What's worse than not being able to find a job.....

Crunchyhippo

What's worse than not being able to find a job.....is being offered a great job, then have it rescinded because you don't pass the security check. Due to an isolated lapse of judgment I made almost 15 years ago, the security clearance didn't go through for me, though I have no criminal background, have great credit, a stable family history, and I had a great interview. They offered me double what I make now. I guess some mistakes dog you til the day you die. At least now I know to not apply for jobs which require security clearances. You'd think, though, that cleaning up your act over a period of years would rectify things. Not so. Big bummer.

Maybe this will help someone else out in some way, since a lot of networking jobs require a security clearance.

Mishra

The security clearances I took only asked about information 7-10 years back.

mikearama

Bro, can I ever relate.

I have a 12 year old possession of marijuana conviction... continues to constantly hound me. I don't understand how something so unrelated to business could make such a difference. Sure, if it was fraud, embezzelment, extortion, theft... but smoking some dope?

I've found that working on contracts has greatly reduced the impact of having a record. I've worked at some great places where I would never be hired fulltime, but have had no issue being placed in a contract.

Maybe try the contract route, crunchy.

Mike

nel

i really feel for you fella's.

Keep your head held high.

Crunchyhippo

mikearama wrote:

Bro, can I ever relate.

I have a 12 year old possession of marijuana conviction... continues to constantly hound me. I don't understand how something so unrelated to business could make such a difference. Sure, if it was fraud, embezzelment, extortion, theft... but smoking some dope?

I've found that working on contracts has greatly reduced the impact of having a record. I've worked at some great places where I would never be hired fulltime, but have had no issue being placed in a contract.

Maybe try the contract route, crunchy.

Mike

It was a contract job.

cbigbrick

Before 9/11, they were handing out security clearences like candy. You can expect that it will get harder and harder in the future to get one.

mikearama

Crunchyhippo wrote:

It was a contract job.

No kidding! So it was just the requirement of the clearance then that screwed ya. Geez.

I once applied at BMW on a contract. Oddly enough, I went through the interview process on two different occasions, did all the personality and technical stuff, and only then was I put in front of an HR person who explained the security/credit/driving checks that I needed to consent to... I said, "Huh? Credit? Driving record?" I knew they'd be okay on them, but the security check was the issue. All that, just to get to say, "Thanks for the interviews, buh-bye".

I hate to say it, but some people just can't see past a record, no matter what it's for. The HR person actually said to me to resubmit my application if I ever bother to get a pardon (you guys have that in the States?). I said, what would have changed? You know I have a record, and getting a pardon doesn't erase your memory, does it?

She actually said that if it doesn't show up on a record check, they can't hold it against me. I guess it does erase people's memories. Go figure.

Anyway bro, after all that... keep your chin up. Find something not requiring a sec clearance. Good luck to ya.

Mike

CoryS

Wow, I know this is a bit old but the same thing happened to my brother, he is 32 now but he almost got passed over a great job for a minor he had when he was 17, he didnt even get a fine, just the ticket... Seriously some things are a bit rediculous, he had to meet with the company pysch an extra 2 times cause of this. Imagine the conversation..

"So, um, you had some beer like 15 years ago huh?"

"Yep"

"So.. pretty nice day out huh?"