State of the Market

[dsc]

I've never done SC work, is the existing SC mandatory? Some adverts do state it, or list it as 'preferred', but surely it must be the case that they have to grow the SC pool eventually? I can't see permies with SC going contracting is enough to offset SC contractors retiring/changing industry.

They most likely want someone with SC already as they know they can get SC. If you got with a random person and have to wait 1-3months to find out they didn't get it, it's a bit of a disaster from a hiring point of view. Someone with an SC already had a full background check on them and assuming they didn't do anything silly in the period between acquiring SC and now, they are cleared again very quickly.

[swamp]

That is what I don't understand about the SC roles. SC is attached to the job and not the person right ? If you leave you lose your SC. So they are basically looking for someone to leave a job right ?

SC is attached to both, a bit like car insurance. If you change job the SC needs to be transferred from your previous role. It stays active for up to 1 year, unless it expires (usually 5 years).

However in reality many places can't or won't let it be transferred, which makes a mockery of the "must have SC" requirement.

[dsc]

[...] However in reality many places can't or won't let it be transferred, which makes a mockery of the "must have SC" requirement.

It doesn't really matter whether it can be transferred or not, it's about the ability and easy of getting SC in the first place. Having SC already for a role means you are pretty much guaranteed to get it again for something else.

[northernladuk]

I've never done SC work, is the existing SC mandatory? Some adverts do state it, or list it as 'preferred', but surely it must be the case that they have to grow the SC pool eventually? I can't see permies with SC going contracting is enough to offset SC contractors retiring/changing industry.

If you are looking at information marked confidential, secret or above then it is absolutely mandatory. This is national security, they don't take it lightly. You can in theory work supervised without SC but clients won't do that for contractors generally. Preferred means existing clearance that's valid but if it says that then its 100% only someone with existing clearance will get put forward. Cabinet office has guidance and that it's illegal (or is it just process) to ask for existing SC only but everyone just says it's an urgent so that won't apply.

Thats the bonkers thing about SC, you'll get PM,s doing change, change managers doing service delivery so yes many examples of poorly skilled people doing roles just because they've got SC. PC has SC as an example. There are some clients that will contractors through SC but it's very very few and it's an interesting comment about the SC pool getting smaller.

That is what I don't understand about the SC roles. SC is attached to the job and not the person right ? If you leave you lose your SC. So they are basically looking for someone to leave a job right ?

Mal has said that many times and I'm sure he's technically right. That's exactly how it should work but it's pretty clear in the real world that SC is totally transferrable. Many people have done it and it's the only way SC clients can get contractors. So Mal's theory is spot on but reality is totally difference. It doesn't mean it's open season though. Some SC won't transfer to other types of clients and you might find a client here and there won't accept a transfer... but they won't be putting adverts out for existing SC if you get me.

So.. (sorry Mal) SC appears to be transferrable.

[northernladuk]

It doesn't really matter whether it can be transferred or not, it's about the ability and easy of getting SC in the first place. Having SC already for a role means you are pretty much guaranteed to get it again for something else.

No. It does matter because a vast number of roles ask for existing SC and next to no clients are willing to put you through the process if you've had it before or not.

[tjccjt01]

Had a hot one come through this morning... £200 per day for a role which would have been at least £450 not long back. The market might be bad at the moment but some people are just taking the mickey with job postings like that.

Got an interview a couple of weeks ago. Rate was OK, but the agency forgot to tell me that the job was aligned with US Central timezone so would be working from 3pm to midnight. That was the end of that interview.

[dsc]

No. It does matter because a vast number of roles ask for existing SC and next to no clients are willing to put you through the process if you've had it before or not.

So they want existing SC for the sole purpose of transferring and not because it's easier to obtain it cause you've had it already? Even so, there's still benefits of going for someone with previous SC like I stated before.

[northernladuk]

So they want existing SC for the sole purpose of transferring and not because it's easier to obtain it cause you've had it already? Even so, there's still benefits of going for someone with previous SC like I stated before.

It's time. An SC can be transferred quickly. Renewal of SC will (I assume) still take 3+ weeks to do catch up checks, full SC takes 8 weeks. If the client wants someone on site on Monday then there is only one option. Its as simple of that.

[na764]

I can confirm SC clearance is taking about 8 weeks start to finish. No delays.

SC process has little to do with the number of roles as 99.9% will be asking for existing SC clearance only. It's just the way of the world and has been like this for a long long time. An 8 week process to get in a contractor that is usually an urgent requirement on the whole just doesn't work hence the closed shop approach.

There have always been a good number of SC roles in the searches even when the market was booming. They now stand out more now the market is rubbish. Defence and other critical spending doesn't get as affected as other areas.

I'd also be willing to bet a number of SC roles are appearing because there are contractors leaving for outside gigs.

Any idea about DV timescales currently?

[northernladuk]

Any idea about DV timescales currently?

Not a scoobies sorry.