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1988 baby checking in as a massive fan of my TS/SCI gig. As PwC2 stated, I’m treated like a golden goose. Sure, I am “locked away” for 8 hours but I’ll be damned if the time doesn’t fly when you don’t have distractions all around you. I get paid significantly more than my peers and have more or less unlimited job security. The specter of another firm raising my salary 20% is always on my partner’s mind and I have nearly complete autonomy as an experienced senior. I’ll probably transition away from the SCI space eventually but the getting is very good right now.
@K1- sounds like your life even though you’re a 1988 baby is suited well to what you do. Most of us aren’t. I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
The insane backlog in clearance processing doesn't help
Recruiting anyone with a TS/SCI (let alone a millennial with that clearance) is difficult. Finding a millennial with that clearance who is willing to be locked away for 8+ hours a day is like a golden goose
PwC1 or they just go work somewhere and the Secret Service loses out on a promising candidate. I understand the rules but they are adversely impacting government hiring in today's world. There have been many articles about NSA and other IC agencies losing out on people because of prior drug use (and salary), and they just go work in private sector.
Yeah I know when I joined my firm they had all these like former military bros and guys who looked like my dad come in and tell me about how GREAT it was to work on these super secret govt intel clients and at the pentagon and whatnot. I was like naaahhh I’m good. Hard pass. I’m sure they think I’m a snowflake libtard who hates ‘murrca.
They’re also always sending out emails asking if anyone wants to go up for TS/SCIs and everyone I know just laughs. If I wanted to sit at a govt desk 100% of the time, I’d be a govt employee and get that matching 401K and 40hr work weeks.
K1- that’s a very positive perspective! Love the attitude! May i ask, do you feel like “being locked away” affects relationships with significant others or friends? I’m also assuming you must live nearby? I’ve noticed most of those jobs are out in northern Virginia and that commute doesn’t sound appealing at all living on u st. (I’m a city kid. Born and raised in Manhattan. Despise the suburbs.)
Yes I live nearby my client (born and raised in the burbs) and the only real affect it has on my outside life is that I sometimes forget to set my fantasy lineups. I have access to unclass and can step out to check my phone if I really need to. I guess I do miss out on some daily banter, but I have a few close friends who are at the same agency (in different capacities) so I regularly am communicating with them.
I don't have statistics for you, but yes it's obviously hard recruiting cleared candidates. The pipeline is so long that every company in this space is wrangling over the same pool of workers.
I've worked recruiting for our team though, and I haven't found "not being near the metro" to ever be a concern. Don't forget that a lot of us millennials are deep into our thirties now. A cheap place in the Maryland suburbs with a yard for kids and a fifteen minute commute is pretty appealing.
@PwC 2 - yes, did not disclose on the 86 form, but voluntarily brought it up during the FS when asked about prior drug use. Simply put, this was my first time going through the process and I didn’t understand exhaustive nature of the question the first time I filled out the form. To make things worse, I didn’t have the opportunity to review my form with my case manager until after the FS had occurred and I had revealed the inconsistency with my answers.
Yes, saw a big study on this a few years ago. Might have come from Deloitte. The workforce is generationally out of alignment with other government sectors and industries.
Secret service consistently has a problem recruiting millennial. The candidates get busted on their polys for unauthorized drug use. Turns out using Adderall to get focused for tests comes back to bite them. Best strategy is to wait 7 years until that rolls of their history
As a recent grad 2016 with top secret clearance (but not using it), I can definitely see that. TS job might pay a little more but who wants to be locked up all day??
K1 - you say you get paid a lot more than your peers — are you talking about 200k+?
Lol if I was 30 making $200k just by working in a SCIF, nobody would be complaining about SCIF work. I make around 15% all-in more than my non-cleared colleagues at my firm. I consider that significant but others may not.
For those who have been through the process, have you ever heard of candidates who have been denied clearances in the past for minor drug use that end up getting cleared once they are put through the clearance process a second time a year+ later? Currently in that boat myself and very much hoping to get cleared at some point. Level would be TS/SCI w/FS if it helps.
SC1, were you denied because you didn’t disclose your drug use? They honestly don’t care about drug use (within reason) so long as you disclose it. Lying about drug use is what’ll get you in trouble.
When you apply for you TS/SCI you will have to disclose that you were rejected in the past, jsyk