The Defense and Counterintelligence Agency has decreased security clearance processing times considerably since the backlog saw its highest figure a few years ago. However, chatter online will show that individuals hoping to break their way into the national security careers world are still having trouble convincing companies to sponsor them to obtain a security clearance.
Even though the government is the entity that typically pays for a clearance, a defense contractor “pays” in the time that they have a vacant billet remain open. That is why most small and mid-sized companies want candidates to already be cleared.
As we continue to see the demand for cleared talent outweigh the supply, Senior Editor Jill Hamilton and Content Marketing Manager Katie Keller run through tips you can use to convince someone to sponsor you to obtain a security clearance on this episode of the Security Clearance Careers Podcast.
This post, originally published on reddit, shows that there are even candidates currently supporting federal projects that want to convince their superior to move them to a cleared program:
I work in a medium sized Aerospace company (not the top 3) as a lead engineer in the software domain. I am about to complete a big federal project leading a team of engineers and about to start a new project with a different federal defense agency. My performance in the company has been above average and I have noticed my manager tries his best to ensure my career is growing and gets noticed. I have also been getting good raises on an annual basis. None of my present or future projects to date have needed a security clearance, but my company definitely does a lot of work and advertises for roles requiring clearance. Can I convince my boss to get me a security clearance even though there is no immediate need? I understand that on the surface the short/obvious answer would be no. But, if I think deeper, I tend to think that if the company values an employee and wants to retain them, getting the employee a clearance (which isn’t a massive cost to the org in the larger scheme of things and is something that the org does often for other projects/employees) would not be that long of a bridge to cross.
HOW TO OBTAIN A SECURITY CLEARANCE
As a contractor, you must be working on a contract that has work requiring a clearance to initiate the process. It is a recommendation we have made in the past to apply to a large company that has the bandwidth to bring you on as an unclassified employee while your clearance goes through the investigation and adjudication process. And this scenario is no different; this individual is just a step ahead and already employed by a company that has both unclassified and classified programs.
STEPS TO CONVINCE YOUR BOSS TO SPONSOR YOUR CLEARANCE
Just like convincing them you are deserving of a pay raise, you should:
- Ask yourself if you’ve done good work and if your employer will realistically put you through this process.
- Don’t count yourself out without even trying. Your boss is the one who will have the final say. Advocate for yourself because the worst that can happen is a no and you don’t lose
- Do your research on security clearances and the clearance process. Get to know the adjudicative guidelines, processing timelines etc..
- Put together why your boss should invest in this (sometimes) timely process. Talk about quantitative contributions on your unclassified work. Do your research on cleared positions and how long your company has had them vacant.
- Never go over your boss’s head when convincing your employer for something. Your boss may be your best and only ally in your quest for a clearance. Instead, run all of your convincing by your boss first.
- Along with doing your research, if your boss says no initially to the clearance, ask how much they can offer for a cleared contract that fits your skills and see if you can take a pay cut just to obtain the clearance.
- Your superior may need time to give you an answer from leadership. So, be patient, but remain diligent and follow up.
If you want to the position, go for it. Compare your skillset to the requirements on the cleared contracts that a company may have, and talk to contract and recruiting managers to see if they’re able to sponsor. Remember that knowledge will move you forward in this industry.
