Reply to: SC/DV Clearance

[TheFaQQer]

It strikes me as somewhat irresponsible that you are all on here quoting what clearance you have.

Also to those unhappy about the situation, perhaps posting less and studying more may lead to a more fruitful future.

Best of luck to you all

I wish I could come on here and quote what clearance I have - applied at the start of June and no word yet, due to client incompetence.

[Ardesco]

It strikes me as somewhat irresponsible that you are all on here quoting what clearance you have.

Also to those unhappy about the situation, perhaps posting less and studying more may lead to a more fruitful future.

Best of luck to you all

Just how is it irresponsible. It's not like you can actually validate that anybody has the clearance they claim to have, or that you know who they are.

You don't have to keep the fact that you have security clearance secret, generally speaking people don't care. There are huge amounts of people that have it anyway, for a start everybody in the armed forces has been security cleared, should they not tell people they work for the Army/RAF/Navy ?

[DeeTee]

Worhtwhile

It strikes me as somewhat irresponsible that you are all on here quoting what clearance you have.

Also to those unhappy about the situation, perhaps posting less and studying more may lead to a more fruitful future.

Best of luck to you all

[threaded]

Are you talking about me? I'm still here in my SC role and I don't see too many foreign faces or hear any languages other than English, I'm not saying that it's fair or even legal but that is how it is.

I guess being an SC you wouldn't ...

[gingerjedi]

Oh, and to the guy who said having clearance can insulate you against the effect of immigration: Bwahahahaha!

Are you talking about me? I'm still here in my SC role and I don't see too many foreign faces or hear any languages other than English, I'm not saying that it's fair or even legal but that is how it is.

[threaded]

In response to the original post those of you who do you research will discover that most clients will write "Must be SC cleared" however it is illegal for an agency to place an advertisment stating "Must be" so they have to say or willing to get clearence, but the only person that can give that clearence is the client.... But the client has already requested security cleared people only? Is anyone else starting to see a flaw in the whole argument here or just me?....

I think several people have already alluded to this in this very thread.

Basically the pimp puts down a form of words that will stop him being sued, but the reality is the pimp will only forward cleared if the client asks for cleared only.

All contracts that required clearance have a sum of money built in to pay for clearance, and some middleman is pocketing that. "Fraud" to you or me, but "good business" in the wonderfully bizarre world of PFI.

So, the upshot is that unless you have very specific skills or are going direct to some government department, you have to have clearance in advance. As more and more cleared jobs are coming under PFI this is becoming a right pain for many.

Oh, and to the guy who said having clearance can insulate you against the effect of immigration: Bwahahahaha!

[cmoores]

Fyi

In response to the original post those of you who do you research will discover that most clients will write "Must be SC cleared" however it is illegal for an agency to place an advertisment stating "Must be" so they have to say or willing to get clearence, but the only person that can give that clearence is the client.... But the client has already requested security cleared people only? Is anyone else starting to see a flaw in the whole argument here or just me?....

[Sockpuppet]

I had DV when I was on site setting up new systems at somewhere in Cheltenham that begins with G and ends in Q, the only job offers I got after that was Milton Keynes and Thames House, all very nice and well paid but I live in the south west and actually enjoy doing so and no matter how many times I told the pimps this they kept ringing... feck um, I'm happy.

Aye. Milton Keynes would be HMGCC (Her Majestys Government Communication Center)

[gingerjedi]

SC is handed out like chicken feed. If you really, really want SC join the TA Signals and fake some interest. You get it for doing that.

DV is the one you want. That is where the moeny is.

I had DV when I was on site setting up new systems at somewhere in Cheltenham that begins with G and ends in Q, the only job offers I got after that was Milton Keynes and Thames House, all very nice and well paid but I live in the south west and actually enjoy doing so and no matter how many times I told the pimps this they kept ringing... feck um, I'm happy.

[boredsenseless]

Jo Allen
DVA Customer Relations Officer
01904 ** ****"

Do you not think that Jo might be a little p155ed that you've put a real number on a publicly accessible site, I'd edit it if I was you.

[Sockpuppet]

SC is handed out like chicken feed. If you really, really want SC join the TA Signals and fake some interest. You get it for doing that.

DV is the one you want. That is where the moeny is.

[PeakOil]

(My first post)

I once worked at a major secure site which gave me SC clearance.

I then applied for a SC role somewhere near Cheltenham ... who of course requested a copy of the SC details from the prior employer.

Oops ... it turned out that the previous company couldn't be bothered to get true SC clearance and so invented their own "Site Clearance" which was of course always referred to as "SC".

So after 3 mega interviews I didn't get the job because the new "company" couldn't be bothered to wait for a REAL clearance to be processed. I wrote a long grumpy letter to the Daily Telegraph (which was published!) moaning about the whole UK security clearance processs .. so I know that I'll never get any sort of clearance now!

[gingerjedi]

My SC is held by my X list agency yet for some strange reason the have sent me a form for BC WTF is going on! I asked them and they agreed it was rediculous but it was somthing they were required to do.

[GreenerGrass]

A bit late but welcome to the party...
That is the whole point. I still have SC clearance and am being turned down for roles by the agency since their client has stipulated they want people with current clearance. There was an ad on Jobserve today from deal old Computer People saying don't try if you haven't got live clearance - and that was for a permie PM role, where there is absolutely no excuse.
Be prepared for a really frustrating time.

Computer People and Computer Futures are two of the worst agencies in existence.
In my experience you can get SC from scratch if the client likes you and is expecting you to stay for a decent amount of time 6-12 months or more.
I can see why its catch 22 for the shorter contracts though.

On another note I know of a big 5 consultancy who has a contract with a government-related organisation whereby everyone is supposed to have BC, but in fact hardly anyone has. Also to get round the political unacceptability of outsourcing parts of the service to India (the client would never allow it) they just bring in staff from Bangalore rather than hiring UK citizens.
Even when I have tried to recruit qualified British friends on below average salaries they are turned down (not even interviewed!) in favour of even cheaper staff from Bangalore who must be much harder to vet and can barely speak English. It really is a scandal.

[Phoenix]

Bollocks!

I had the opportunity to jump ship and get back in the SC camp, but I took a renewal and now I'm over the (1 year) limit

However, I do have a good agency contact who specialises in SC and who still talks to me. If you're London-based then let me know and I can put you in touch.

Excactly the position I am in and the point of this Thread!
PM me the details, I would love to get back into the SC cleared work.

As for the advise from some saying just lie and turn up.....I'm not sure they understand what this clearance means......No clearance....No getting through the gate on these sites pal!