The job search process is already stressful, but for recently laid-off federal employees, there’s an additional risk—foreign espionage. Recent reports indicate that intelligence agencies from Russia, China, and Iran are actively targeting former federal workers, particularly those who are now “open to work.”
This isn’t new. Every time there’s a disruption in the federal workforce—layoffs, shutdowns, or shifts in policy—our adversaries look for ways to take advantage. And one of the biggest places they do that? LinkedIn. The FBI has called it an “intelligence playground” for foreign actors. If you’re out there job searching, you need to be cautious.
Maybe you’ve been invited to speak at an overseas conference, or a foreign university suddenly expresses interest in hiring you. These opportunities might seem legitimate, but they could also be recruitment tactics. And if you’ve held a security clearance, remember—your obligation to protect classified information doesn’t end when you leave federal service. That SF-312 nondisclosure agreement? It’s for life.
Another concern? Many laid-off cleared professionals aren’t getting proper out-briefings. Security teams need to be proactive in reminding their people about what they can and can’t share, even after they leave.
The good news? If you’ve been laid off, you still have value in the national security workforce. Your clearance stays active for two years, and at ClearanceJobs, we’re working on ways to keep cleared professionals engaged—even if they step away from federal service for a time.
Networking is key, but so is security. Unlike LinkedIn, every employer on ClearanceJobs is vetted. If you’re looking for your next opportunity, be careful, be aware, and know that we’ve got your back at ClearanceJobs.com.
