Career advice leave/wait it out

Z0sickx · December 2019

Cm main advice I’m looking for at what point is it justified to leave if a buddy hires you to be with them yet if this clearance process drags on past 3 months (it’s literally a reciprocity of my doorment clearance). I’ve honestly feel around 4-5 mark it’s time to look again and leave. I mean I literally have nothing to show for my time or anything to add to my resume and it eats at me week by week beyond another cert. there is work to be done but I’m getting impatient with the process and I don’t have the drive or desire to go in like I did in month 1

edit: I technically could potentially be offered another gig in a few months which is adding fuel to this

thoughts or perspectives

MrsWilliams · December 2019

Z0sickx said:

As the title says I got hired Nov 1 2019 after a buddy asked me to join him and his team as an architect, told him what I wanted from career perspective and salary. Got the salary I wanted on contract but it’s been almost 3 months and I can’t lead any projects/can’t go to any customer in persons meetings basically Im just a really expensive body on contract. Not his Fault technically but until my clearance goes through to Gov agency I’m still a bench warmer. You knew, or should have known this going in. In ANY cleared role, if you don't come in cleared you are limited with what you can and cannot do. Been spending most of my time studying Azure administrator and AWS CSA

main advice I’m looking for at what point is it justifiable for a friend you’ve known 12+ years if this clearance process drags on past 3 months (it’s literally a reciprocity of my doorment clearance). Your friend has absolutely nothing to do with how long your clearance process takes. I am not even sure why you brought him/her into this. Here are the two levels of clearances. I know you want to use the d word but I'll make it easy. Either the clearance is active or inactive. I'll repeat, either the clearance is active or inactive. With an active clearance, I am sure you would be able to do more. Nobody that wants to keep a clearance is going to give someone that doesn't have an an active clearance any of the VIP privs that you think you are obligated. 3 months is nothing. It's been people that have waited longer than that on other clearance focused sites. Just because you have an inactive clearance in September, doesn't mean that your processing/name is going to be put to the front of the line over the people who've been waiting 6 months - 1 year LOL
. I don't think you fully understand the process.
I’ve honestly feel around 4-5 mark it’s time to look again and leave. Do what you feel is best for YOU. You aren't going to walk into any cleared facility in America and do CLEARED work without an active clearance. You might as well look for uncleared work if time is of an essence. I mean I literally have nothing to show for my time or anything to add to my resume I am sure leaving after 3-6 months is really NOT going to benefit your resume either. and it eats at me week by week beyond another cert. there is work to be done but I’m getting impatient with the process and I don’t have the drive or desire <<____Ok, enough said. I am logging off. You should have put that sentence at the very top to go in like I did in month 1

edit: I technically could potentially be offered another gig in a few months which is adding fuel to this.

thoughts or perspectives

Z0sickx · December 2019

No need to be gentle lol, I guess the root of my frustration is this is a public trust level...If this was something higher I’d be more understanding ...so my expectation was about a month or less Or has it always been that way?

edit: found answer https://discuss.clearancejobsblog.com/t/public-trust-clearance-timeline/1920/85

bigdogz · December 2019

It is just the government process, as you know it takes a while. Sometimes it takes longer than an month. If you are uncomfortable you may want to leave because the government process will take more time for other projects than other industries.

MrsWilliams · December 2019

Z0sickx said:

No need to be gentle lol, I guess the root of my frustration is this is a public trust level...If this was something higher I’d be more understanding ...so my expectation was about a month or less Or has it always been that way?

edit: found answer https://discuss.clearancejobsblog.com/t/public-trust-clearance-timeline/1920/85

You can spend hours on that site reading the experiences of others going through, or who have gone through the clearance process. It's people who were trying to get cleared with three letter agencies that took longer than 3 months LOL

I frequent that site just to stay abreast on what's going on.

It's three sites I visit regularly:
1. MyFico
2. ClearncesJobsBlog
3. This Site.

If you lack patience, visit www.indeed.com

LordQarlyn · December 2019

Common advice is if your job isn't adding anything to your CV, either skills or accomplishments, it's time to seriously consider moving on. Life is short, our working years shorter, if you have a potential new job waiting, and you think it can add to your experience, take it. Always look out for your interests, and of course, try to leave on good terms with your current employer.

scaredoftests · December 2019

anything with the government takes time. Once your clearance goes through, you still need access to servers etc. That takes awhile as well. Great time to do some studying.

roninkai · December 2019

Do you have reason to believe your clearance won't come through? Or do you have a preference for Cleared/DoD work vs private sector?
I was in exactly your boat. But it took me 2 years to get cleared. It sucks, but you have to be patient. Find some unclass work that you can do that will show your worth, do it well, and when that clearance comes, you'll be the go to for the new work. In my position w/o clearance, I simply put in the work each and everyday such that even if my clearance didn't come through, they were willing to keep me around. But I knew I'd get it and it was simply a waiting game. Doors will open with a CISSP and a clearance, so I'd wait it out unless you really don't care about DoD work any longer.

That Random Guy · December 2019

Not to piggyback on your post... but I'm also in a situation where I want to leave but at the same time, I feel as though I've been setup to not leave. Nothing in my mind tells me that I'm not replaceable for these guys as my sysadmin achievements have been nil to none. At most, I've written a policy or two but those weren't even up to standard for what I assume would be appropriate. I'm not a policy writer. Otherwise, all I've been doing is monitoring stuff, running some very, very basic BC/DR tasks on top of regular helpdesk duties. The only "out of my comfort zone" type of things that I do are things related to contracts they've put me in which I was not expecting to have happen. Even there, while a very daunting experience, I haven't been contributing much. My perception of it now is that I can leave and they'll be fine without me—except when it concerns the contract projects which kind of require me to be a middle-man for the bigger parts.

I don't see a future with this company but I also don't want to abandon them and leave them with trouble. They could've just hired dedicated personnel for these cases but at the same time, I can see why they didn't.

I just wish there was an easy answer for this but there isn't. If I leave, I could very well be joining a place that's worse in different ways or just as bad.

Z0sickx · December 2019

MrsWilliams said:

Z0sickx said:

No need to be gentle lol, I guess the root of my frustration is this is a public trust level...If this was something higher I’d be more understanding ...so my expectation was about a month or less Or has it always been that way?

edit: found answer https://discuss.clearancejobsblog.com/t/public-trust-clearance-timeline/1920/85

You can spend hours on that site reading the experiences of others going through, or who have gone through the clearance process. It's people who were trying to get cleared with three letter agencies that took longer than 3 months LOL

I frequent that site just to stay abreast on what's going on.

It's three sites I visit regularly:
1. MyFico
2. ClearncesJobsBlog
3. This Site.

If you lack patience, visit www.indeed.com

alot has changed i didn't realize even public trust was that long as the new Norm

Z0sickx · December 2019

MrsWilliams said:

Z0sickx said:

No need to be gentle lol, I guess the root of my frustration is this is a public trust level...If this was something higher I’d be more understanding ...so my expectation was about a month or less Or has it always been that way?

edit: found answer https://discuss.clearancejobsblog.com/t/public-trust-clearance-timeline/1920/85

You can spend hours on that site reading the experiences of others going through, or who have gone through the clearance process. It's people who were trying to get cleared with three letter agencies that took longer than 3 months LOL

I frequent that site just to stay abreast on what's going on.

It's three sites I visit regularly:
1. MyFico
2. ClearncesJobsBlog
3. This Site.

If you lack patience, visit www.indeed.com

alot has changed i didn't realize even public trust was that long as the new Norm

MrsWilliams · December 2019

LordQarlyn · December 2019

That Random Guy said:

Not to piggyback on your post... but I'm also in a situation where I want to leave but at the same time, I feel as though I've been setup to not leave. Nothing in my mind tells me that I'm not replaceable for these guys as my sysadmin achievements have been nil to none. At most, I've written a policy or two but those weren't even up to standard for what I assume would be appropriate. I'm not a policy writer. Otherwise, all I've been doing is monitoring stuff, running some very, very basic BC/DR tasks on top of regular helpdesk duties. The only "out of my comfort zone" type of things that I do are things related to contracts they've put me in which I was not expecting to have happen. Even there, while a very daunting experience, I haven't been contributing much. My perception of it now is that I can leave and they'll be fine without me—except when it concerns the contract projects which kind of require me to be a middle-man for the bigger parts.

I don't see a future with this company but I also don't want to abandon them and leave them with trouble. They could've just hired dedicated personnel for these cases but at the same time, I can see why they didn't.

I just wish there was an easy answer for this but there isn't. If I leave, I could very well be joining a place that's worse in different ways or just as bad.

First, I would look up "Imposter Syndrome", it sounds like you have it. It's normal and actually quite common, I get it sometimes too. Don't doubt yourself, they are keeping you around, they see value in your contributions, so should you. You've most likely had a positive contribution to the workplace even if you are having a hard time seeing it yourself. Sure maybe you didn't revolutionize your workplace, shot the company in double digit growth, or some superstar achievements, and hey that's okay. There's value in simply doing our jobs well even if we don't make bullet point type accomplishments all the time. Further, you mentioned contracts work, I am assuming, this means business contracts with customers. If so, then that's actually pretty sensational. That is like the life blood of a company, and if they didn't pull you out, that means they are please with the job you are doing there. At the very least you can put down you helped secure business for you employer - and every potential hiring manager loves to see a candidate that brought in more revenue.

Now that being said, if you genuinely don't feel your current job is allowing you to grow, there's nothing wrong with moving on. No one has a vested interest in ourselves like we do. First, if you haven't done so already, talk to your management and see if they are willing to assign you higher levels of responsibility, or at least let you cross train for full sys admin responsibilities. If they are unwilling or unable, then by all means seek to look for your next position. You have to put yourself first and if your current employer is not providing you what you feel is acceptable professional growth and can't transfer or assign your tasks that will help in that regard, then it is time to move on.

Career advice leave/wait it out

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