It is no secret that the DoD is currently dealing with an extreme shortage of employees with security clearances, which includes many cybersecurity jobs. These cyber jobs, and many like them in the DoD, are essential to the smooth operation of systems and the security of our nation’s infrastructure. Why is it so hard for the DoD to fill these jobs, especially when we have so many transitioning service members, already with security clearances, but not with jobs.
In an August interview, Mark Gorak, principal director for resources and analysis for the DoD Chief Information Officer, said “We’re at a 28,000 shortage, which is better than we were last year, but that’s still a 28,000 shortage, so I have to get after how do we create and generate that next generation of talent.”
Top Reasons its a challenging hiring process
The answer is slightly more complex than simply hiring veterans or transition service members off the street. The Department of Defense does hire transitioning service members with security clearances, but there are some challenges and complexities that affect how easily and quickly this can be done.
1. Matching Skills to Civilian Roles
Transitioning service members may have security clearances, but the roles they perform in the military don’t always align with the specific civilian jobs within the DoD or its contractors. The clearance itself is valuable, but matching a veteran’s skills, experience, and career goals with the available roles requires effort on both sides.
2. Bureaucratic Hiring Processes
Federal hiring practices, including those for the DoD, often involve long bureaucratic processes. Although there are programs like DoD SkillBridge and Hiring Our Heroes that aim to bridge this gap, getting through the federal hiring system can still be slow and complicated. These delays may lead to service members finding other employment opportunities before completing the federal hiring process.
3. Budget Constraints
Even if there’s a need for employees with clearances, hiring is often subject to budget availability. The DoD may not have enough funding in certain departments or agencies to onboard more personnel, despite the demand for cleared employees.
4. Expiration of Clearances
Security clearances have expiration dates. If a service member doesn’t find a job within the DoD or with a contractor that requires the same level of clearance shortly after transitioning, their clearance could lapse within a couple years. This would require a costly and time-consuming re-clearance process, which companies may be reluctant to undertake.
5. Private Sector Competition
Many private sector defense contractors, as well as other companies in critical infrastructure, are also looking for employees with active security clearances. These companies often offer competitive salaries, more flexibility, or specific roles that may appeal more to transitioning service members than DoD positions.
6. Support Programs
Programs like Veterans’ Preference in Federal Hiring and DoD Transition Assistance Programs are meant to help service members transition into civilian roles, including those with the DoD. However, there’s still a need to streamline these programs to make it easier for transitioning service members to land jobs that utilize their security clearance.
Tapping Into the Transitioning Military Pool
Improving coordination between these programs, speeding up hiring processes, and better aligning military skills with civilian roles could help the DoD tap more effectively into the talent pool of transitioning service members. Perhaps it will simply take a pipeline-style program to catch these transitioning service members before they head out into the wild.
All of these factors are important for not just veterans to pay attention, but also for families, recruiters, and more to simply know how to help a transitioning service member translate those skills and create a resume that truly reflects your experience.
