Katie Keller and Jill Hamilton are back highlighting the national security news that’s been happening lately. Everything from foreign adversaries spreading disinformation to courier cards to toxic bosses made the conversation.
Week in Review – ClearedCast Style
The FBI director and DNI updated the U.S. public on the night of October 21 about foreign actors who got their hands on voter registration data and then sent voters in Florida, as well as other states some spoofed emails…trying to get the recipients to change political parties. Essentially, the goal of the emails is to confuse, create chaos, etc. A weakened American people is a weakened country. Christopher Burgess explains that the voter information is technically public, so this may not be due to a hack. Both the DNI and FBI director cited Iran and Russia as separate actors in this attempt, and they also remind the American people to remain vigilant.
Security Clearance World
The conversations about obtaining and maintaining a security clearance are constant due to the fact that there are many concerns and nuances that play out for each person. However, two key pieces this past week came from contributor, Sean Bigley. First, his article on a courier card was helpful. While classified email technology is widely available, it’s good to know that there is a process to follow – as well as a card that you have to have in order to transfer classified materials. It’s one of those terms that some may loosely know about but not really understand that they exist. Bigley says, “I’ve found in my law practice that many clearance-holders, even those who work with classified information regularly, are familiar with courier cards only in theory. They lack a practical understanding of what a courier card is and isn’t – not to mention the rules surrounding their use. One client recently quipped that the courier card was like the security clearance-equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster: a lot of people have heard about it, but few people have actually seen one.”
Second, Bigley had a conversation with Katie Keller on ClearedCast was really interesting to listen to…not just because he was attacked by a chicken, but also because he provides a lot of helpful examples for clearance holders so they understand what to avoid and what the law has to say about it.
Career Advice
As far as career advice, there’s so much helpful advice right now. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, check out the focused compensations articles on Colorado, California, and Alabama. So, it’s good to check them out to see what compensation has looked like this year, as well as, what the different areas have to offer.
Our weekly contributor Steve Leonard’s most recent piece didn’t just focus on toxic leaders, but it took a deep dive into why those leaders have a following. Sometimes, we have a “toxic boss” and that’s challenging. So it’s good to know what to do in those situations. But Leonard addresses the different characteristics that make a toxic leader almost magnetic for some to follow. Specifically looking at the line between charisma and manipulation – how some use charm to get people that report to them to do whatever they want. This last line of Leonard’s is powerful, “The presence of confidence and charisma are not always indicative of toxic leadership. But, in the hands of the wrong leader, they cast an alluring and dangerous spell. Together, they can destroy an organization from within, crush the spirit of people within, and leave nothing but chaos and destruction in their wake.”
News to Look for This week
Look for our weekly recruiting articles where we highlight who is hiring or opportunities to watch, and each week, we serve up another round of recruiting tips – specifically a Halloween them this month with nightmares and horror stories. Keep your eye out for leadership insights, weekly trivia, anonymous security clearance questions, and a dose of DOHA each week.
Make sure you subscribe to ClearedCast and be social with us on all our media channels. Have a security clearance career topic you’d like us to cover? Drop us a note in the comments, or you can send us any thoughts or questions at editor@clearancejobs.com.
