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SC Clearance - Not told about it - Won't Get it

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    SC Clearance - Not told about it - Won't Get it

    I know this all sounds daft, but I was interviewed and offered a reasonable contract for a mob comms company in a team on a specfic project.

    The agent said...and I quote...(after I had the offer and had verbally accepted and not mentioned at all before this), "do you have sc clearance?", to which I said "no...Why, do I need it?". He went away and "checked" and the response to me by email, was "Security Clearance is not an issue".

    Contract starts tomorrow, but was asked by client, via the agent, if I would go in for an hour today, so that I could get a handover from a girl I am filling in for, for the first 2 weeks, as she's off on her hols. Whilst there, the manager asked me if I had SC Clearance, to which I replied no, and he then said "you deffo need it, so I'll arrange for the forms to be sent to you."

    My issue, is that I was led to believe that I didn't in fact need it, but it now seems I do and I can safely state, that I won't get it..due to credit issues and being a naughty boy 20 years ago.

    At this point, I see little reason to bother with the job, as I will get kicked out soon enough.

    The contract I have (signed, but not posted yet) is supposedly IR35 friendly and clearly states that my Ltd company, as the supplier can put another person into the job. Under these circumstances, can I execute this? Or is that avenue rife with problems?

    Agents make me sick. If SC was deffo needed, then I should've been told at the beginning and I wouldn't have bothered going for the job. Agent is PSD Group. As it is, it took 4 weeks to get the interview and then wasn't allowed to start for another 2 weeks! and I've turned down other work as I really fancied this one.

    All this SC stuff has only occurred in the last few days too.

    What's to do? Post the contract, (which only came yesterday) grab a few weeks work and money until I get fired? Or take the easier and least embarrassing option of looking for another job?

    PS. I do regret the trouble I had all those years ago (nothing serious like Murder or anything), getting in 'with the wrong crowd' and now it's coming back to bite me on the ass.

    #2
    Originally posted by premiere
    I know this all sounds daft, but I was interviewed and offered a reasonable contract for a mob comms company in a team on a specfic project.

    The agent said...and I quote...(after I had the offer and had verbally accepted and not mentioned at all before this), "do you have sc clearance?", to which I said "no...Why, do I need it?". He went away and "checked" and the response to me by email, was "Security Clearance is not an issue".

    Contract starts tomorrow, but was asked by client, via the agent, if I would go in for an hour today, so that I could get a handover from a girl I am filling in for, for the first 2 weeks, as she's off on her hols. Whilst there, the manager asked me if I had SC Clearance, to which I replied no, and he then said "you deffo need it, so I'll arrange for the forms to be sent to you."

    My issue, is that I was led to believe that I didn't in fact need it, but it now seems I do and I can safely state, that I won't get it..due to credit issues and being a naughty boy 20 years ago.

    At this point, I see little reason to bother with the job, as I will get kicked out soon enough.

    The contract I have (signed, but not posted yet) is supposedly IR35 friendly and clearly states that my Ltd company, as the supplier can put another person into the job. Under these circumstances, can I execute this? Or is that avenue rife with problems?

    Agents make me sick. If SC was deffo needed, then I should've been told at the beginning and I wouldn't have bothered going for the job. Agent is PSD Group. As it is, it took 4 weeks to get the interview and then wasn't allowed to start for another 2 weeks! and I've turned down other work as I really fancied this one.

    All this SC stuff has only occurred in the last few days too.

    What's to do? Post the contract, (which only came yesterday) grab a few weeks work and money until I get fired? Or take the easier and least embarrassing option of looking for another job?

    PS. I do regret the trouble I had all those years ago (nothing serious like Murder or anything), getting in 'with the wrong crowd' and now it's coming back to bite me on the ass.
    Having a record and debts is not a barrier to getting SC cleared as long as you are honest about it. You may not get it but dont be panicking just yet.
    They are looking for people who can be coerced into spying either by bribe or blackmail. If they can see you are an upstanding chap you have a chance.
    I am not qualified to give the above advice!

    The original point and click interface by
    Smith and Wesson.

    Step back, have a think and adjust my own own attitude from time to time

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by The Lone Gunman
      They are looking for people who can be coerced into spying either by bribe or blackmail.
      Does the Deputy Prime Minister require SC?

      Comment


        #4
        Don't worry about it.

        Fill in the forms honestly and ask to talk to the companies security officer. You may feel awkward telling people about your past but it'll be worth it. The agent doesn't need to know and neither do any of the other staff/contractors on the site.

        Nobody at the site will see the forms, you place each one in a seperate envelope and they get posted off.

        Good luck.

        Comment


          #5
          I know people who have got contacts on the basis of 'must go through SC clearance' and were then escorted out of the building some weeks later for having lied on the SC application form

          It seems the approach is they are fairly laid back about you owning up to indiscretions of youth... but come down hard if they find you lying about it now

          I also know that MI5 were fairly relaxed about stuff people did in their youth as long as it didn’t involve trying to overthrow the state

          Stop worrying …it’s only a contract and there are plenty more around

          Comment


            #6
            Many thanks to all.

            I'm was born a worrier.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Churchill
              Don't worry about it.

              Fill in the forms honestly and ask to talk to the companies security officer. You may feel awkward telling people about your past but it'll be worth it. The agent doesn't need to know and neither do any of the other staff/contractors on the site.

              Nobody at the site will see the forms, you place each one in a seperate envelope and they get posted off.

              Good luck.

              Good advice, I worked at the Home Office a while back and the person who ran/co-ordinated the checks was pretty approachable. As I understood it they were looking for current issues such as debts (could you be bribed?), proximity to suspected terrorists (ie do you live near/with people who are being watched by special branch/MI5 etc), have you been anywhere dodgy (doing a 'computer course' in Afghanistan/Pakistan etc). Obviously I don't know what you did but if it's not particularly serious and a long time ago, and you're up front about it then it might not be an issue.

              Depends on what you did though.....

              Comment


                #8
                I actually know a certain major high street bank which owns another company that features a dog in its advertising, is insisting on credit checks on its contractors and made it a condition of the next renewal.

                There were many very good contractors who were not renewed after this... seemed very unfair

                Comment


                  #9
                  Similar situation about 7 years ago, the agent actually told the client I had SC but this was complete news to me. I was escorted off site and asked to apply for SC, I was turned down because a business I operated several years previously went bankrupt and this information I had given honestly on the application form.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    If you go for it and don't get it, no-one will ever find out why. Including you. A contractor mate of mine was turned down, no explanation given, but he later found out that one of his great uncles was "on the wrong side" in the 1916 Irish uprising. He put 2 + 2 together, but will probably never know for sure.
                    His heart is in the right place - shame we can't say the same about his brain...

                    Comment

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