How can a civilian get a security clearance

A security clearance is used to confirm an applicant's trustworthiness and reliability before providing access to national security information. If your job requires access to classified government documents or if you work in a government-secured facility, you must hold a security clearance.

Hourly positions that may require a security clearance include secretaries, security officers, librarians, system administrators, and computer-support personnel who have access to classified documents or systems. Related: Does your resume pass the 6-second test? Get a FREE assessment. According to John Wojcik, manager of security and safety for a Department of Defense contractor, it can take up to two years to obtain a security clearance due to the high number of background checks already in progress.

The process varies by federal agency and is constantly being tweaked based on current threats. Here is how it generally works:.

The procedure may include polygraphs, discussions with neighbors ad interviews in which very personal questions are asked. Moreover, Wojcik suggests you find out from human resources what the disqualifiers are before you quit your current job. Experts warn job seekers about recruiting firms, attorneys or other companies that promise to obtain a security clearance for you or "pre-approve" you for a security clearance -- for a fee.

They are scams. If you are serious about obtaining a position for which a security clearance is a must, Archibald suggests starting in a nonclassified job.

Put in your time, and let your manager know that you are interested in moving up to a classified position. Related: For the latest veteran jobs postings around the country, visit the Military. Whether you want to polish up your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area, or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.

Before the process for obtaining a security clearance can even begin there must exist a verifiable need for the individual seeking the clearance to hold one. While companies with contracts or grants with the federal government may require employees to have a security clearance, no company without a contract with the federal government can independently seek a security clearance. Only people employed by a federal agency or federal contractor can obtain a security clearance.

This process can take several months or up to a year depending on the backlog, need for more information, depth of the investigation process and other factors. The length of time required to obtain a security clearance is growing and is a significant concern for federal agencies and contractors.

Some instances wherein individuals would take longer than normal to be investigated are many past residences, having residences in foreign countries, having relatives outside the United States, or significant ties with non-US citizens.

If a hiring office requests an interim security clearance, an applicant may be granted an interim security clearance within a few weeks after submitting a complete security package. According to the Defense Security Service an agency of the Department of Defense , all applicants for a personnel security clearance submitted by a cleared contractor will be routinely considered for interim eligibility.

The interim eligibility is issued only when access to classified information is clearly consistent with the national security interests of the United States. The interim eligibility is issued at the same time as the initiation of the investigation and will generally remain in effect until the investigation is completed. At that time, the applicant is considered for final eligibility.

If an applicant feels they are a serious candidate for a position that requires a security clearance they may accelerate the process by gathering relevant information prior to receiving a job offer from the hiring agency or contractor. The hiring agency or contractor can direct the applicant to the appropriate forms for the level of clearance required for the position for which they are being considered. The central component in the process of obtaining a security clearance is the background investigation.

The process begins with the applicant registering and completing the appropriate forms through the U. There are five tiers of investigation standards that apply to applications for security clearances. The specific tier of investigation that is appropriate for a given candidate is determined by the classification and the risk associated with the information that the applicant will need to handle.

The e-QIP form used for sensitive or national security positions is the SF as indicated in Tier 3 and Tier 5 investigation standards. SF85 and SF85P are suitable for work in government agency positions requiring public trust rather than national security concerns. In addition to and after the verification of the answers to the questions posed by the OPM e-QIP form, many investigations will include an interview as a routine part of the investigation process.

The applicant may be asked to answer questions related to their completed form. This helps the investigator gain clarity about incomplete or unclear answers on the form. The type of security clearance that one can be approved for also depends upon the department, division, or agency involved.

For classification purposes, the types of security clearances are:. The Confidential security clearance is the easiest to obtain. Whereas other classifications will almost always involve a background check by the Defense Department, clearance programs for a confidential classification may be operated by the agencies themselves, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI , the Department of Energy DoE , the Department of State, etc. Secret sometimes called "Ordinary Secret" and Top Secret classifications almost always have some amount of military involvement in the clearance process.

One of the differences between Secret and Top Secret is how "expansive" the background check is, i. SCI classifications are only cleared for a few people and the background investigation process as well as the continual monitoring is extremely intensive.

The amount of time it takes to receive a security clearance is usually between six months to one year, if all goes well. Rarely, if ever, are temporary clearances granted during the review process. The scope of investigative work needed to grant a security clearance depends on the level of clearance being requested. There are three basic levels of security classification:.

This refers to material, which, if improperly disclosed, could be reasonably expected to cause some measurable damage to the national security. The vast majority of military personnel are given this very basic level of clearance. This level needs to be reinvestigated every fifteen years. The unauthorized disclosure of secret information could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security.

This level is reinvestigated every ten years. Individuals with this clearance have access to information or material that could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security if it was released without authorization.

This level needs to be reinvestigated every five years. Here are some of the industry terms attached to security clearances that you may encounter. Sensitive Compartmented Information or SCI is a type of classified information that concerns or was derived from sensitive intelligence systems, sources of intelligence, methods, or processes.

They are national security eligibilty criteria for access to information that does not have an impact on national sercurity. Interim Clearance is a rarely granted temporary access to classified infromation while background investigation is being conducted.

These levels are often combined with security clearance but they are background investigation instruments applied to establish eligibility of access to confidential information.

Type of investigation required for Secret and Confidential Security Clearance.