FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
Pump up your profile. Editor Lindy Kyzer offers, “Now, more than ever, employers hire for personality. That’s not bias, that’s good business – a candidate is most likely to jump ship because they didn’t like the culture, not because they didn’t like the work. Employers want to hire candidates they can keep. Read your online profile like a brand professional . . . . Get one or two traits in mind, and build your profile like a brand expert – your career will thank you.”
Insider threats. Contributor Charles Simmins explains, “The challenge for computer security professionals when it comes to insider threats is not just the leaker, like Edward Snowden. Insider threats range from active sabotage to data manipulation, and from theft of data to allowing outsider access. Sadly, despite all efforts, a significant risk remains from laziness and carelessness.”
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
ISIS chem warfare. Christian Science Monitor’s Anna Mulrine reports, “Confirmation from two reputable organizations this week that the Islamic State used chemical weapons against Kurds in Iraq offers clues into the group’s capabilities and intentions. Though the use of chemical weapons can create fear, the recent attack in some ways points to the Islamic State’s limitations. The type of chemical weapon used, which contained chlorine, is not very potent. And while chlorine can cause a violent physical reaction, the effect of such weapons is mostly psychological. Indeed, the Islamic State might have used chemical weapons primarily to save their conventional ammunition.”
CONTRACT WATCH
Hyperspectral imaging: where the money is. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “The worldwide market for hyperspectral imaging will grow by 76 percent from 2015 to 2019, rising from $47.2 million in 2014 to $83.2 million in 2019, predict analysts at market researcher MarketsandMarkets in Dallas. . . . Hyperspectral Imaging is a technique of obtaining the electromagnetic spectrum for each pixel in the image, covering wide range of wavelengths. The reflected or emitted light creates a spectral based contrast within the obtained image of multiple wavelengths.”
September: contractors’ last quarter blast. Federal Times’ Aaron Boyd reports, “Federal contractors are getting ready for the fourth-quarter spending spree, a new tradition in government acquisition which has seen significant spikes in contracting in the last quarter of the year. Ten years ago, agencies tended to spend most of their budgets in the first two quarters, Today, sequestration, continuing resolutions and other budgetary issues have resulted in large spending spikes, most notably in September. . . . While spending in July and August is generally on par with other months throughout the year — between 7 percent and 9 percent of total budgets — September saw spending total an average of 17.6 percent over a five-year average.”
Lockheed’s IT spin-off. Nextgov’s Mohana Ravindranath reports, “[Lockheed] revealed it was considering spinning off its government IT division in an attempt to streamline its services. Lockheed Martin executives plan to review the Information Systems & Global Solutions and Missiles and Fire Control business segments over the 2015 calendar year, weighing options including a spinoff to shareholders or a sale.”
