security cleared ??

[Keldin]

I have seen some jobs requesting applicants for getting or undergoing security clearance. What does it really mean? Is it worth going for security clearance in order to get a job?

I apply for every job I am remotely qualified for that requires security clearance.
They have to put in the job ad that they will take cleared people or people willing to undergo clearance (not sure what there is to undergo unless there is a rubber glove section I know nothing about) otherwise they are discriminating.
However you will find that they are only sending CV'ds through for people that already have clearance.
Applying for every one though means I may get lucky and find someone who will do the clearance for me and them I'm in the clubhouse. What mostly happens though is agents call me back and go through the whole process before finding out I don't have clearance. This then pisses them off because they've wasted their time and I can profess innocence and point out the bit in the ad where it wasn't neccessary to have clearance. Ah good times.


K

[malvolio]

Reality is, if you get a job employed directly by the department, they will most likely do the clearance as per the rules. However, 90% or more of roles are through prime contractors, and they won't unless you're going for a permie role. Given that the management overhead is exactly the same, and the cost is covered in their tender for the work as a discrete line item, this is more down to BigCo laziness than any desire for a more secure workforce. Let's face it, I've been SC'd four times in 11 years - just how stupid is that anyway - and I still can't get work on programmes I actually set up 5 years ago.

Also, if you talk to the end-user departments, they are crying out for staff and can't find them: with 45% of all contracts limited to 5% of all contractors, it's not surprising.

[TheFaQQer]

Also, if you talk to the end-user departments, they are crying out for staff and can't find them: with 45% of all contracts limited to 5% of all contractors, it's not surprising.

It's a fairly cushy one, it has to be said.

Last contract was through the prime contractor, who put everyone through the clearance process. This one is direct to the client (albeit through an agancy) but they clear people in 3 days if they need it...

[b0redom]

I have current SC clearance. What is other people's experience of having it renewed when it expires. If you're in an SC contract are the clients usually quite happy to do it for you? Is it much faster than the initial application?

Cheers....

[TheFaQQer]

I have current SC clearance. What is other people's experience of having it renewed when it expires. If you're in an SC contract are the clients usually quite happy to do it for you? Is it much faster than the initial application?

Cheers....

Allow three months for them to process the renewal - it should be faster, but in all reality it probably isn't.

If you're in an SC contract, then they should be OK with renewing it for you - I've never had it renewed, though, as it expires a year after you leave a role that requires clearance.