Security Clearance (SC) Q&A Read first before asking questions

[SteveV]

What about NATO Secret level ?

Would this loosely translate to DV rather than SC ? I've been invited to apply there (Mons, SHAPE). How rigorous is the process compared to UK ?
.

SC - Secret
DV - Top Secret

SC - We know a lot about you
DV - We know more about you than you know about you

[northernladuk]

What about NATO Secret level ?

Would this loosely translate to DV rather than SC ? I've been invited to apply there (Mons, SHAPE). How rigorous is the process compared to UK ?

Resume: Before I click Send I guess I should make sure there is zero BS/ spin ?

Would be very useful to have all clearance covered in one thread.

LOL. You can't have loosely translated when it comes to high security clearance and why would you want to do this when they are not interchangeable and have no bearing on each other whatsoever?????

NATO is a different type of clearance to SC/DV etc run by different people with different critera.. end of..

NATO is a bitch to get through, not so much so the documentation you have to fill in but for the amount of time waiting. I waited 6 months for NATO and even the people I was dealing with claimed 13 weeks would be a miracle. I didn't have to fill in much more than a DV.

I didn't want to produce a one stop security thread as it will just end up being full of cack. The idea was just to bat off the most basic questions that are asked time and time again. The rest can be chatted about in the forum.

[chris5126]

my experience

Q : I start a new job needing SC but my old company still holds it. What to do?

Give your details to your new company, they will contact your old one and have it transferred to them. Simples.

Just thought I would let you know sometimes its not a simple to just transfer it. I hold sc clearance from Avon and Somerset police however they wont transfer it to a new role i think this is the same for most police forces.

[northernladuk]

Just thought I would let you know sometimes its not a simple to just transfer it. I hold sc clearance from Avon and Somerset police however they wont transfer it to a new role i think this is the same for most police forces.

Interesting. Thanks for the heads up. My experience is from working across MoD sites so am not aware of the Police system so any further information in this area will much appreciated.

Will they be happy to transfer it between forces but not out of the their control?

[Advocate]

Updates for this:

BC is now BPSS as far as I know.

There are routes to be SC individually with the appropriate skill set, I can think of one organisation that will sponsor SC for membership of a scheme and there's always the TA.

[northernladuk]

Updates for this:

BC is now BPSS as far as I know.

There are routes to be SC individually with the appropriate skill set, I can think of one organisation that will sponsor SC for membership of a scheme and there's always the TA.

Correct on the BPSS.
I would question the SC routes individually. There have been a number of schemes advertised, Hays particularly come to mind but reading the small print they do not deliver what you think. I don't know about the TA but there as a myth that becoming a special policeman also got you SC which is not true. Saying that, even if the TA did give you SC no way in hell would I spend anytime running round with wanna be soldiers for long enough to get it. Did that once, never again lol

[Advocate]

Correct on the BPSS.
I would question the SC routes individually. There have been a number of schemes advertised, Hays particularly come to mind but reading the small print they do not deliver what you think. I don't know about the TA but there as a myth that becoming a special policeman also got you SC which is not true. Saying that, even if the TA did give you SC no way in hell would I spend anytime running round with wanna be soldiers for long enough to get it. Did that once, never again lol

CLAS springs to mind here; if you've got the required skill set to join the scheme CESG will sponsor you to SC.

[northernladuk]

CLAS springs to mind here; if you've got the required skill set to join the scheme CESG will sponsor you to SC.

OK but have you seen the training and required work you have to do to get this (and keep up with it). They don't just give you SC you can swan off and use elsewhere. They are clearing you because you will be expected to work for them in some form or another. It is also a specialiest role needing as you said, particular skills and constant work to keep abreast of Information Assurance. I would hardly call this a system to get SC cleared so as mentioned earlier, sounds too good to be true and it is.

Just a note that applications have been closed for this for as long as I can remember as well, unless they open it up for a week or so then close it back down again.

[Netraider]

OK but have you seen the training and required work you have to do to get this (and keep up with it). They don't just give you SC you can swan off and use elsewhere. They are clearing you because you will be expected to work for them in some form or another. It is also a specialiest role needing as you said, particular skills and constant work to keep abreast of Information Assurance. I would hardly call this a system to get SC cleared so as mentioned earlier, sounds too good to be true and it is.

Just a note that applications have been closed for this for as long as I can remember as well, unless they open it up for a week or so then close it back down again.

Applications for CLAS happen once a year. The site opens on the 1st of March, and the application with all supporting documents and references must be received by the 31st of March. This year was the first year that the application has been done electronically.

Once the date for applications has closed they filter out applications that don't meet a certain standard. If you get through this phase you then have to complete three psychometric tests on

• Mathematical Comprehension - Extracting data from graphs etc
• English Comprehension - Reading a data intensive passage and then selecting answers based on whether the answers given are "True - The data is in the passage", "False - The data is in the passage" or "Inconclusive - It is not possible to answer true or false"
• Pattern Matching - Selecting the missing shape from a series of shapes.

If you get through this, you are then put in front of a review panel who make the final decision as to who has made the grade. If you are selected you then have to pay to be on the lsit, and also to go on the CESG course.

HTH

[gingerjedi]

I was contacted by an agent offering to get me DV after I started a discussion on LinkedIn complaining about the closed shop nature of these roles.