Reply to: sc clearance

[beoptima]

Thanks

Thanks for all the responses.

[The Agents View]

The Microsoft-only online replacement for paper clearance forms?

Why would you need it to work on anything but a Microsoft and a Linux system anyway? Apples are for people who can't use proper computers

It'll be great, won't it?

Probably not - but I wouldn't want to have to sort it out - so I guess I'll cope with it!

It'll allow the DVA to outsource their data management to the Indian sub-continent, and lose DVDs of data, just like all the other government departments do.

DVD's of data? The last one I heard of going missing was a 1tb Hard disk, full to the brim!

[RichardCranium]

Ever heard of Cerberus?

The Microsoft-only online replacement for paper clearance forms?

It'll be great, won't it?

It'll allow the DVA to outsource their data management to the Indian sub-continent, and lose DVDs of data, just like all the other government departments do.

[The Agents View]

So what we need to do is speed up the clearance process considerably, isn't it...

Ever heard of Cerberus? Although, being an HMG programme, that's been put back from its original start date of Nov 2010.

No doubt that's because they can't get the security cleared contractors, to make the security clearing system, more effective...... Give you the hump huh?

[malvolio]

Exactly - the Cabinet office don't pay the bill......

I'm not saying that it's right, or that it shouldn't be different, I just wanted to give you a view on what actually happens.

The reality is that if you have clearance already, and are 90% of the perfect candidate who doesn't have clearance, then you'd be offered the role - better to have 90% covered, than risk someone not getting clearance, or a delay in the process. At the very route of the problem, are the tight timescales dictated by the nature of government/MOD projects, and the drive for Value for Money - the risk of someone who can't start, or needs to be escorted, is very high, especially in a project or programme which is already in flight. It can put back timescales, and will ultimately cost huge amounts of money.

Unfortunately, the above "urgency" seems to be applied to all roles with security clearance involved - which is where the fundamental problem lays within the recruitment industry - ultimately this comes down to PROPERLY qualifying the contract.

So what we need to do is speed up the clearance process considerably, isn't it...

Ever heard of Cerberus? Although, being an HMG programme, that's been put back from its original start date of Nov 2010.

[The Agents View]

To be fair, the agents are only doing what the client is demanding....

Exactly - the Cabinet office don't pay the bill......

I'm not saying that it's right, or that it shouldn't be different, I just wanted to give you a view on what actually happens.

The reality is that if you have clearance already, and are 90% of the perfect candidate who doesn't have clearance, then you'd be offered the role - better to have 90% covered, than risk someone not getting clearance, or a delay in the process. At the very route of the problem, are the tight timescales dictated by the nature of government/MOD projects, and the drive for Value for Money - the risk of someone who can't start, or needs to be escorted, is very high, especially in a project or programme which is already in flight. It can put back timescales, and will ultimately cost huge amounts of money.

Unfortunately, the above "urgency" seems to be applied to all roles with security clearance involved - which is where the fundamental problem lays within the recruitment industry - ultimately this comes down to PROPERLY qualifying the contract.

[Mr.Whippy]

To be fair, the agents are only doing what the client is demanding....

Probably true in most cases, but I've also been working somewhere that was looking for people and would accept very skilled, non-cleared people because they could work on site whilst SC was in progress without having to be escorted.

I knew someone who applied for the role and gave a recommendation to the client so they were expecting his CV, despite him not being cleared. He applied and had a long conversation with the agent which ended up in the usual "the client wants only cleared people so I'm not going to submit your CV".... I mentioned this to client who in the end had to call the agent and tell them they wanted his CV and he got the role & subsequently cleared. The agent clearly thought his best chance of securing his margin over another agency was only submitting cleared people.

[Wanderer]

Like any agent actually gives a monkeys about the Cabinet Office guidelines, unfortunately for us.

To be fair, the agents are only doing what the client is demanding....

[Mr.Whippy]

What is checked anyway?

See the Security Clearance Q & A sticky.

[TimberWolf]

I once worked on a contract where SC clearance was required, but my clearance didn't come through in the six months duration of the contract. So I had to seek out and ask to be escorted in and out of the site each day.

What is checked anyway? Criminal records and places you've worked in the last n years?

[Mr.Whippy]

Which does of course directly go against Cabinet Office guidelines.

Like any agent actually gives a monkeys about the Cabinet Office guidelines, unfortunately for us.

[TykeMerc]

So in summary, having held SC clearance you'd be viewed more positively (and less of a risk) than someone with out it - but you'll still get beaten by those with a current, valid clearance.

HTH

Which does of course directly go against Cabinet Office guidelines.

Unfortunately it's a reality that's very hard to overcome without a decent chunk of luck like doing a role needing BC that later needs SC and the client is willing to sort it out.

[Mr.Whippy]

However, if a client turns around and says "we MUST have current, valid Security Clearance" then that's what people we put forward must have.

Then remove the "willing to be cleared" bit and just put "this is an urgent role and the client have specified SC is a MUST HAVE"....

I believe you are allowed to advertise SC as a requirement if it's genuinely urgent.

but you'll still get beaten by those with a current, valid clearance.

Which is why, in my experience, 99% of agents won't bother submitting you if you're not cleared. Because they believe you don't really have a chance of getting the role, even if you're head and shoulders above every other candidate.

[The Agents View]

I have a valid SC clearance and if you going for SC contracts I would go as far to say that 99% of the time they want you to have a SC clearance before you start.It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months to get a clearance, so pointless to get a contractor in and have him sit around until the clearance comes through.Also what if you dont get the clearance (I have seen it happen before), the company would have wasted their time and money.

Saying that, the SC market its in pretty bad shape due to the government cuts.Due to that I picked up a new contract that does not use my SC clearance, so unless I cant get another SC job in 12 months it will expire.

IME getting security clearance when you've already had it, is seen as a positive, and it does speed the process along.

However, if a client turns around and says "we MUST have current, valid Security Clearance" then that's what people we put forward must have. If you can't find one, you can always have the argument, and clients do not always require it immediately.

So in summary, having held SC clearance you'd be viewed more positively (and less of a risk) than someone with out it - but you'll still get beaten by those with a current, valid clearance.

HTH

[SuPaStA]

I have a valid SC clearance and if you going for SC contracts I would go as far to say that 99% of the time they want you to have a SC clearance before you start.It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months to get a clearance, so pointless to get a contractor in and have him sit around until the clearance comes through.Also what if you dont get the clearance (I have seen it happen before), the company would have wasted their time and money.

Saying that, the SC market its in pretty bad shape due to the government cuts.Due to that I picked up a new contract that does not use my SC clearance, so unless I cant get another SC job in 12 months it will expire.