Ts/sci

So I had a company tell me I wasn't being considered because I don't possess top secret clearance with SCI eligibility. I have another company that said I would be a perfect fit but also wants TS/SCI so I suspect I am also going to be disqualified from this one as well. I'm going to be really pissed if I get disqualified from this one because it's a top aerospace and defense company. Does anyone know how to get TS/SCI? I basically have to work for the government to get it or there's another way? Otherwise, that pretty much limits my job options to the government and the 1 or 2 help desks that I haven't heard back from. I really don't want to go the help desk route anyway since it's not network or programming related. If I can't find a way to get TS/SCI I'll have to try and become a Software Engineer I guess.

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Comments

Da-Regulator

I got a secret security clearance through the army... you might be able to get a job in the army if you have experience and they could sponsor you to get a clearance idk what level... but if you get a secret security clearance most companies shouldn't have a problem trying to help you upgrade it to top secret.

By the way there are so many civilian jobs in the army when I get out I think that is what im going to do..

MrAgent

Getting a clearance is not something that happens quickly. Ive been cleared since 95. I got my clearance while in the military. Back then it took 6 months, now a days it can take a year to happen.

A company has to be willing to take you on and get you cleared, which means youre on overhead and not generating billing to the government which is why most wont do it.

BerryKix

I'm looking at civilian jobs with the Navy right now. Right now I'm just going to usajobs.gov to find them. Is there another site I can go to? Just go to the army homepage maybe?

Bokeh

I had a TS/SCI while in the military, and it took 9 months back then. The TS was done in 5 months, the other portion they have to send people out in the field to verify what you said on your application. They will talk to your relatives, your neighbors, former co workers, verify all the addresses you claimed to live at, run numerous background and credit checks, etc.

Like others said, unless a company is willing to take you on, its almost impossible to get a clearance unless you have one from the military or other civilian position already and it is still active and/or can be upgraded. Once you get it, its worth its weight in gold.

shodown

Your not getting a TS/SCI unless you are a fresh college grad, Applying for a security or cleaning position or got some serious skills. You may be one of the above. With that said. There are a few companies out there that will sponsor you as they have other task for you to do while your clearance is coming. Don't let that get you down. Keep applying for positions and something will come through. Start a little lower like secret is also a good option.

BerryKix

I'm about to finish up my B.S. in IT security in a couple weeks. I'll apply for civilian jobs with the military and stuff. Thanks for the responses.

Bokeh

If you find one that will take the time to sponsor you for a ts/sci, document everything. If you have ever gone out of the country on vacation - write it down. Had a foreign pen pal? yep write it down. Had contact with exchange students? Yep you know the drill. You don't want to have something coming back and biting you in the a$$ later on that holds up your clearance or prevents it all together. I saw that too many times in the military where the people were in their tech schools or even gotten through part of them and find out sorry, the details didnt check out, lets find you another job.

BerryKix

Well, I'll keep sending resumes out hoping one will sponsor me, but I don't really see it happening at this point. There's plenty of people out there that have TS/SCI. My next step is to try and get a government job and I'll work towards becoming a software engineer in the event I can't get one.

Bokeh

Why the change in jobs if you can't get a clearance? There are other places to make $$ doing the same thing for companies other than the govt or those who work for the govt.

BerryKix

Because only jobs I have seen offered in my area require security clearance. I found 2 help desk jobs total that were far away and did nothing for my career, but I applied for them. The rest are software developer jobs. Everything else is beyond my experience level.

Mike_30

Im not saying this will work but maybe aim for something you arent even into. There is alot of "support" jobs that require a basic secret. Then once you get in with that jump to your IT job. It all comes down to money, because it costs who knows how much for them to do all those background checks.

Bokeh

What job market are you looking in? What sources are you using, besides the usual:
Monster
Dice
Careerbuilder
Indeed
Craigs List

Have you joined Linkedin and see if you can network with anyone in or around the area?

And as far as costs for clearances go, when I asked the extremely lovely person from DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) who renewed my clearance many years ago, she told me it is roughly 10k invested for a top secret, and close to 100k for ts/sci. Of course, she could have said that to keep me from staring at her legs, that went on to make a perfect a$$ of themselves

BerryKix

I'm in Tampa. We have very few IT jobs and very few large businesses. Most stuff goes through MacDill Airforce base or through Lockheed Martin. There are a few larger businesses like Raymond James, but that's about it. I've used most the job search sites and I've exhausted them already. I'm not real familiar with how to utilize LinkedIn to be honest. Also, judging by those numbers, I'd say hearing back from Lockheed is absolute zero at this point. I've applied to some Navy civilian jobs and we'll see on those. Otherwise, my best bet is to try and get good enough to go be a software developer.

peanutnoggin

As others have said... getting the clearance is going to be really hard! Now, I had a guy I worked with who got a security clearance without ever being in the military. In fact, it was two different guys. The first one came out of college and took a job as a secretary (no kidding). As someone mentioned before, he was a secretary and a position as basic as that required him to get a clearance. He did that for about a year (until he got his clearance) and then he became a contractor! He knew what he wanted to do and so he was willing to take a "crappy" job (in his eyes) to make it to his end state goal.

The other guy I knew was a part of a development team that wrote this application for the govt. In the process, the company he worked for sponsored him to get his clearance. At the time in this guy's life, he had no desire to work for the government... until he got a clearance. It's possible. Continue to look out there... Good luck!

-Peanut

MrAgent

Clearances dont cost the companies sponsoring you anything except the pay they have to pay you while waiting for it. Which is why they generally dont take people on who arent already cleared.

The people who incur the cost of the investigations are the DSS (at least for the DoD). Other departments/agencies use a different system. The costs they incur are just whatever it is to go door to door talking to former coworkers, neighbors, etc.

A good friend of mine who works with me, but for another company, is the security officer for his company. So I have a pretty good idea of what happens.

shodown

MrAgent wrote: »

Clearances dont cost the companies sponsoring you anything except the pay they have to pay you while waiting for it. Which is why they generally dont take people on who arent already cleared.

The people who incur the cost of the investigations are the DSS (at least for the DoD). Other departments/agencies use a different system. The costs they incur are just whatever it is to go door to door talking to former coworkers, neighbors, etc.

A good friend of mine who works with me, but for another company, is the security officer for his company. So I have a pretty good idea of what happens.

THIS right here

BerryKix

Well either way, bottom line is that my chances are slim at this point. I'll follow up on the screening questions just to be sure, but I'm not expecting anything. I'll just focus on improving in Java and C# and see what's out there while I do it.

MrAgent

I know that a lot of agencies are hiring developers with Java skills in my area. The govt LOVES java. You should think about relocating to DC. I think you would have a better chance at finding something around here and may get a clearance out of it.

BerryKix

Yeah, DC is my next stop. Right now I've got Java, J2EE, C#, Microsoft Exchange, and UML 2.0 on my agenda for learning. I figure it will take me 2 months to become proficient. I also have a couple weeks left on finishing my IT Security degree. Meanwhile I'll continue to look for jobs here.

MrAgent

Doesnt hurt to post your resume on Monster and indicate youre interested in the DC area.

passcert23

MrAgent wrote: »

Clearances dont cost the companies sponsoring you anything except the pay they have to pay you while waiting for it. Which is why they generally dont take people on who arent already cleared.

I did not know that. I currently have a secret clearance. What is stopping my employee from upgrading my secret to a TS? All this time I thought it was about money but since you say the employee does not incurred any cost...

tpatt100

I wish the government would work on some alternative clearance requirement. I know several people who would be great employees yet lack clearances. So the better pay goes to lesser qualified people who happen to have clearances because they were in the military.

MrAgent

passcert23 wrote: »

I did not know that. I currently have a secret clearance. What is stopping my employee from upgrading my secret to a TS? All this time I thought it was about money but since you say the employee does not incurred any cost...

Whats stopping them may be that you dont have the need to know. You have to be on a contract that requires that level.

ArabianKnight

I just applied to the Dept of the Navy website for an Intelligence Specialist. Very basic requirement for the lower pay grades, but since I have no intention of doing the job when I get my TS/SCI with CI Poly I will tell them never mind

It seems kind of shady, but in this market do what you can to reach your goals

Bl8ckr0uter

tpatt100 wrote: »

I wish the government would work on some alternative clearance requirement. I know several people who would be great employees yet lack clearances. So the better pay goes to lesser qualified people who happen to have clearances because they were in the military.

So do I. It is especially annoying when you see jobs you can do but you don't have a security clearance so you know chances are slim that they will even acknowledge your resume

Computadora

Correct me if I am wrong, but I heard that some companies are now making employees sign an agreement that they must serve a certain period of employment with them after receiving their sponsored security clearance, in order to stop them from just gaining the clearance and running away, is any of this any true? Even if they do not have an agreement, I am sure the hiring manager most likely will not give a favorable recommendation if one just gains the clearance and runs?

MrAgent

Computadora wrote: »

Correct me if I am wrong, but I heard that some companies are now making employees sign an agreement that they must serve a certain period of employment with them after receiving their sponsored security clearance, in order to stop them from just gaining the clearance and running away, is any of this any true? Even if they do not have an agreement, I am sure the hiring manager most likely will not give a favorable recommendation if one just gains the clearance and runs?

Since there is no money involved, there isnt much they can do about it. They cant make you sign a form.

byten

Hi,

I was reading this thread...Does this mean I can't be a network engineer even in the private sector unless I have clearance?

I'd like to be a network engineer, but I have been in the application development side of things, but would like to transition to network engineering because it interests me and I enjoy it.

Do all network engineers need a clearance?

Thanks!

Chris:/*

No the companies do not require you to stay if they sponsor you for a clearance BUT the companies do talk. If you are black marked in one company you will be black marked in many of their partner companies. Many contractors hope company to company every three years to get pay raises (which is okay) so they know people in each company, not to mention companies end up working with each other because of sub-contracting deals.

rlloyd3030

I have a TS w/o the SCI. I also have had three job interest that were shot down due to not having the SCI identifier. You must be in a "billet" that requires a SCI, and your security manager / functional manager must make arrangements for you to get the added SCI identifier. Just what i do know.