANx

kiki162 wrote: »

So there's a couple of questions you want to ask the DoD position before you accept.

- Is this a contract position, and if so how many years are they into the contract
- Will they let you start before or after you get an interim clearance?

Contracting jobs always pay more and last for a certain amount of time.

To add on, contracts have an initial term (say two years) with a number of option years possible. You need to know both how old the contract is as well as the total length before it has to be recompeted.

Will you be able to do much with an interim secret or does that simply get you in the building and working on unclassified stuff? Ask if they have anyone currently waiting on whatever they're waiting on and how long it's been. One person that's having clearance issues isn't a worry but two or more is a warning sign.

scaredoftests

Make damn sure about the clearance. If you don't have it, do you have the position right away? If not, it takes awhile to get one. What are you going to do in the meantime? They won't let you touch anything without it.

networker050184

You've been there a week and want to give a month notice already? I'd be surprised if they didn't just tell you to walk that day. Not like you're an integral part of the team or something.

xxxkaliboyxxx

These are harsh answers and maybe not what you want to hear, but understand most of us come from some type of DoD background or at the very least been in our fair share of contract gigs. Be careful, I'm sure you're not worry about burning bridges, but you don't have a leg to stand on without your security clearance. Everyone has a limit on their pride, even smaller private owned companies.

Personally I would let you go right away.

MJK9550

I am not going to give notice until everything is far in motion and set in stone, these guys will understand that I can't pass up this opportunity. I will tread carefully of course until I know so, it's not like I planned on telling them on Monday or anything.

pevangel

Don't give notice until you have your secret. A month or two is extremely optimistic unless it's for an interim.

the_Grinch

If you're going for a security clearance they are going to contact your current employer for sure.

ArabianKnight

Having worked in the contracting world for sometime, first it may take awhile to get your clearance! With the OPM breach and Snowden breaches they are very careful and it could take longer than expected. This is for a Secret level clearance right? Also do not tell your current employer anything until you have a solid start date, then give them 2 weeks. We had a guy on my last contract that left and had to come back for a few weeks until he could sort some issues out. He did not leave on good terms with some people so it was awkward to have him back and he was made fun of behind his back. Also leaving so soon may look bad on your resume.

TechGromit

MJK9550 wrote: »

I would have time to give my new job a long notice so they can find someone and we can train them before I would leave as I would have to wait for my clearance to process so it could be a month or two.Thoughts, opinions?Thanks guys

Do what's best for yourself, NOT whats best for the employer. They will not give it a second thought letting you go, why should you give a crap they will be inconvenienced when you leave them?

I knew a guy that worked for a company that serviced ATM's without benefits, he had a new government contracting job lined up that paid a lot more with benefits. The ATM company was going to send him away a week or two for training, but he thought why waste the companies money when he was leaving anyway, he just needed his interim security clearance and he could start his new job. So he quits that ATM company job and waits for the interim security clearance to get approved. After two months, he still doesn't have his clearance, has no money coming in, not even unemployment, the new employer got tired of waiting for him to get his clearance and hires someone else. Now he's unemployed, can't get unemployment because he quit his job, has no new job and a nice little gap on his resume. If he was smart he would have continued to work at the ATM company, kept his mouth shut until everything was lined up to take the new job. Don't be nice, do what's best for you.

volfkhat

TechGromit wrote: »

I knew a guy that worked for a company that serviced ATM's without benefits, he had a new government contracting job lined up that paid a lot more with benefits. The ATM company was going to send him away a week or two for training, but he thought why waste the companies money when he was leaving anyway, he just needed his interim security clearance and he could start his new job. So he quits that ATM company job and waits for the interim security clearance to get approved. After two months, he still doesn't have his clearance, has no money coming in, not even unemployment, the new employer got tired of waiting for him to get his clearance and hires someone else. Now he's unemployed, can't get unemployment because he quit his job, has no new job and a nice little gap on his resume. If he was smart he would have continued to work at the ATM company, kept his mouth shut until everything was lined up to take the new job. Don't be nice, do what's best for you.

Every so often.... i need to be slapped in the face myself.
Thanks for this!!

mbarrett

MJK9550 wrote: »

Now I just had a meeting and have an offer for a security DoD position paying 20k more a year than my current new job and they will get me my clearance. There is no way I can say no to this, am I correct?I would have time to give my new job a long notice so they can find someone and we can train them before I would leave as I would have to wait for my clearance to process so it could be a month or two.Thoughts, opinions?Thanks guys

Well, there are a few things going on here.
- If you're going to leave your new job for something else, it's a good idea to depart sooner rather than later. But in the interest of CYA (cover your ass) you don't want to give too much notice, or they might just ask you to depart a little more quickly so they can get on with life. It's just business, no hard feelings, but the longer you stay the more awkward it will become. Just figure out when you can give two week's notice, assuming you have something firm lined up.
- For the clearance, the Final Secret will take some time. But for "only" a Secret clearance, they are pretty standard...the interim Secret shouldn't take too long, but assuming there IS some time you will be without a clearance, you will want to get some kind of assurance from your contract company that you will remain employed, and get some feedback from them on how long they are willing to wait. And you will need to have confidence that you are, in fact qualified to receive the security clearance.
- Make sure you know enough about the contract position to be sure this is what you want to do.
- A security clearance can open some doors, and you will have some good opportunities to grow in your career, depending where you live. Good luck!

atippett

There's no way you're getting a full Secret clearance in 2 months. It took me 2 months just to get my Interim Secret. Right now, they're way behind in investigations. I'm going on 6 months and still haven't got my full clearance. Some people I work with are going on their 11th month and still haven't got it.

DatabaseHead

I had an elevated clearance when I worked for the arsenal and I literally sat at my desk and read books for 9 months.........

atippett

DatabaseHead wrote: »

I had an elevated clearance when I worked for the arsenal and I literally sat at my desk and read books for 9 months.........

The arsenal...? Explain a little bit more please lol I'm guessing you mean Redstone Arsenal, but that's only because I work for DoD and have heard the name before

stryder144

I immediately thought of Arsenal F.C. before I realized that his other posts pointed in a decidedly American direction.

sj4088

I wouldn't worry about it too much to be honest with you. These companies don't OWN us. We can leave whenever we want just like they can fire us whenever they want. Personally I'd lose all respect for an employer who got mad just because I've decided to move on. Yeah you only been there a week. But that's life. That's actually a good thing, now they can find someone else before they have "invested" too much time into you.

I say this every time one of these type of threads is made and I'll say it again. Employers don't hesitate to get rid of employees when they are no longer needed or aren't performing the way they believe they should. So why should you as an employee be concerned about a company. Be professional. Put in a two weeks notice. Other than that there is really nothing else you can do. And since you only have been there a week a two week notice would seem silly in your case. You probably don't even have a desk yet.

A company will find someone. Usually someone good too if they are offering up a competitive salary. If not well tough, that's something for the company to think about instead of trying to lowball employees.

You are doing the right thing. Don't feel bad about it. Always look out for yourself FIRST no matter what anybody else tell you. A friend of mine left a FTE job, making north of 100K and went to a contract job and they let him go after 1 month. "They said nothing "personal". You are doing a great job. The company has just decided to go in a different direction". That tell you all you need to know when dealing with these companies.

Having said they don't quit until you are 100% you have another job lined up.

DatabaseHead

I'd rather not elaborate anymore, but........ The wait was rEEdonkulous. The good thing is I was able to gain good experience before moving on.