Obtaining a security clearance is a hot commodity for those who lose it after lapsed time or for those looking to get their foot in the door to the high salaries being offered to someone with a TS / SCI + polygraph. As a student or younger professional, you may not know where to start in the process.
Kishan Modali joins the Security Clearance Careers podcast to talk about best practices for networking as a young professional in the security clearance world. He is graduating college soon and will be joining the ranks of the national security workforce after obtaining a clearance through an internship with a defense contractor. Tune in to this episode where we discuss how he put his best networking foot forward as a young gen Z-er in this industry and being a student navigating this process.
Modali’s story is fascinating as he was able to obtain a clearance as a student supporting a defense contractor, eventually leading him to his most recent position with one of the three letter agencies. He notes what interested him in these careers and what motivates him in supporting this industry, lending insights to recruiters on the tactics they could use to better engage his generation.
HOW TO OBTAIN A SECURITY CLEARANCE AS A STUDENT
While Modali’s experience is inspiring, applying to a DoD or IC agency can be intimidating, especially for someone who may not have as much work experience on their resume. Here are a few tips on obtaining a security clearance as a student:
- Leverage your alumni network: Search for alumni to reach out to who work within the security clearance space. Attending the same school offers common ground when you send that initial email – build meaningful connections and gather a few mentors who can introduce you to potential defense contractor / federal agency employers.
- Convince your FSO to invest in you: After you apply for internships at the overhead / administration level (and eventually land one), build rapport with your FSO and convince them why they should invest in the security clearance process for you; whether that be because you have a skillset to bring to future contracts or because you will be asset to the field in general. Eventually they will have your back when leadership makes the decision to pull the trigger.
- Familiarize yourself with the process: Even though you have a shorter timeline of a background to investigate, acquaint yourself with the adjudicative guidelines and steps after filling out the SF-86, and be sure not to make any apocalyptic mistakes ruining your chances of obtaining one.
- Communicate with your company: Not only to see where your security clearance application is at, but also to let them know what your availability looks like, when you graduate, etc.
- Continue to build your network: Creating meaningful connections with cleared candidates, recruiters, and other government leaders will catapult you into success beyond obtaining the clearance and serve you through the rest of your career.
As you work with a defense contractor’s FSO (or go the federal agency internship route), customize your negotiating tactics based on what skills you have that would be asset, or think about the career goals you can communicate to ultimately have them invest in you.
Whether you are currently cleared, looking to obtain a clearance, or are seeking secret squirrels for your cleared programs, for more information or to get free resources to help support you, you can visit about.clearancejobs.com.
