Is there a shortage of background investigators? Many threads on ClearanceJobsBlog might point you in the direction of YES.
Retention in the national security industry is always a challenge, and background investigators face additional hurdles because of the geographic challenges of the work.
In September, one subscriber wrote:
“I’m just wondering, based on high turnover, and hiring problems, is there a big investigator shortage? I am continuously getting work assigned further and further away to the point of having to do 300-mile round trips now.”
Even if this 300-mile scenario is the high end of the spectrum for this investigator (and happens intermittently), the need to conduct work across such a broad area turns a single source interview into a full days work.
ANOTHER BACKLOG IN THE WORKS?
Another investigator notes, “…where I am, I am being assigned interviews where the SF86 was signed in March/April, so in my area at least, it’s slipping into a slight backlog again.”
This may make security applicants very nervous that their geographic location is on a downward slope toward another backlog. One applicant mentioned that their interviewer 4+ months ago was from 500 miles away from their location.
But don’t put the backlog stamp on this industry yet – location always matters. While an investigator shortage may be to blame, sparse rural areas and high traffic regions with high turnover could be the issue.
SHOULD BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS BE YOUR WAY INTO NATIONAL SECURITY?
Some defense contractors are starting to raise their sign-on and referral bonuses, which may point to a shortage. But seize this opportunity if you are looking for an “in” to a national security career or looking to get sponsored for a security clearance. Many openings on ClearanceJobs.com list “ability to obtain/maintain a favorable determination based on a Single Scope Background Investigation.”
